The rice category is bland and undifferentiated, with most consumers viewing rice as a commodity chosen by price. As a staple in Latino cooking, rice is often overlooked—used the same way across generations and rarely seen as the hero of the dish.

Mahatma and Carolina offer the same high-quality rice, with branding determined by geography. But in a sea of sameness, the challenge was clear: how can a brand stand out when consumers don’t see rice as special?

Mahatma/Carolina had strong cultural equity in Latino households and a pipeline of innovations ready to meet modern needs. By shifting focus to Latino consumers—embracing their bilingual reality and cultural pride—the brand aimed to elevate rice from a background ingredient to a vibrant part of everyday cooking.