Using rice extracts as the basis of its skincare products and treatments, Japan’s Rice Force is looking to grow its reach globally. Jason Holland talks to CEO Noritaka Numata
By Jason Holland | Published in Spa Business 2015 issue 3
A Japanese brewery, where the traditional alcoholic drink sake was being made, is an unlikely place for a skincare company’s story to begin. It was noticed how soft the hands of master brewers – or toji – were despite their age. The discovery that it was the daily handling of rice that caused this effect led to research and development in the use of rice in cosmetics and, ultimately, the creation of Rice Force.
Number of extracts Based on the island of Shikoku, Rice Force launched in 2000 and CEO Noritaka Numata says the key to the skincare range with its Rice Power® Extract. “We add aspergillus, yeast and lactobacillus to rice extract, which is then fermented to create a natural ingredient high in amino acids, he explains. “Each extracted formula is numbered and categorised, and has different characteristics.”
Numata particularly notes extract No 11 – used in the company’s Deep Moisture series – which has been certified by the Japanese government for its ability to improve the skin’s moisture retention capacity. With a super-low molecular weight, it’s designed to absorb deeper into the skin than other moisturising ingredients to help it “retain moisture by itself and keep fresh and healthy”.
International expansion While Rice Force already supplies some spas internationally – including Moana Lani Spa and The Kahala Spa, Hawaii; the Schnitzler Beauty Lounge at Breidenbacher Hof, Germany; and the Hotel Esplanade Spa & Golf Resort, in the Czech Republic – it’s now ready to increase its reach – albeit at a steady pace.
Rather than targeting multiple locations, the Rice Force philosophy is to maintain exclusivity of its brand and to offer clients a personal approach. Numata says the plan is to continue to look worldwide to find luxury spas which “can guarantee the top service which is requested during Rice Force skincare treatments”. In return, Rice Force will “guarantee to spas high quality skincare treatments/products for their customers”.
Numata says Rice Force will be ready to announce partnerships with several spa resorts in the near future. But for now he’s not giving much away. What he does say is that “We’re a ship setting out into the open sea. We are guided by customers that serve as lighthouses as we continue our journey to provide joy.”
Spa-kit.net keywords: Rice Force
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2015 issue 3
Letters:
Investors better placed to make profits in spas than operators, says Roger Allen
News report: LivNordic
Raison d’Etre signs a deal with Viking Cruise Lines for its LivNordic spa brand
Trends: Spa Foresight™ 2015
The team behind Spa Business share their insights on what the world of wellness will look like in the future
Interview – Craig Cogut:
The founding partner of Six Senses’ investment firm Pegasus Capital Advisors reveals his vision for the spa operator. Rhianon Howells reports
Promotional feature: RKF Linen
Founder and CEO Riadh Bouaziz talks about the development of the linen company’s revolutionary
new Dreamsoft product and its uptake in leading hotels and spas worldwide
Thought Leaders: Expert predictions
Thought leaders from around the world, working in different industry sectors, talk about spa trends, challenges and growth opportunities
Promotional feature: Thalgo
After 50 successful years in the professional spa and beauty industry, the Thalgo brand is as strong and as innovative
as ever
Promotional feature: ManageMySpa
CEO Sudheer Koneru explains how a move from enterprise technology into spa
software resulted in the creation of a powerful system
Using rice extracts as the basis of its skincare products and treatments, Japan’s Rice Force is looking to grow its reach globally. Jason Holland talks to CEO Noritaka Numata
By Jason Holland | Published in Spa Business 2015 issue 3
A Japanese brewery, where the traditional alcoholic drink sake was being made, is an unlikely place for a skincare company’s story to begin. It was noticed how soft the hands of master brewers – or toji – were despite their age. The discovery that it was the daily handling of rice that caused this effect led to research and development in the use of rice in cosmetics and, ultimately, the creation of Rice Force.
Number of extracts Based on the island of Shikoku, Rice Force launched in 2000 and CEO Noritaka Numata says the key to the skincare range with its Rice Power® Extract. “We add aspergillus, yeast and lactobacillus to rice extract, which is then fermented to create a natural ingredient high in amino acids, he explains. “Each extracted formula is numbered and categorised, and has different characteristics.”
Numata particularly notes extract No 11 – used in the company’s Deep Moisture series – which has been certified by the Japanese government for its ability to improve the skin’s moisture retention capacity. With a super-low molecular weight, it’s designed to absorb deeper into the skin than other moisturising ingredients to help it “retain moisture by itself and keep fresh and healthy”.
International expansion While Rice Force already supplies some spas internationally – including Moana Lani Spa and The Kahala Spa, Hawaii; the Schnitzler Beauty Lounge at Breidenbacher Hof, Germany; and the Hotel Esplanade Spa & Golf Resort, in the Czech Republic – it’s now ready to increase its reach – albeit at a steady pace.
Rather than targeting multiple locations, the Rice Force philosophy is to maintain exclusivity of its brand and to offer clients a personal approach. Numata says the plan is to continue to look worldwide to find luxury spas which “can guarantee the top service which is requested during Rice Force skincare treatments”. In return, Rice Force will “guarantee to spas high quality skincare treatments/products for their customers”.
Numata says Rice Force will be ready to announce partnerships with several spa resorts in the near future. But for now he’s not giving much away. What he does say is that “We’re a ship setting out into the open sea. We are guided by customers that serve as lighthouses as we continue our journey to provide joy.”
Spa-kit.net keywords: Rice Force
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
View contents of Spa Business 2015 issue 3
Letters:
Investors better placed to make profits in spas than operators, says Roger Allen
News report: LivNordic
Raison d’Etre signs a deal with Viking Cruise Lines for its LivNordic spa brand
Trends: Spa Foresight™ 2015
The team behind Spa Business share their insights on what the world of wellness will look like in the future
Interview – Craig Cogut:
The founding partner of Six Senses’ investment firm Pegasus Capital Advisors reveals his vision for the spa operator. Rhianon Howells reports
Promotional feature: RKF Linen
Founder and CEO Riadh Bouaziz talks about the development of the linen company’s revolutionary
new Dreamsoft product and its uptake in leading hotels and spas worldwide
Thought Leaders: Expert predictions
Thought leaders from around the world, working in different industry sectors, talk about spa trends, challenges and growth opportunities
Promotional feature: Thalgo
After 50 successful years in the professional spa and beauty industry, the Thalgo brand is as strong and as innovative
as ever
Promotional feature: ManageMySpa
CEO Sudheer Koneru explains how a move from enterprise technology into spa
software resulted in the creation of a powerful system
Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai in Hoi An, Vietnam, has put together a Global Wellness Day
(GWD) agenda with activations rooted in nature and shaped by four pillars of Joy – in
alignment with the day’s theme #JoyMagenta.
The Global Wellness Summit (GWS) will celebrate its 20th anniversary at the 2026 event in
Phuket, Thailand, later this year with the theme: The Science, Art and Soul of Wellness.
Auko, an all-inclusive development, is opening in Phong Nha in Vietnam in Q3 2026, with a
series of 30 tented eco-lodges and wellness hospitality operations by Lumina Wellbeing.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Naples Beach Club, a Four Seasons Resort, has opened a 2,800sq m spa called The Sanctuary,
with the design and concept inspired by the Native American people that populated Florida’s
Southwest coast – the Calusa.
Swire Hotels’ luxury hospitality brand Upper House has revealed it will roll out its two-day
House of Healing retreats at its three hotels in Hong Kong, Chengdu and Shanghai.
LVMH-owned beauty house Guerlain will launch up to five spas with partners a year as part of
its plan to expand globally, according to the brand’s international spa and wellness director,
Diane Davody.
A new global study by Kevin Kelly and Peter Yesawich, called WELLSurvey 2.0, has revealed
more than half of consumers in the UK, US and Germany would not choose numerous high-
profile wellness resort brands for a future trip.
Luxury hospitality and wellness pioneer Jeremy McCarthy has launched Leisure Alchemy, a
digital platform that will provide professionals with strategic guidance on how to build
transformational leisure experiences that drive profit.
