Ken Lee

Ken Lee, 58, took a meandering path from working in the insurance industry and financial planning on the East Coast to co-founding Lotus Foods in California in 1995.

“Those weren’t jobs I had any passion for,” he says of his non-specialty food background, “but I honed certain skills and they all applied to moving forward.”

In 1993, Lee and his then girlfriend (now wife), Caryl Levine, took a two-month market research trip to China. They discovered heirloom black rice in Yunnan province and were intrigued by its flavor, health benefits, and ancient history of being offered to emperors as a symbol of longevity. It became one of 90 ideas on their list for bootstrapping a business.

The couple moved to the San Francisco Bay Area when Levine took a job as a director of development at UC Berkeley. They realized they were in an innovative, influential food mecca.

“Why not try selling these specialty varieties of rice and support biodiversity around the planet?” Lee says he thought at the time. The heirloom rice they imported from Asia quickly won over local chefs and validated the concept.

Soon, they were able to connect small rice farmers to a distribution channel and pay them higher premiums. The timing fortunately coincided with consumers who were looking for gluten-free, GMO-free, chemical-free alternatives. Lee also pioneered ways for farmers to grow rice more sustainably by using less water (‘More Crop Per Drop’) and in some cases, nearly tripled family incomes.

Now in its 22nd year of business, Lotus Foods works with 4,000 small-scale producers around the globe and helps to educate them in new irrigation methods. During 2015, 528 million gallons of water were saved. Not only that, the company is profitable, Lee says, adding, “We have to do well to do good.” 

Highlights

1995—Lotus Foods launched with red rice from Bhutan followed by trademarked black rice (Forbidden Rice) from China. Simultaneously launched domestically grown organic jasmine rice from Texas, the first in the U.S. marketplace.

1998—Forbidden Rice was a finalist in the Outstanding New Product category of the annual sofi Awards competition, the first of 14 awards for the company.

2008—Developed supply chains with farmers in Madagascar, Indonesia, and Cambodia practicing the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) that can double or triple yields while cutting methane emissions and using up to 50 percent less water. 

2010—Invited to deliver Lotus Foods progress report at the Clinton Global Initiative.

2012—Received More Crop Per Drop registered trademark rights from U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

2014—Partnered with fair trade and organic chocolate maker Theo for Black Rice Quinoa Crunch bar.

2016—Became a fully certified Benefit Corporation (B Corp). Arare Rice Crackers introduced in Shoyu, Sriracha and Sweet & Savory Thai flavors. Partnered with Luvo to make plant-based Planted Power Bowls, featuring More Crop Per Drop organic whole-grain rice with vegetables that steam fast in the microwave.