Yamami Co., a Japanese soybean specialist, has set new industry benchmarks with its capability to produce 15,000 units of tofu per hour, reports Bloomberg. Yamami manufactures all kinds of tofu, including deep-fried, baked, silk, and okara (a bean curd).
Tofu, an everyday food staple in Japanese gastronomy, is appreciated for its accessible prices. It is so popular that it frequently is on promotional sales at grocery stores. This trend makes it challenging for manufacturers to increase prices, even as there’s a general trend of rising costs in the food sector.
Due to the rising costs of imported soybeans, artisan tofu producers in the country are struggling to stay in business. As highlighted by Bloomberg, the Teikoku Databank reports that around 40% of tofu makers were operating at a loss in the fiscal year ending March 2023.
But Yamami Co., at its factory near Mount Fuji, has installed automation technologies for its tofu line to produce higher volumes per hour at a lower cost. “We are constantly increasing our production volume per hour, thereby reducing processing and labor costs,” says the company on its website.
Automation + traditional making
The company explains that by reducing processing costs, it uses the savings to buy high-quality raw materials while providing high-quality products at competitive prices. In addition, by increasing the production volume per hour, Yamami has also expanded its supply capacity to respond to large-lot orders and special sales.
The processes are highly automated, meaning that human labor cannot handle the line. Even to sterilize the tofu, the company installed a large automated boil-cool tank. And since no human hands directly touch the products, the shelf life of the tofu is even longer.
Additionally, the company uses proprietary cutting methods, such as cutting in a submerged tank and wire cutting, to achieve high-precision processing while maintaining a high production volume per hour.
By leveraging advanced production techniques, the company demonstrates how efficiency and tradition coexist, meeting modern demands while preserving the essence of a centuries-old Japanese culinary staple, explains Yamami Co.
Tofu and beans
Japan’s traditional diet of tofu and processed soy food is attracting increased attention in Europe and the USA.
Someno’s TOFU Co., a Japanese tofu maker since 1862, opened the company’s first overseas branch, Somenoya, in Barcelona, Spain, this February. The top-selling UK tofu brand The Tofoo Co. is expanding its portfolio with a new marinated range targeting flexitarians.
Also, Pulmuone USA, maker of Nasoya tofu products, has launched The Tofu Innovation Challenge, created in partnership with CIA Consulting, a division of The Culinary Institute of America (CIA).
People in Japan and Asia have been eating plant-based protein sources for centuries. However, as meat becomes a cheap and ubiquitous product due to factory farming, health, and environmentally conscious consumers are showing interest in healthier alternatives to animal products.
“In Asia, plant-based consumption is already widely established, but unlike in Europe this is not driven via meat substitutes, but through consumers eating other plant-based proteins such as tofu and beans,” commented Hugo Verkuil, CEO of The Vegetarian Butcher, in a recent interview with vegconomist.
