Dainty Rice to establish first US facility

USA – Les Aliments Dainty Foods (Dainty Rice), the Canada-based subsidiary of France’s Marbour Group and a leading producer of branded and private-label rice products, has announced plans to construct its first US manufacturing facility in Batavia Township, Ohio, signaling a bold expansion into the American market.

The project represents an initial US$85 million investment, scaling to US$150 million over five years, and targets the surging demand for convenient, ready-to-heat rice pouches, cups, and bowls amid evolving consumer preferences for quick meal solutions.

The 250,000-square-foot plant, under the newly formed Dainty USA LLC, will create approximately 240 jobs upon full operation, generating US$15.8 million in annual payroll and boosting local economies near Cincinnati.

With over 140 years of rice sourcing and processing expertise from its Canadian base in Windsor, Ontario, Dainty already supplies major US retailers but relies on cross-border logistics that face rising costs from tariffs, fuel prices, and supply chain disruptions.

CEO James Maitland described the move as a “transformative milestone,” enhancing North American capacity to produce up to 250 million units annually, including basmati and jasmine varieties, flavoured sides, and baking mixes, while leveraging advanced automation, a dedicated rail spur, and optimized inbound and outbound bays to improve efficiency.

Phase One production is slated for Q1 2027, with site renovation starting imminently and hiring ramping up accordingly, supported by state and local grants.

The initiative addresses the US ready-to-eat rice market’s 8% compound annual growth, driven by busy households and private-label demand from grocers like Walmart and Kroger, where Dainty holds a strong foothold.

As a subsidiary of Marbour Group, which specializes in global rice distribution, Dainty’s Ohio footprint strengthens supply chain resilience against geopolitical tensions and climate-impacted harvests in key exporting countries such as India and Thailand.

The facility will utilize advanced technology and automation to enhance efficiency, product quality, and supply chain performance.

Designed for optimized logistics, the site will feature a dedicated rail spur, three inbound loading bays for raw materials, and six outbound bays to support finished goods distribution throughout the US.

Dainty USA LLC is partnering with state and local government agencies to support the project through grants. Renovation and facility development are expected to begin in the next few weeks, with hiring to follow as operations ramp up.

This expansion underscores Canada’s deepening integration into US food production, potentially paving the way for further cross-border investments in the North American rice category.

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