June 2011   |   Volume 2, Issue #8

Tofu Titans

The irony of this story is that although House Foods is rapidly becoming one of the leading tofu manufacturers in the United States, back home in Japan — where they have been a "household" name for nearly 100 years — they are not in the bean curd business at all.

House Foods began its life in 1913 as a wholesaler of herbal medicines in Osaka. They later purchased the company that produced a popular instant curry known as Home Curry, and in 1928 switched the name to House Curry. Over the years, they created many successful curry, pudding, paste, stew, noodle and snack products, and earned a reputation as a prominent spice company, Japan's largest, akin to McCormick in this country. Bean curd had not yet occurred to them.

HOME OF HOUSE: The House Foods plant and headquarters in Garden Grove, CA.

In 1981 they jumped the Pacific, opened a sales office in Los Angeles, and soon opened a curry restaurant, hoping to introduce Japanese-style curry to America. But things took a bit of an unexpected turn when the company formed a partnership with, and eventually acquired, Hinode Tofu, one of the oldest tofu brands in the country... and a whole new business was born. (They did ultimately find a way to "curry" flavor with the American appetite, though not in the manner they had first thought. House Foods curry mixes have yet to hit the big time in the U.S., but their chain of Curry House restaurants in Southern California is wildly successful.)

Tofu originated in ancient China and has been produced in Japan and other Asian cultures for centuries. It has an extremely mild taste and aroma, making it easily adaptable to many dishes ranging from savory to sweet. Indeed, tofu usually takes on the flavor of whatever it is cooked with, making it a great meat substitute and an ideal way to add texture and protein to your favorite dishes. But in America, outside of the vegetarian population, tofu is not widely consumed or even all that well known.

"We try to demystify tofu by educating the consumers on the benefits of it," said Yoko Difrancia, Marketing Division Manager at House Foods America. "We focus on partnering with opinion leaders such as chefs, and food journalists who can convey the message to the consumers.... To appreciate the true yumminess of tofu, you need to know how to correctly prepare it."

And House Foods does a laudable job of being tofu ambassadors, with everything from chef- hosted events and seminars, to a "Tofupedia" and great tofu recipes on their website, to a national partnership of the DreamWorks movie Kung Fu Panda 2, which opened last month. (You can watch the trailer here.)

IN-HOUSE STAFF: Yoko Difrancia and Glenn Yonemura in the House Foods lobby.

Walking into the gleaming House Foods production facility in Garden Grove, CA, one is struck by the marriage of high tech and Old World. Difrancia comes out to meet us in the lobby, along with sales colleague Glenn Yonemura and House Foods America President Shigeru Natake. We both shake hands and bow. There are display cases filled with packages of exotic looking curry mixes and shirataki noodles, which is kind of like a Japanese tofu spaghetti. The faint smell of bean curd is in the air. And sitting on a desk is a computer screen that monitors the energy being generated by the array of 950 solar panels that were installed on the roof of the building last year. This 213kW photovoltaic solar electric system produces 8 to 10% of the plant's energy needs — enough to run the lights and air conditioning in the office, and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 527,861 pounds per year, the equivalent of planting 6,139 trees. (You can see a very cool live update of the solar energy generation at the Garden Grove plant on the House Foods website.)

Their stewardship of the planet extends to the products, too: House Foods Tofu is made from only U.S.-grown, non-genetically engineered soybeans.

"We make environmentally friendly tofu," said Difrancia.

TOP OF THE HOUSE: A solar array atop the House Foods plant generates clean energy for the tofu maker.

As we walk through the plant, looking down from a catwalk on vast rooms full of stainless steel vats, steam pipes, conveyor belts and pasteurizers, it's easy to forget that what is being produced here and at a sister plant in Somerset, NJ is nearly as old as civilization itself. House Foods honors that ancient tradition, continually striving to provide customers with the very best products, in taste, quality and authenticity.

House Foods Tofu is available at Sprouts in four textures: Soft, Medium, Firm and Extra Firm. The different textures, along with the mild taste, allow for immeasurable versatility.

• Soft Tofu can be added to fruit and juice smoothies for extra protein, and will add a creamy smoothness without altering the taste. It can also be puréed, and works well for a creamy dressing and in many desserts, such as cheesecake. In addition, it can be used as a replacement for milk, cream and even eggs.
• Toss seasoned Medium Tofu into a salad to increase the nutritional value and add delicious texture.
• Crumbled or cubed Firm or Extra Firm makes a great substitute for meat in sandwiches, casseroles, pasta sauces, chili, tacos or more.

Be sure to check out the recipe selection search on the House Foods website for inspiration.

Not bad for a spice company!