Riviana Foods Inc., makers of rice brands such as Minute, Success, Mahatma, Carolina, among others, has completed the first phase of its $80.6 million renovation and expansion project at its Memphis, Tenn., processing and packaging plant.
Phase one comprised renovation of about 20,000 square feet of the plant in order to double current production capacity for Minute ready-to-serve rice cups, a product Riviana says can capitalize on the fact that ready-to-serve cup and pouch products were the fastest growing business in the segment in 2023 for the company.
“The substantial increase in the plant’s capacity to produce ready-to-serve cups has placed Riviana in a stronger position to meet the growing demand of our customers for high quality, flavorful and convenient food options,” said Enrique Zaragoza, president and CEO of Riviana, in the company’s release. "Along those same lines, we look forward to completing the second phase of our investment in the plant, which will add new capacity to produce our ready-to-serve rice pouch products for the US and Canadian markets."
Phase Two of the project began earlier this year and will add approximately 65,000 square feet of new production capacity for ready-to-serve pouch products in the Tilda, Carolina and Mahatma rice brands. Completion of the project is expected in early 2025, with pouches rolling off the lines by the first quarter of 2025, the release noted.
