Ben Bell, a native of Arkansas and former wine specialist, discovered sake and was inspired to bring sake brewing to his home state, known for its rice production. After training in Japan for two years, he returned to Arkansas and co-founded Origami Sake, the state’s first sake brewery, with partner Matt Bell. Their goal is to make Arkansas a center for premium sake, similar to Napa Valley for wine. They partnered with Isbell Farms, which already had experience growing Japanese rice varieties like koshihikari and Yamada Nishiki. This collaboration allowed them to produce 100% Arkansas-made sake. Origami Sake released its first test batch in late 2022, with sales starting in 2023. The founders aim to help revive sake appreciation in the U.S. with their locally crafted, high-quality product.