Briarpatch Participation in the World of Tofu

Starting in 1976, however, a new wave of small Caucasian-run tofu shops began to open up across America; their presence soon revolutionized the tofu industry, breaking the monopoly of the Oriental shops. Many received their initial impetus or inspiration, and virtually all their basic information about equipment and processing methods from The Book of Tofu (1975) and from rough drafts of Tofu & Soymilk Production (1976-1979), both of which praised traditional caldron-style tofu shops making nigari tofu, with work seen as a spiritual practice. Most of the early shops were started by young people in their 20s and 30s interested in natural foods and vegetarian diets. Many had no experience in starting and running businesses and very little knowledge of food processing or sanitation. However, by producing good-quality fresh nigari tofu, selling it at reasonable prices, and actively promoting it with demonstrations, flyers, classes, and the like, to the standard American public, they played a key role in tofu’s growing popularity, and in the establishment of what is now known as the “soyfoods industry.” Thus by 1976 tofu was increasingly available at natural and health food stores across America and in a growing number of supermarkets.

By February 1977 roughly 20 small commercial Caucasian-run tofu shops, including those mentioned above (but not including a number for which we have been unable to ascertain the starting dates), were in operation throughout North America, many in small towns and other remote or rather unexpected places. Most of these shops were small, labor-intensive, traditional caldron-type shops that required little capital to start. Most of the owners were young, interested in work as Right Livelihood, a rewarding art, and practice as well as a source of income. Many preferred to live and work in smaller towns rather than larger cities. Following their own call or that in The Book of Tofu to “send tofu to the four directions,” a number of young Americans went to study tofu from traditional masters in Japan or left to start tofu companies in other countries around the world.

By early 1977 the rapidly growing tofu industry was looking for better sources of equipment and better information on tofu production. In February 1977 Larry Needleman and William Shurtleff decided to start a company to import quality tofu and soymilk equipment from Japan. The Farm Food Company in San Rafael placed the first order, for a pressure cooker system. The name Bean Machines Inc. was coined, and Shurtleff went off to Japan to set up sources and draw up a catalog. In April 1977 an agreement was drawn up with Takai Tofu & Soymilk Equipment Co. to be a main supplier. Takai, founded in 1917, was then Japan’s largest and best-known manufacturer of such equipment, with some 60% of the total Japanese market production. In August 1977 the first English catalog of tofu and soymilk equipment was published, a glossy 6-page affair with some 50 photographs and brief descriptions of the equipment, which included whole systems. In August 1977 Bean Machines was incorporated: Larry Needleman took over the management and ownership of the company. He worked initially as an import agent for Takai, but by 1980 he had developed his own American-made equipment, the first item being a high quality, low-cost, stainless-steel disintegrator. During 1983 he developed a continuous pressure cooker system. Another important equipment supplier was Okita Enterprises, which was incorporated in 1970, started selling tofu packaging equipment in 1972, and by 1978 was developing plants adapted to American standards. Kawanishi Shoko of Japan opened an office near Los Angeles in the early?? 1980s and started selling tofu and soymilk equipment.

In January 1978, Whole Foods magazine ran the first feature article on the new American tofu industry. Entitled “Making Money Making Tofu” (Stein 1978), it pointed out that there were 100 Caucasian and Oriental tofu companies in the US, then summarized the Caucasian shop situation nicely saying: “Small shop tofu production is on the increase, responding to real demand, with a focus on offering a quality product. They often take an artisan’s pride in their work, and aim to run a profitable business without being overwhelmed by hard labor and without exploiting the consumer.” Just one year later, Whole Foods (1979) devoted an entire issue to “The Soyfoods Revolution.” Great changes were taking place.

In October 1972 Shurtleff and Aoyagi began writing a book about how to start and run a tofu manufacturing business when they made their first visit to a tofu shop in Japan. They were reluctant to rush to press, since important new developments in tofu processing techniques and equipment, and conceptual and marketing advances were taking place so rapidly. In August 1977 they collected the constantly-evolving chapters written to date and published them as a rough-typed 128-page photocopied book in a yellow binding entitled Tofu & Soymilk Production. They were basically forced to publish this unfinished document since over 300 people had written to them by that time asking for such information to help them in starting businesses. They received extensive feedback on this first edition and sold 430 copies of it prior to July 1979, when their Soyinfo Center published 2,050 copies of the finished 336-page edition. This was the first book of its type in the world that contained all the information necessary to start and run a business making tofu, soymilk, dairylike soymilk products, and yuba. The book was reprinted in 1982, 1983, and (as a slightly revised new edition) in 1984.