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An organic rice and rice-noodle brand sourcing heirloom grains from small farms, with certified gluten-free rice ramen.
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At a glance
- Rice Ramen (10 oz, 4 cakes)
- $6.99 ($39.99 for 6)
- Free Shipping
- US orders $79+ (FedEx economy)
- Processing + Transit
- 1-2 + 3-5 business days
- Alaska & Hawaii
- $47.31 under 12 lb, $80.81 to 35 lb
- Returns
- Free return within 45 days of delivery
- Gluten-Free
- GFCO certified ramen and rice noodles
- Non-GMO
- Project Verified (19 products)
- B Corp Score
- 105.3 (certified since 2012)
Pros
- Certifications You Can Check: Its rice ramen and noodles hold a Gluten-Free Certification Organization certificate valid to April 2027, and 19 rice and noodle products were Non-GMO Project Verified in July 2026.
- A B Corp Since 2012: Lotus Foods has imported heirloom rice from small farms since 1995, holds a B Corp score of 105.3, and its basmati was the first rice to earn Regenerative Organic Certified status.
- Arsenic Results Published: The company says it has tested its rice for inorganic arsenic with accredited labs since 2010, posts results by variety and crop year, and offers a free return within 45 days of delivery.
Cons
- The online store ships only to US street addresses, with no P.O. boxes, Canada, Puerto Rico or military addresses, and orders to Alaska or Hawaii pay $47.31 or more, so shoppers in Canada, Australia and the UK should look for the brand at local stores or on Amazon, which Lotus Foods suggests where it cannot ship.
- The direct store carries only 28 products, some soup cups were sold out when we checked, and its two return pages disagree on 45 or 90 days, so treat 45 days from delivery as the limit and email [email protected] promptly with photos of any problem.
The Verdict
What sets Lotus Foods apart is that it pairs heirloom and organic rice from smallholder farms with third-party certifications a shopper can actually check: Lotus Foods began importing black rice from China in 1995, naming it Forbidden Rice, and has since built supply partnerships in Thailand, Cambodia, India and Indonesia, while its Jade Pearl Rice is now grown in California. Its basmati was the first rice to earn Regenerative Organic Certified status, and many partner farmers use the System of Rice Intensification, which the company says uses 25% to 50% less water. Its rice ramen and rice noodles, now made in Chiang Mai, Thailand, carry a Gluten-Free Certification Organization certificate valid to April 2027, 19 products were Non-GMO Project Verified in July 2026, and the company has been a Certified B Corporation since 2012 with a score of 105.3. Online, a 10 oz bag of Organic Millet & Brown Rice Ramen with four noodle cakes costs $6.99 or $39.99 for six, noodle soup cups cost $3.99 or $30.99 for eight, and Millet & Brown Rice Ramen with Red Miso Soup is $2.89 a pouch. Organic Forbidden Rice costs $7.09 for 15 oz, Regenerative Organic White Basmati $9.99 for 30 oz or $109.99 for 25 lb, Heat & Eat pouches $3.69 and Organic Traditional Pad Thai Rice Noodles $5.29. Orders of $79 or more ship free by FedEx economy; smaller orders pay standard two-day rates. Orders are processed in 1 to 2 business days and ship from Hayward, California, arriving in 3 to 5 more. The reservations are range and reach. The online store lists only 28 products, so some flavors sold in stores are not there, and it ships only to US street addresses, with Alaska and Hawaii charged $47.31 or more and nothing to Canada, Australia or the UK. Its two return pages disagree on 45 or 90 days. The record is thin: we found no Trustpilot or BBB profile, and past recalls include a 2013 mold recall and a 2018 recall of soup cups wrongly labelled for the microwave. Look for the gluten-free mark on each package, buy six-packs to reach the $79 threshold, and keep your order email for any claim.
Organic Heirloom Rice, Rice Ramen and Rice Noodles From a B Corp Importer
Lotus Foods, Inc. is based at 5212 Wall Ave. in Richmond, California, and was started in 1995 by co-founders Caryl Levine and Ken Lee, who began by importing black rice as Forbidden Rice. It sells Forbidden, Jade Pearl, basmati, jasmine and red rice, rice ramen noodle cakes, noodle soup cups and pouches, Pad Thai, Pho, Udon and Soba rice noodles, and Heat & Eat rice pouches. Beyond its own site, the range is sold in natural food, co-op and specialty stores and on Amazon.
A 10 oz bag of Organic Millet & Brown Rice Ramen (four cakes) costs $6.99 or $39.99 for a six-pack, Thai Spicy Tom Yum and Sichuan Chili Garlic soup cups cost $3.99 or $30.99 for eight, and Millet & Brown Rice Ramen with Red Miso Soup is $2.89 a pouch. Organic Forbidden Rice costs $7.09 for 15 oz, Organic Jade Pearl Rice $7.49, Regenerative Organic White Basmati $9.99 for 30 oz and Heat & Eat pouches $3.69 each. The store shows no 'was' prices, and email sign-up offers 10% off.
Orders ship by FedEx from Hayward, California to street addresses in all US states after 1 to 2 business days of processing, taking 3 to 5 business days, with free economy shipping at $79 or more and set rates of $47.31 or $80.81 for Alaska and Hawaii; there is no shipping to P.O. boxes, Canada, Australia or the UK. Its ramen and noodles hold a GFCO gluten-free certificate valid to April 2027, 19 products are Non-GMO Project Verified, retail packs list Where Food Comes From as the USDA Organic certifier, and the company says it has tested for inorganic arsenic since 2010.
The Shipping & Returns page offers a free return within 45 days of receiving an order, while a separate refund policy says 90 days from purchase, so act within 45 days and email [email protected] with photos and the lot number for damaged goods. We found no Trustpilot or BBB profile to judge service by, though the brand has won sofi Awards and a Whole Foods Market Supplier Award. Past recalls include a 2013 voluntary ramen recall after a mold complaint and a 2018 recall of soup cups whose labels wrongly suggested microwaving.
Lotus Foods: what to know before you buy
Lotus Foods sells organic heirloom rice, rice ramen and rice noodles from a Richmond, California B Corp. Here is what it costs online, which certifications hold up, and how shipping and returns work.
Shipping, returns & warranty
The online store ships only within the US, to street addresses in all states. It does not ship to P.O. boxes, Canada, Puerto Rico, US territories, APO or FPO addresses, and there is no service to Australia or the UK; the brand points shoppers in those places to Amazon. Orders are processed in 1 to 2 business days and sent by FedEx from Hayward, California, taking 3 to 5 more business days to reach most of the country. Express delivery in 1 to 2 business days costs extra.
Orders of $79 or more after discounts ship free by FedEx economy; smaller orders pay standard two-day FedEx rates at checkout. Free shipping does not apply to Alaska or Hawaii, which pay $47.31 for parcels under 12 lb and $80.81 for 12 to 35 lb. Expect delays at peak holiday times; no holiday order-by dates are published.
The Shipping & Returns page promises a free return within 45 days of receiving an order if you are not fully satisfied, with a refund once the return arrives; a separate refund policy mentions 90 days, so act within 45. For damaged or incomplete shipments, email [email protected] with the order number, best-by date or lot number, a description and photos.
Lotus Foods product lines
Rice is where Lotus Foods began. Forbidden Rice is a black heirloom rice grown in China's far northeast, Jade Pearl Rice is a short-grain rice infused with bamboo extract and now grown in California, the heirloom basmati comes from Uttar Pradesh in India, and the jasmine and red rices come from family farms in Thailand. Heat & Eat pouches cover quick meals.
Rice ramen is the best-known line: noodle cakes made from organic millet and brown rice, Jade Pearl Rice or white rice, four cakes to a 10 oz bag. Noodle soups come as cups (Thai Spicy Tom Yum, Sichuan Chili Garlic, Vietnamese Vegetable Pho) and as pouches with miso soup. Rice noodles include Traditional and Brown Pad Thai, Pho, Brown and White Udon, and Buckwheat and Brown Soba.
The online store lists 28 products, so some flavors sold in stores, such as Spicy Kimchi rice ramen soup, are not there.
How to choose rice and ramen
For a gluten-free swap for wheat noodles, start with the rice ramen cakes or the Pad Thai and Udon rice noodles, which are covered by the brand's GFCO certificate; check for the gluten-free mark on each package. The noodle cakes cook in a few minutes and come without soup packets, so you add your own broth.
For whole grains, Organic Forbidden Rice and the brown rices keep their bran and take about 30 minutes to cook, while white basmati and jasmine cook faster. Bigger bags (11 lb to 25 lb) suit regular rice eaters.
Paper soup cups are for hot water from a kettle unless the label says otherwise; a 2018 recall involved cups wrongly labelled for the microwave. If you have allergies, note that some products are made in facilities that handle other foods, and email the company before buying.
Deals & pricing
Prices online are list prices with no 'was' prices: Organic Millet & Brown Rice Ramen is $6.99 a bag or $39.99 for six, soup cups $3.99 or $30.99 for eight, Organic Forbidden Rice $7.09 for 15 oz, Regenerative Organic White Basmati $9.99 for 30 oz and Heat & Eat pouches $3.69.
Multi-packs are the easiest way to reach the $79 free shipping threshold, and email sign-up offers 10% off. Prices in grocery stores and on Amazon vary by retailer. We do not list codes we have not tested.
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Lotus Foods: questions people ask
Straight answers about Lotus Foods, then how this review was written and stays independent.
About Lotus Foods
Is Lotus Foods legit?
Yes. Lotus Foods, Inc. of Richmond, California has imported rice since 1995, has been a Certified B Corporation since 2012, and its products carry third-party gluten-free and Non-GMO Project certificates. Its products are sold in natural food and co-op stores nationwide. We found no Trustpilot or BBB profile to judge its online service by.
Is Lotus Foods rice ramen gluten-free?
Yes. Its rice ramen, ramen soups and rice noodles made in Chiang Mai, Thailand are certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization under a certificate valid to April 2027, and the ingredients are rice and grains such as millet. GFCO says certification applies when its mark is on the package, so check the label, and ask the company about allergens if you have a severe allergy.
Is Lotus Foods organic?
Most products are. The company says the majority of its products are USDA certified organic, and retail packs list Where Food Comes From as the certifier. A few items, such as the regular Forbidden Rice, are not labelled organic, so check the product name. Its basmati also carries Regenerative Organic Certified status.
Does Lotus Foods ship to Canada?
No. The online store ships only to street addresses in the US, not to Canada, Puerto Rico, US territories, APO, FPO or P.O. boxes, and it does not serve Australia or the UK. Lotus Foods suggests trying Amazon if you live where it cannot ship.
What is the Lotus Foods return policy?
The Shipping & Returns page offers a free return if you are not fully satisfied, within 45 days of receiving your order, with the refund issued once the return arrives. A separate refund policy mentions 90 days, so contact [email protected] within 45 days to be safe, with photos and the lot number if items arrive damaged.
Does Lotus Foods test its rice for arsenic?
Yes. Lotus Foods says it has tested its rice for inorganic arsenic since 2010 with accredited commercial labs and posts the results by rice variety and crop year on its website.
About this review
Is this Lotus Foods review sponsored?
No. Lotus Foods did not pay for this write-up, see it before publication, or have any say in the verdict. If we earn anything it is a commission after you buy, and it comes out of the merchant’s margin rather than your price.
How was the Lotus Foods assessed?
By using it and by checking the claims made about it against what it actually does. Where our time with something has been limited, the review says so rather than implying more testing than happened.
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Yes — when a product changes, when a price moves for good, or when we get something wrong. Corrections are made on the piece itself with a note saying what changed.
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