酒井 里奈 - Lina SAKAI

After working at a financial institution, she developed an interest in fermentation technology and enrolled in the Brewing Science Department at Tokyo University of Agriculture, graduating in March 2009. She then founded Fermentation Station Co., Ltd. At Fermentation Station, organic rice grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers in fallow fields in Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, is fermented and distilled to produce ethanol. The remaining fermented mash is used as a raw material for cosmetics and as feed for chickens and cows, whose manure is then returned to the fields and rice paddies as fertilizer. This creates a zero-waste, circular, and sustainable system. She currently serves as the CEO of Fermentation Station.

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Core Philosophy & Guiding Principles

“The Circulation of Feelings, Resources, and Materials”

At Fermentation Station, we work to transform unused resources into valuable ones. But we believe it’s not just resources and materials that should circulate—people’s feelings must circulate too.

We want to rethink the usual order of decision-making: instead of buying something for its look or function and only later realizing it’s good for the environment, we hope that doing good within your own lifestyle becomes natural and everyday.

We want to exist within this cycle, and we are committed to continuing our activities to make that possible.

What We Value

“Never Give Up, Stay Persistent”

We’ve been pursuing this mission for over a decade, and never once have we wanted to quit. With so many supportive stakeholders and growing numbers of teammates, I realized that as our team and projects expand, I must continue to grow as well.

Even as more talented colleagues join, what remains is my own responsibility to keep dreaming and persistently pursuing our vision without giving up.

I believe that when my dreams become the team’s goals, and those goals meet the needs of society, there’s still so much more we can do—and so much more to achieve together.

Working Together with SOLIT

“A Sanitizer for Everyone”

Our previous products have always avoided synthetic fragrances, using only naturally derived ingredients, so they are gentle on sensitive skin and suitable for those sensitive to scents.

Now, we want to take it a step further—developing products that are truly easy for a diverse range of people to use, together with a diverse team.

We aim to co-create products we are proud of and bring them to as many people as possible.