Tofu co. helps out food bank
Nasoya donates to those in need
With some families still relying on food pantries for support during the time of the coronavirus, a locally based food company is helping back one of the larger groups in eastern Massachusetts.
Nasoya, the largest tofu company in America, donated 2,000 cases of its complete meal and tofu-based SuperFood Skillet products to the Greater Boston Food Bank in late April. Those healthy food alternatives add up to over $70,000 in product for the 117,000-square-foot Yawkey Distribution Center in South Boston that distributes over 61.8 million pounds of food to other pantries, soup kitchen and meal programs.
“We’ve always been a longstanding partner with the Greater Boston Food Bank,” Ed Swarty, Nasoya’s sales director said recently. “With COVID-19, the industry dynamics have changed. People need something easy to prepare and help feed the whole family.”
According to Swarty, Nasoya has roots in the Nashoba Valley area for over 40 years. The company was originally founded by John Paino and Robert Bergwall
in Leominster in 1978 before expanding to other health products aside from tofu. The company later moved to an old shrimp factory on New England Way in Ayer in 1990 before being sold, where the company is still located today. In 2016, the company was purchased by the natural food company Pulmuone Foods and have since added new facilities in California and New York.
“We’ve had a slow and steady growth over the years,” Swarty said. “About five or six years ago, the drive of home-cooking shows and food bloggers drove up the sales of tofu. Everyone has now become a home chef.”
Today, Nasoya does big business selling packs of water-based tofu products, kimchi, skillet meals and vegan pasta. They also specialize in various Asian food products, including egg roll wraps, won ton wraps and dumplings. The company also imports products from Pulmuone’s headquarters in South Korea. Swarty noted that sales for plant-based protein products started to grow before the pandemic. After reports of the virus came pouring in, Nasoya saw a 10 to 20% growth in sales. Swarty said May has been the largest month in retail sales but the company is still keen on continuing its relationship with the Greater Boston Food
Bank.
“We are always aware of what the bank’s needs are,” he added. “We’re always in contact with them and constantly reach out to them. We’ve also donated to other food banks in Boston and upstate New York.”
For those unsure of the value of tofu and looking for a healthy alternative to basic grocery store items, Swarty compares the experience of trying tofu to something he experienced as a kid.
“Think back to the first chicken breast your mom put on the table,” he said. “It’s the same with tofu: once you flavor it, you get past the fear of the unknown.”