Uncle Ben's Rice was the best-selling brand of rice from the 1950s through the 1990s. Uncle Ben's markets both white and brown rice in instant and regular-cooking varieties as well as soups, rice pudding and flavored rice side dishes.
Uncle Ben
Uncle Ben's Rice was reportedly named for an African-American Texas rice grower who produced high-quality grains during the early 20th century. In March of 2007, Uncle Ben, an elderly African-American gentlemen who had acted as a symbol for the product for over 60 years, was named the official chairman of the company. A revamped Uncle Ben's Rice website allows users to browse through Uncle Ben's opulent office to discover more about the products and company history.
References
Fast Facts
-
Phone number
1-800-54-UNCLE
-
Fact:
Owned by Mars, Inc.
-
Founder
Gordon L. Harwell
-
Fact:
Founded in the 1930s in New Orleans, Louisiana as Converted Rice, Inc.
-
Fact:
Renamed Uncle Ben's Rice in 1946
-
Fact:
Provided rice to the U.S. Army during World War II
-
Fact:
Headquartered in Greenville, Mississippi
-
Fact:
In 1974, Uncle Ben's Rice sales reached $100 million
