Stefan Fak is an Austrian businessperson who is the founder of Lotao.[1] [2] [3] He also hosts the Food Fak(t) podcast.[4]
Stefan Fak was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1972.[5] [6] He studied economics, which led to his initial career in the telecommunications industry.[5] After completing his education, Fak joined an Austrian mobile phone operator, where he worked in the information technology department for a year.[5] His interest in innovation and organizational improvement later led him to a position in organizational development at the Vienna University of Economics and Business, where he worked directly under the rector. Later, he joined the Austrian Tourism Association.[5]
In 2009, Fak left his position as the head of the Austrian Tourism Association in Germany to pursue social projects in Asia.[7] [8] He developed an interest in rice during his visit to the Mekong Delta region.[7] [9] Subsequently, Fak established a rice farmers' cooperative in Indonesia and imported an organic rice blend, despite facing initial regulatory challenges.[7]
Later, Fak expanded his business, found different rice varieties from India and China. He collaborated with a rice expert from the University of Hawaiʻi to refine a green rice product using organic bamboo leaf tea.[7] In 2010, Fak founded Lotao, a company based in Germany that sells these specialized rice varieties.[7] [10] [8] He has been described as a risolier, which means a rice expert.[8] [11] [12]
In 2017, Fak worked with DEG to launch a development aid project focused on jackfruit, which led to the production of plant-based ready meals.[13]