Arkansas Inc. Podcast: Origami Sake President and CEO Matt Bell

In this episode of the Arkansas Inc. Podcast, Origami Sake President and CEO Matt Bell discusses the origins of his company, why he chooses to do business in Arkansas, and what the future looks like for Origami Sake.

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TRANSCRIPT

My name is Matt Bell, I'm the founder of Origami Sake, and you're listening to the Arkansas Inc. podcast.

Welcome to the Arkansas Inc. podcast. I'm Clark Cogbill, I serve as Director of Marketing and Communications for the Arkansas Department of Commerce. When you think of Arkansas, a few things probably come to mind: natural beauty, southern hospitality, maybe even rice farming, Razorback football, and a thriving and diverse economy. But until recently, one thing you probably didn't associate with the natural state was sake. That's changing, thanks to today's guest on the podcast.

Matt Bell is the President and CEO of Origami Sake, Arkansas's first sake brewery, and now one of the top producers of sake in the United States.

When he first met fellow Arkansan Ben Bell (no relation), a longtime sake enthusiast who had trained in Japan, Matt saw something more than just a business opportunity. He saw the potential to turn Arkansas, the nation's leading rice producer, into an unexpected hub for premium American-made sake.

I recently sat down with Matt at the Origami Sake headquarters in Hot Springs, Arkansas. We talked about how the business got started, how it's grown, and why Arkansas water and rice are so integral to this award-winning product.

Matt Bell, welcome to the Arkansas Inc. podcast.

Matt, first off, can you tell us the origin story of Origami Sake?

So, it all began about 2016 when I met Ben Bell, who's not related to me. He returned from Japan through a sister city relationship with Hot Springs, and he had been brewing in Hanamaki, Japan, for two years. And met him at a mutual friend's party and he said, "I'm going to start a sake brewery in Arkansas." And we found out we're not related. That first thing was like, your last name is Bell, are we related? And really got to learn a little bit about what his passion was. Arkansas is a leading rice-growing state. And was the first place to grow sake rice outside of Japan in 1997. And at the time in 2016, he told me I have been brewing in Japan for two years, I'm going to start a sake brewery, and told me about Arkansas rice and Hot Springs water. And I thought it was a great idea, but, you know, honestly at the time I didn't like sake. And I was introduced to premium craft craft sake after that. And it was an idea that stuck with me for, you know, better part of five years, when I sold my previous company, and I called Ben up, he was the first person I called.

Matt, for those who aren't familiar, what is sake?

So, sake is a fermented beverage. It's actually brewed and not distilled, but it's brewed like beer and sold like wine, but what's unique about sake is that it's made 100% with rice. And Arkansas growing 50% of the rice, it makes sense for Arkansas to be the leader in sake production domestically. If you think about famous alcohol brands, or alcohol sense of terroir, you have Kentucky Bourbon, and you have Napa Valley for wine, and you have Willamette Valley in Oregon for wine, but Arkansas really is the Napa Valley of sake.

Tell us about the name and mission of Origami Sake.

So, first let's start with the name. So, Origami is a name that all Americans are familiar with. When you think about sake as a category, it's a really challenging category for consumers to understand. The terminology and the language barrier is very difficult. So, we started with the name Origami because every child in America grows up learning about the ancient art of Origami from Japan, and it's something people can be familiar with. So, we're marketing sake and really broadening the category outside of just typical Asian cuisine, and we're looking for wine drinkers. People that might have a glass of wine with their dinner. Sake pairs better than wine with food, and so we really wanted to make a an impression for consumers to transition out of wine and into sake.

Matt, you have led successful businesses in the past, most recently a solar business. Why take the risk on starting over on a new business?

Sure. Well, I was I was looking for something to do, and I'm a busy person, and I like to stay busy. This was an idea that the foundation was extremely strong. So, looking for a good foundation on the sense of why do you do this business? Arkansas had everything that was needed for us to be successful. I just needed to get the right team. And so people are critical to the success of any business, and I'm the least experienced person in making sake, and so I've surrounded we've surrounded ourselves with really good people that understand the process of making sake, as well as selling it, as well as branding it. And so, really for me, it was something for the state of Arkansas. Something important that we could do better than anywhere in the US.

Did you almost feel like this was a great idea that was just waiting to happen with the combination of Hot Springs water and Arkansas grown rice?

Yes, the key components. I mean, again, rice is 100% of the raw ingredients outside of water. So, water and rice is what you need to make great sake, and craftsmanship. So, the missing part was getting good brewers, and we found one of the best brewers outside of the United States and Japan in Justin Potts, who joined us from living in Japan for 18 years, and he's our head brewer here now.

Matt, can you talk more about why it's so important to use Hot Springs water? What's important about Hot Springs water in particular and Arkansas rice to make Origami Sake? Is it that it's local, that it's high quality, readily available?

Sure. Well, first and foremost, I'm from Arkansas. Born and raised in Little Rock, and went to the University of Arkansas, I'm proud of this state. So, this was really important for me to see the vision of what this state could produce that's unique to Arkansas. So, Hot Springs has the best water in the United States for brewing sake. When you look at the makeup of what you're looking for in water, this is a soft water aquifer here, and it has no minerals that are, you know, not desirable for producing sake, iron and manganese being the two products that could kill sake. So, for me, it was like, Arkansas can do something pretty big on a national and international scale with the two assets we have, which is water and rice. And just formulating that, branding that correctly, and telling the story is what we do. And and making Arkansas famous for for this incredible product that we make here at Origami Sake.

It sounds like that's super important.

Yes, soft water. So, it's the largest soft water deposit in the United States is the Ouachita Mountain Aquifer.

And what is it about Arkansas rice that's so important to the quality of your sake?

So, in Japan there are specific varieties of rice that are used only in sake production. One of those is called Yamada Nishiki rice, and it was only grown in Japan until 1997. It's never been grown anywhere else. And a farmer in Hummel, Arkansas, Isbell Farms, had a challenge from a farmer in Japan who said, "I don't think you can grow this rice variety here in Arkansas." And he took him up on that bet, and years later he's the largest producer of Japanese sake rice outside of Japan here in Arkansas.

Well, Arkansas certainly knows how to grow rice.

Yes. Arkansas is probably the most efficient rice-growing region in the world. We have the flattest land and we have plenty of water to grow rice, and really great technology. When you go to Japan, it's very terraced, smaller equipment. Yeah, a lot smaller farms. So, at scale, we are that's why we're the largest producer because of the Mississippi Delta and the Delta and the flatness of our land that allows us to flood rice efficiently and grow rice efficiently.

Well, in fact, Origami Sake has received rave reviews from critics. You recently won a Gold Award at the 2025 Tokyo Sake Challenge, the only sake brewer from the United States to win that award.

It's been astounding. You know, a big challenge in alcohol distribution is the distribution and getting distributors that want to add a product, and all of our distributors throughout the country have been very receptive to this idea because they understand the story and the story about Arkansas rice and our water here in Hot Springs. And starting there, you can start a brand, you can make vodka, you can make bourbon, but you have to have a sense of a place and a true foundation of the roots of your brand. And we're currently available in 32 states and really can expand that and plan to expand that throughout the United States this year.

It's one thing to be well received in the United States, but pretty impressive to get such recognition in Japan by experienced connoisseurs. How were you able to achieve such a high-quality product?

Well, it's the skill that we have in our brewery with the staff that we have, plus our mentorship with Nambu Bijin, which is a brewery that's 150-year-old brewery that's located in Iwate prefecture, which was connected to us through the Sister City program of Hot Springs. They've mentored us in in our production process to quickly get us to where the level of our quality was world renowned, right? And so without that, this is the hardest beverage to make. Sake is a very delicate beverage to produce, alcoholic beverage to produce, and without that mentorship we would probably be not at the quality we're we're making now. So, that that helped tremendously.

Matt, can you tell us more about the unique relationship you have with Hanamaki as a Sister City to Hot Springs, Arkansas?

Sure. So, the foundation of why we're here really started with the Hanamaki Hot Springs Sister City association. And that's what led Ben to go and brew for two years in that same prefecture there. And that sister city relationship it's won several awards for for what they've done in that partnership. But that led us to one of the best breweries in the world to train and give us the skill set needed to launch this brewery.

So, the Sister City program really enabled that partnership and training to be available?

Absolutely.

You mentioned earlier the brewer you recruited to come back to the United States after spending 18 years in Japan. Can you tell us more about how that happened?

So, kind of long story, but I'll try to make this short. Um, we Ben had come back from Japan, and the brewer that was consulting us at Nambu Bijin spoke very little English. And so it was all Japanese translations, very difficult to get mentorship from that brewery. So, we reached out to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and talked to the Tokyo office. And um a name forgets me, forgive me, hold on.

Neal.

Neal Jansen. Reached out to Neal Jansen and said, "We need a translator that understands sake and understands English, and can help us translate for our relationship with Nambu Bijin." And he put a request out, and that's how we were introduced to Justin Potts. Justin had lived in Japan for 18 years, worked for several breweries, and started the first sake podcast in the world in Japan, English it's called Sake on Air. And when we interviewed Justin, he was fluent in Japanese, understand brewing sake, understood the language, you know, great with the translation of sake terminology. And two weeks later he moves to Hot Springs, Arkansas, sight unseen.

Matt, can you tell us about your history in sustainable energy, and why it was important for you for Origami Sake to be powered with sustainable energy?

Sure. So, first of all, our brewery here is 100% solar powered. From our electric demand, it's there's a solar farm out front of our facility that produces all of our electric needs. We do buy gas. So, we have to steam our rice with gas, so that's the only carbon output we have. Um, but it was really important for my past business, we helped businesses become more efficient from the waste of energy, whether it be LED lights or solar panels, in energy production and energy reduction. Um, so it was important to weave that into to our story as well. So, sourcing 100% local rice, sourcing our water directly from, you know, this aquifer here in Hot Springs, and making a truly 100% Arkansas product was very important.

When you pull into the Origami Sake headquarters in Hot Springs, you absolutely cannot miss the solar array right there in the parking lot. It's the first thing you see when you drive up.

Yes.

486 kilowatts the power is?

Matt, talk to us about how you actually stood up the business. How did you come up with the first product offering and the brand?

Sure. So, we we had a renovation of a building, so we were under construction for a year, over a year. And doing test batches of the products that we were going to make, a lot of trial and error and a lot of error. So, we finally got to a point where we had two products that we dialed in that were great flavor profile, made with all Arkansas rice, and that we could market it to the to the world. Part of all this and all alcohol, it's really getting your branding right. And so, from the name Origami, you can imagine that you can create anything, a brand or a style, anything you can fold with a simple piece of paper, you can make into a crane or a lotus or a dragonfly even. So, it gave us a lot of longevity and brand expressions in the different products that we release over time.

All right, so when exactly did the business begin? When did you cut on the lights, and how have you grown since that first day?

Sure. So, we started in May of 2023, officially launched our product. We were just in Arkansas. Since that time, we're now in 32 states. That's very rapid growth for any alcohol brand. Um, and it's been astounding. We're the fifth largest by volume and by dollar premium sake brand in the US already, and we're not in all the states yet. So, we're planning on expanding that this year. So, it's been very well received. Um, it's, you know, with our branding, with our style, our profile, people remember the brand and they ask for it by name. So, we're really proud of the team we've got and the distributors we have throughout the country.

If you're growing that quickly, I'm sure your staff has grown as well. Have you been able to find the talent you need?

Yes, we have. You know, the foundation of this business is very strong, you know, with Arkansas rice and Hot Springs water, and attracting talent has been very very easy for us actually. So, even hiring sales reps that are experienced in sake, they love the story, and that's been very refreshing to know that we didn't make a lot of mistakes starting this and didn't assume that we're too Arkansas proud. But I think we're making Arkansas, we're putting Arkansas on the map for sake production globally.

Matt, I know you're a native Arkansan, but what has been your experience running and growing this business in Arkansas?

Arkansas has been phenomenal for our business. We, no one would start a business in Arkansas producing sake thinking that Arkansas was going to be the home of sake. We're ranked about 45th in the country for sake consumption. Our goal from the start was really to make this a national and international brand, and starting with the foundation of Arkansas rice and water. But Arkansas has received this brand very well, and we couldn't be prouder of this city of Hot Springs and the state of Arkansas for the support they've given us as a brand.

I feel like we're going to move up a few notches beyond 45 now.

That's the intention.

Matt, I know you've got a brand new product on the market, Snow Monkey. Can you talk to us a little bit about what that is?

Yes. So, through our growth in Origami, what we found is a lot of the cocktail bars that were serving our sake, which were non-traditional Asian restaurants, not Asian restaurants, could be a pizza place, it could be a burger joint. They were making cocktails with our sake, and sake is a good foundation for making a cocktail. So, what we came up with was a ready-to-drink cocktail called Snow Monkey. And the reason the name is Snow Monkey is a snow monkey is a Japanese macaque that lives in northern Japan. It's the northernmost primate in the world, but what's unique about snow monkeys is they warm themselves in hot springs during the winters. And so, it was a fun brand and really taking the foundation of Origami and our sake to make a sessionable beverage that's 4.5% alcohol that you can take on the lake, you could take, you know, with you in a cooler in a can. So, real excited about this brand, and it's growing outstandingly well.

Well, now I've got this vision of people out on Lake Hamilton, Degray or Greers Ferry enjoying some Snow Monkey.

Matt, what would you tell other business founders around the country, around the world about Arkansas that might surprise them?

It's a beautiful state. You know, we are a rural state, heavily agriculture-focused, but great people. That's probably the biggest strength of our state is the people, the people here that work here, the people in the community, and they support Arkansas businesses. That's the other great thing is that Arkansans are proud, and they do support Arkansas businesses, and that's something that's been astounding for us as our growth.

What does Arkansas have to offer that is unique to other places around the world from your perspective?

You know, really a lot of diversity. So, there's great nature here, there's great people, there's great institutions, from North to South Arkansas, it's a completely different environment. So, Northwest Arkansas is just a whole region within, you know, unto itself, but great culture and, you know, the nature here is incredible. So.

How about the cost of doing business in Arkansas and the quality of the talent you found?

Yeah, so you know, Arkansas has low utility cost, relatively low labor cost, and so, it's a great place for a business to to start, and really good people, good workforce, quality people.

Matt, how would you answer the question, why Arkansas?

Why Arkansas? Arkansas has, you know, incredible people, incredible community, a lot of things to do in this state from, you know, lakes, nature, and a lot of vibrant businesses here that would surprise a lot of people and a lot of local support.

Alright Matt, just a few more questions, hard-hitting questions before we wrap up the podcast. If you had a free night and could go to any restaurant in the state, where would you go?

Oh, shoot. That would be tough. Um, I like Georges and the Heights in Little Rock, Petit Keet out in West Little Rock, and Table 28 West Little Rock.

Alright, good answer. If you could take a weekend anywhere in Arkansas, where would you go and what would you do?

I would probably go to Northwest Arkansas and just see all the things that are happening there from the mountain biking trails to the museums, and the astounding growth there.

Well, I want to thank our guest today on the Arkansas Inc. podcast, Matt Bell, President and CEO of Origami Sake, based in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Matt, it's been a lot of fun visiting your headquarters and just thank you for taking time to visit with me today.

You've been listening to the Arkansas Inc. podcast. I'm Clark Cogbill, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Arkansas Department of Commerce. You can subscribe to the Arkansas Inc. podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast apps. By the way, the Arkansas Inc. podcast was recently listed among the top 10 best economic development podcasts by Feedspot. For more information about the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and to sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit arkansasedc.com and connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and YouTube.

Cheers, and thanks for listening.