The promotion of whole grains is critical for enhancing food security and improving public health in China. This study analyzes consumer preferences and willingness to pay for six attributes of black rice, based on data from a survey of 408 consumers and using a choice experiment method. The results reveal that consumers exhibit strong preferences and high willingness to pay for food safety attributes of black rice, including green food certification and food quality certification. In contrast, there is no significant preference for other attributes, such as brand, taste, and sales channels. Additionally, consumer perception of the nutritional value of black rice generally positively affects consumer preferences for black rice, with most significant impact observed for green food certification. Lastly, higher-income consumers demonstrate a preference for brand and taste attributes. Our findings suggest a series of policy implications, including enhancing food safety regulation, increasing public education on food safety, raising public awareness about the nutritional value of black rice, and offering differentiated black rice products based on market heterogeneity.