Rice, noodles & pasta 2025: Bulk buying helps rice sales rocket

Rice is the king of starchy sides once again. Its volumes have jumped 4.1% – higher than pasta, noodles or potatoes. That’s an extra 11.5 million kilos of rice through tills, helped in no small part by shoppers buying in bulk from the world food aisle.

Also playing a role in rice’s performance was a 1.8% fall in average price per kilo. That was due to lower wholesale prices and heavy price promotions in the mults around key festivals such as Ramadan and Diwali.

The reduction in average branded prices was deeper at 4.2%, helping to push up volumes 9.9%. In contrast, own label kilos are down 0.4% on a 0.8% fall in prices.

Nine of the top 10 brands have achieved value and volume gains, and Mai Thai from Surya Foods is a standout performer. The premium jasmine rice brand’s value sales have surged 32.8%, while volumes are up 34.4%.

Mai Thai, like stablemates Laila and Salaam, originally served niche audiences, says Surya CEO Harry Dulai. But with Brits “increasingly seeking authentic world foods”, the three brands have grown in popularity. Laila has shifted an extra 3.2 million kilos, while Salaam’s up 1.7 million kilos. They’ve added a combined £4.5m, driven by increased distribution.

“From a cost of living perspective, dry rice is extremely competitive when pitted against microwaveable and pouch varieties,” says Dulai. “Switching to dry rice is an easy move. You get the same end result, but dry rice is much cheaper per serving.”

Not that Surya is opposed to pouched rice. In August, Laila made its first foray into microwaveable pouches with a 10-strong lineup.

The same month, rice leader Tilda expanded its dry rice range with “trend-led” SKUs Sticky Rice 500g and Pudding Rice 500g. The brand’s grown volumes 3.2%, while value’s up 4.3%.

Tilda head of marketing Anna Beheshti puts its success down to the strength of both its dry and ready-to-heat formats “across a broad range of grain types and pack sizes, increasing both penetration and frequency”.

At the same time, “high-impact campaigns” like ‘Elevate Your Plate’ and ‘Rice-olutions’ have boosted brand engagement and emotional resonance, Beheshti adds, while Tilda has also launched new flavours and formats that “honestly reflect how people eat today”.

The brand’s ready-to-heat range expanded in July with Soy & Ginger Sticky and Chinese Special Fried. And Tilda Taste Travellers pouches for kids hit shelves in October. The lineup is bringing “something genuinely new to the category, offering nutritious, globally inspired meals ready in just 60 seconds and giving parents newfound confidence at mealtimes”, Beheshti says.

Ben’s Original, on the other hand, has been quiet on the innovations front for its rice. Nevertheless, it’s enjoyed a 4% increase in volumes. Its brand director, Sian Gavin, credits demand for Basmati, Sticky Rice and Jasmine Rice and the 450g microwaveable Family Pack launched in 2024.

When Ben’s did roll out notable NPD this year, it was in noodles. Unveiled in March, the six-strong Ben’s Street Food range was described by owner Mars as a “globally inspired noodle and veg range”.

It entered a noodles market where brands are losing ground to own label alternatives – which are 71.5% cheaper per average kilo than branded noodles. As such, own label is up 4.1% by volume, compared with brands’ 1.6% gain. Eight of the category’s top 10 brands are in value and volume decline, including Sharwood’s and Amoy.

Itsu, which entered the noodles market in 2023, is an exception. It’s rocketed up the ranking on a 257% value gain – the result of NPD and increased distribution.

Pasta picture shifts

A similarly outstanding performance can be found in pasta, where stylish Italian challenger Rummo has registered a 141.9% value gain on volumes up 116.9%. Again, broader distribution has been key to performance.

Many shoppers are “shifting away from long-standing names as their heads are being turned by exciting new entrants”, says Joe Gilbert, NIQ analytics executive.

That helps to explain the 8.7% volume loss for leading name Batchelors Pasta ‘N’ Sauce, in a sector where brands have grown kilos by 5.8% and own label is up 1.6%.

However, Batchelors owner Premier Foods points to the success of its Pasta ‘N’ Sauce innovations this year, including a microwavable format in April, featuring Tomato & Basil, Carbonara, Cheesy and Creamy Mushroom & Garlic.

Premier brand director Kate Yateman-Smith highlights the September launch of the first-ever Batchelors’ Pasta ‘N’ Sauce filled pasta. The microwaveable Ravioli range comprises Beef & Tomato, Salmon & Dill, Spinach & Ricotta, and Ham & Parmesan – all ready to eat in three minutes.

“They offer a new way for retailers to expand their pasta offering and tap into the growing appetite for convenient and delicious meals,” says Yateman-Smith.

And maybe prove pasta is just as versatile as rice?