New import is grown in the region basmati was first identified, aged a full year, and sourced directly from more than 600 Pakistani farm families
STELLAR BASMATI — September 22, 2026 — Stellar Basmati, a basmati rice brand grown in Pakistan's Kaalar Belt and milled by Galaxy Rice, announced today that it is now available to U.S. consumers. Stellar sources its rice from the same stretch of Punjab where Basmati 370, the variety that founded the modern basmati category, was first identified in 1933, and ages every batch for a full year using traditional methods rather than the heat or chemical shortcuts common across the industry.
Stellar's rice grows in the Kaalar Belt, a stretch of Punjab between the Ravi and Chenab rivers fed by Himalayan meltwater. It is the same ground basmati has grown in for generations, and where the pure-line variety that gave rise to nearly every modern basmati was developed. According to the company, growing the same seed outside that region produces a shorter or less aromatic grain, which is why region of origin, not just variety, is central to Stellar's identity.
After harvest, Stellar ages its rice for a full year, a slower process than the industry standard that lets the grain lose moisture naturally rather than through artificial treatment. The company says the extra time produces rice that cooks up firmer, more separate, and more aromatic than rice sold fresh off the harvest.
Stellar works with more than 600 farm families near its mill, paying them directly rather than through intermediaries, and backing them with agronomists, certified seed and a buyback guarantee. Stellar was also the first consumer basmati brand to carry the Sustainable Rice Platform's logo on its packaging, an alliance of more than 100 organizations focused on sustainable rice farming.
Stellar's growing practices extend to regenerative farming methods. Under the company's program, targeted drones deliver crop treatments directly to the plants that need them rather than blanketing entire fields, and growers avoid flooding fields, which cuts down on water use and methane emissions. Leftover rice straw is repurposed as fodder after harvest instead of being burned, a practice that reduces the seasonal smog common to the region.
“We're not the biggest basmati brand on the shelf, and we don't want to be. We wanted to bring over the rice grown where basmati started, aged the way it's always been aged, and grown by farmers we pay directly. That's what Stellar is,” said Shahid Tarer, Director, Stellar Basmati.
Stellar's rice line includes white and brown basmati varieties, sold in more than 60 retail locations across 14 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, with locations kept current at stellarbasmati.com/where-to-buy, and will soon be selling online at stellarbasmati.com. The company says the rice holds up in dishes well beyond its traditional range, from biryani and pilafs to dishes like Italian arancini and Cajun jambalaya, and has published recipes and cooking guidance through its Culinary Hub.
About Stellar Basmati
Stellar Basmati is a basmati rice brand grown in the Kaalar Belt of Punjab, Pakistan, the region where the modern basmati category originated. Stellar's rice is aged a full year using traditional methods and sourced from more than 600 farm families paid directly, without intermediaries. Learn more at stellarbasmati.com.
About Galaxy Rice
Galaxy Rice traces back to 1974, when it was established as Doaba Rice Mills under Punjab's Industrial Development Board. The Pakistani government privatized the mill in 1992, and it has operated since as Galaxy Rice (Pvt) Ltd. Based in the Doaba region between the Ravi and Chenab rivers, Galaxy Rice manages the full supply chain behind its rice, from distributing certified seed to local farmers through processing, quality testing and export. Learn more at galaxyrice.com.
Media Contact:
Sara Schipkowski
Account Manager-Upstart Food Brands
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