How the demand for meat-free food is turning Malton-based Tofoo into a £20m turnover business

The Malton-based Tofoo Co is increasing its factory capacity by 70 per cent with the installation of a new Soy Milk Cooker from Japan. It will allow the company to lift annual turnover from £14m to almost £20m by 2021.

David Knibbs, managing director, who is pictured with co-founder Lydia Smith, said: “The arrival and installation of the new milk cooker marks a further £1m investment at the Tofoo factory.

“The new equipment will support the business to increase its monthly turnover that currently sits at more than £1m.

“We’re also expanding our operational output with packing hall machinery and pressing to ensure we have enough capacity to meet the anticipated high demand.”

“Trends suggest that interest in trying tofu has increased, and with cafés and restaurants currently closed, people are experimenting more with what they can cook at home.

"The tofu category penetration is continuing to increase, up 40% compared to two years ago, and its share in meat free is growing month on month. The category has also added over 500,000 households in one year, however there are currently 5.8 million households eating meat free who aren’t trying tofu. The opportunity for growth within the sector is significant.

“The new Nielsen data has also found that The Tofoo Co. is now the third largest brand in meat free as a whole, and has added more buyers than any other mainstream brand. The business' share of meat free is at a record 7.5% and it’s the brand leader in the tofu market with a 46% share overall.”

The business is looking to meet demand with a recruitment drive throughout the year, and new product development including its Sage & Onion Sizzlers which launched in April 2020.

Mr Knibbs added; “When we purchased the brand in 2016 it was only selling block tofu, but we’ve taken this basic concept and developed it further. It’s gratifying to see how much Tofoo has been embraced by consumers and how many people we’ve engaged who previously didn’t understand how to use tofu. It’s a versatile product which has been enjoyed in eastern diets for thousands of years and we want to encourage consumers to see it as a staple ingredient.

“Our original Naked Tofoo block is the best selling Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) in the meat free category (up 65% YOY), and this is set to increase with Tesco listing this product in every store nationwide from June. I believe that the popularity of our products is not only because of its versatility as a cooking ingredient, but a growing interest in trying new foods and investing in the environment.”

An independent and family-run business, The Tofoo Co. uses an all-natural ingredient, Nigari.

Since being purchased, the business has grown rapidly and now offers a range of 10 products stocked in major supermarkets including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Ocado and Co-op.

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