Our Story
We have always had a vision. In the countries where we operate, we want people to recognise VeeTee as a key player in the international foods market. Whether those people are culinary experts or just enjoy eating well, we want them to recognise VeeTee for increasing access to quality, customised food. Food that will always be delivered simply, efficiently and, as you’d expect from the Masters of Rice, tastily.
Introducing …
1987- Moni Varma, our founder. In 1987, Moni is influenced by various family-run rice farms in India to set up Veetee Rice in North London, and begins selling rice to the rice-loving UK
From little seeds …
1992
- Even Masters of Rice begin humbly. VeeTee’s first rice mill, in Perivale, included just 2 silos. This enabled Moni to take in unmilled brown rice with a lower European import duty. This was then milled on site to make white rice. Back then, the milling capacity was approximately 15,000 tonnes per annum.
- Before long we move to our current site in Rochester, Kent, and into our purpose-built riverside facility. Suddenly, we have a milling capacity of 50,000 tonnes per annum.
- Moni decides to establish a VeeTee factory in India, in order to gain a physical presence in the country where it really all began and where much of the harvested rice is grown.
We like to give back …
2000- To help encourage and support people and communities, a seed project is established. This involves seed distribution and a buy-back arrangement with local farmers.
Expansion and Cultivation
2001
- A pretty great year for the Masters of Rice, as VeeTee becomes one of the largest rice suppliers to the UK retail market and purchases stocks of the newly implemented organic rice cultivation in India.
Catering to everyone …
2003- VeeTee Food Service division starts in the UK – and we are now selling rice to the catering industry.
A one-of-a-kind manufacturer …
2005
- The year in which VeeTee Foods Ltd is established, along with a £20m investment in a unique manufacturing process. Yes, unique. No one else uses bursts of steam to cook their rice. Other companies still insist on using the aggressive retort process to cook their rice in pouches.
As if creating innovative manufacturing techniques isn’t enough for one year, VeeTee India milling capacity increases by 30%.
‘Masters of Microwave’ too …
2007- Major retailers throughout the UK, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands recognise a great thing when they see it and decide to stock VeeTee’s newly launched microwave rice.
A nice award from The Grocer. Namely, the New Product Award for VeeTee’s Dine In microwaveable rice, which “won against stiff competition because it used a pioneering production method and absolutely lived up to its promise”. Thanks, The Grocer.
Why stop there? We’re also named as one of the Top Launches in The Grocer’s Top Products survey 2007.
As if last year’s awards weren’t enough …
2008- Finalist in The Grocer Branded Excellence Awards 2008
- Finalist in The Grocer Gold Awards 2008
- VeeTee Dine In launches its microwaveable rice in the USA.
- VeeTee’s factory in India goes from strength to strength as milling capacity is increased to 100,000 tonnes per annum.
Expanding flavours
2009
- For the first time, our microwaveable range is expanded to include flavoured recipe products.
Winning Gold
2011
- (The Grocer Food & Drink Winner image goes here)
Even more investment into a new packing operation and mill expansion in the UK increases annual milling capacity to 125,000 tonnes.
A second production line is installed in VeeTee Foods, which doubles the capacity for manufacturing our very-in-demand microwave rice dishes.
VeeTee Foods (microwaveable rice site) is honoured to take its place in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100 league table as the 8th fastest growing company in the UK by sales growth.
And we continue to grow …
2012- At the risk of repeating ourselves … for the second year running VeeTee is featured in the Sunday Times Fast Track league table, this time taking up 82nd place as the fastest growing company in the UK by sales growth.
VeeTee partners with FareShare
2016
VeeTee partners with FareShare to ensure that our surplus products are used to feed people in need, turning the problem of food waste into a solution that benefits the disadvantaged members of our society.
While our partnership is still very much in its formative stages, VeeTee have already provided enough surplus food to make over 39,000 meals for disadvantaged people who need it most.