VALUE-ADDED CORNER
Warming up to cold tofu
Ohio soybean growers study entry
into emerging frozen tofu market
By Mark Berry
Editor’s note: Berry is media relations
manager for Battelle Co., a research and
technology company based in Columbus,
Ohio. This article is provided courtesy the
Ohio Soybean Council.
ost U.S. consumers
have so far turned a
cold shoulder to tofu.
However, the big chill
may be ending. The
development of a new, frozen tofu
product shows that a thaw in this relationship
may be just around the corner.
Recent product testing shows consumer
interest is growing for this highly
adaptable, protein-rich food that is a
staple in many Asian nations. The
key is a new technology that
allows the soy-based product to be
frozen while maintaining all of the
characteristics of fresh tofu.
That news should warm the
hearts of soybean farmers everywhere.
“Based on information and
analysis from previous projects
examining this opportunity, the
financial projections appear to be
quite attractive,” says John Lumpe,
new-use development director for
the Ohio Soybean Council (OSC).
“This technology can benefit the
Ohio soybean industry by increasing
the use of soybeans as a food
product.”
If a USDA-assisted marketing
study and research ultimately
shows a strong likelihood of
success, the OSC hopes the
project will be pursued by a cooperative
of Ohio soybean growers.
The new technology was
developed by a major food
processor using a patented,
flash-freezing process that
allows storage of frozen
tofu for up to a year.
Fresh tofu can be
stored no more than
seven to ten days.
Frozen foods less
common in Japan
Tofu is much more popular in
Japan and other Asian countries than
in the United States. Frozen tofu has
been
available
in Japan for
several years,
but it remains
little more than
an afterthought for Japanese consumers.
The reasons range from the
quality of the product — it is inferior
to fresh tofu, according to the
demanding standards of Japanese diners
— to cultural habits and market
logistics.
While U.S. consumers rely heavily
on frozen foods, the Japanese do not.
The country doesn’t have the large
fleet of freezer trucks that allow easy
transportation of frozen products in
the United States.
Also, Japanese houses are smaller
and so are their refrigerators. The
Japanese are much more likely to buy
food daily for same-day meals because
they lack the storage room for large
quantities of frozen foods. It’s a fundamental
difference in cultures and buying
habits.
All of those factors that work
against the frozen tofu market in Japan
make the product attractive in the
United States.
“Simply put, U.S. consumers are
used to frozen food. Japanese consumers
aren’t,” says Bhima
Vijayendran, senior research leader and
vice president for technology commercialization
at Battelle. “The advantage
with frozen tofu is they can buy a halfpound
and use just a small amount,
then put the rest in the freezer for
another time. They can’t do that now.”
Vijayendran, Lumpe, Amy Davis,
vice chairman of OSC, and Steve
Miller, chairman of OSC, were part of
a group commissioned by the OSC
that traveled to Japan in March 2003
to study the technology and research
Japanese consumer habits as they pertain
to fresh and frozen tofu. Among
the conclusions they reached was that
the convenience of frozen tofu, while
not a terribly important factor in
Japan, could make the product a viable
alternative in the United States. A second
study mission to Japan is planned
for the near future.
VAPG grants help council gauge
feasibility, develop business plan
USDA Rural Development has provided
$200,000 in grants for the project
under its Value-Added Producer
Grants (VAPG) program (see page 10
of this issue for more on this program).
The grants are helping OSC
study the technical feasibility and market
viability of a commercial frozen
tofu plant in Ohio.
In 2002, USDA awarded the council
a $50,000 VAPG to investigate the feasibility
of such a plant. In 2003, it
received a second VAPG for $150,000
to develop a business and marketing
plan.
Product convenience would make
little difference to consumers if the
product was deemed inferior. Unlike
the product on the market in Japan, a
new freezing process doesn’t compromise
quality.
Recent food tests of tofu with focus
groups of consumers in Chicago and
New York City triggered “very favorable”
responses, says Vijayendran. The
consumer groups could not tell the difference
between the frozen tofu and
the fresh tofu they typically eat.
The chef, who prepared a wide variety
of meals with tofu — including salads,
soups and pasta — confirms the
enthusiastic response.
“I do a lot of work with soy foods in
general, so this is an area of specialty,”
says Christopher Koetke, associate
dean of the School of the Culinary
Arts of Kendall College in Evanston,
Ill. “The frozen tofu performs wonderfully.
It behaves surprisingly like fresh
tofu. It has a soft texture to it. It’s very
pleasing and not rubbery at all. The
groups loved it.”
Performance and convenience are
two huge steps in the right direction,
but tofu remains a marginal product in
the United States. So consumer education
is key to the success of frozen tofu
in America. Consumers do not know
much about the product or its many
positive characteristics.
Not many vegetable proteins are as
rich in protein as soy. There are specific
health benefits for menopausal
women and people with high cholesterol.
Whereas soy alternatives used
to be displayed separately from the
more traditional products, soy milk
can now often be found in the dairy
section.
Tofu in the United States is a slowly
growing market, “but it’s gaining traction
here,” says Vijayendran. Soy protein
is recognized as a good, nutritious
alternative.
Obviously, it’s an emerging market,
says Vijayendran. “The health-conscious
are early targets. At first, it
probably will be more attractive on
the West Coast than Chillicothe,
Ohio.”
