THEY come on a journey of thousands of miles from the paddy fields of India and Thailand.
But at the end of the line, bags of the world's finest rice end up in some unusual places – including a Spring Bank newsagent.
Qahir Azigzay might be better known for selling papers and sweets, but he also imports tonnes of rice each year through his company Kabul Trading.
"Not a lot of people know about it but the people who do know buy it," he said.
"I sell to a lot of different places. The takeaway restaurants buy it.
"Some people buy it for the house as well, because it's cheap."
The low price is achieved by bulk buying through a contact in Dubai, where Mr Azigzay's family lives.
Although it keeps stock moving, the downside is the sheer quantity.
The businessman brings in the rice in 23-tonne containers and has a warehouse full to the brim.
Luckily, word of mouth has helped him sell almost 100 tonnes since starting up.
However, he still has another five container-loads to shift.
"You can only bring in full containers," he said.
"Here in Hull with all the takeaways and restaurants, if you tell one person he tells other people.
"It's cheaper here than going to a supermarket."
Mr Azigzay, 38, offers a discount to customers buying serious quantities.
It might be hard to believe anyone needs more than a tonne of rice, but he insists there is a major market.
"I sell it for less because my business is new and we need it to be a little bit cheaper," he said.
"If someone buys a full tonne they get a discount.
"Some people do buy a full tonne. Some people might buy five or ten tonnes."
Mr Azigzay named Kabul Trading after the capital of his homeland, Afghanistan.
He fled the war-torn Middle East state in 1990, arriving in Britain as a refugee.
The businessman moved across the country from Doncaster to London before opening his newsagent in Hull about two years ago.
His family has finally been given the go-ahead to join him and is set to arrive within weeks.
"I like this city, so I moved to Hull," he said.
"I came to the UK as a refugee. We had a lot of trouble in Afghanistan for a long time."
It was not the easiest start but Mr Azigzay has high hopes for the company whose name is a tiny reminder of his past.
Today, it sells only rice but soon the firm could be bringing over all sorts of food.
"There are many other things I could bring in," he said.
"There are lots of things, like dry fruit and nuts."
