Rice in a rush with microwaveable packaging technology

Veetee Rice claims that its Dine-In rice offers a foolproof route to restaurant quality rice with the convenience of microwave cooking.

The product's aseptic packaging process, previously only used in Asia (primarily Japan) to make sticky rice, has been adapted over three years. The firm has invested over £20M so far in developing the product range at its Kent headquarters and obtaining a patent on the technology.

Moni Varma, chairman of Veetee Rice says: "For many years I have resisted launching microwaveable rice in pouches as the quality wasn't good enough. Rather than copy our competitors we wanted to find a route to convenience rice which would knock people's socks off. This rice is flying off the shelves and rightly so - the difference in taste between this and any other rice is staggering."

The product is available in Sainsbury and Waitrose stores. Its launch is being supported with in-store demonstrations.

Veetee will have competition from Leeds-based manufacturer Symington, which has launched an Ainsley Harriott-branded microwaveable rice range.

"Sales of rice, and in particular microwaveable rice, are showing strong growth in a market currently worth around £270M, but it is clear that consumers are looking for quality as well as convenience," says Symington md Tim Robertshaw.