
‘For price-sensitive, health-conscious consumers, this (buying tofu) is a viable option for adding more protein to their diets’
The pandemic has had serious repercussions on the meat supply chain.
After high infection rates in slaughterhouses forced the closure of more than 20 plants around the country in early April, the lockdown dried up meat demand as eateries shut down including school canteens, restaurants, and fast-food chains.
These events led producers to cull livestock, tipping the ailing industry even further.
According to reports, pandemic related events and resulting price spikes due to decreased supply have tilted customer preferences towards plant -based protein, and tofu – made from soybeans has been soaring in popularity in the US.

Based on The Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) data all plant-based sales in the US during the third week of March were 90% more when compared with the previous year, while sales in April were 27% higher.
Sales of both fresh and frozen meat alternatives “have seen tremendous gains throughout since early March when coronavirus upended many grocery shopping patterns,” said Anne-Marie Roerink, president of 210 Analytics, in an analysis of the market, reported Agri-Pulse.
“Dollar and volume sales gains versus the same week in 2019 have been in the double-digits for 13 weeks running.”

Tofu demand
Similar to other meat alternatives, tofu sales were significantly higher this year when compared to the last.
In 2019, U.S. tofu sales were $363 million, and penetration in retail stores was 5 percent, which shot up by 66.7% in March 2020 and still remained up by 32.8% in May 2020, showed a Nielsen report.

Kroger with nearly 2,800 supermarket stores across the country, said tofu sales jumped nearly 9 per cent between mid-March and the end of May.
Supermarket chain Wegmans also reported a spike in sales of tofu when compared with the same period in 2019.
South Korean food maker Pulmuone, which accounts for 78 percent of US tofu sales said demand of tofu in the U.S. was so high that despite three of its US plants producing six days a week, it had to import from South Korea to meet growing demand.

Tofu- a healthier, cheaper option
According to Dr. Michael Greger, who leads the nonprofit nutritionfacts.org, tofu is a niche product and is a more nutritional alternative than other alt-meat options available in the market.
“Tofu has 40% fewer calories than popular plant-based burgers,” he said.
“Consumption of tofu and other soy foods is associated with lower rates of cancer—including the risk of dying from breast cancer—and cardiovascular disease without affecting thyroid hormone levels.”

Tofu is versatile and can be used in the preparation of a variety of foods such as burgers, hot dogs, sauces, ice creams, shakes, and desserts among others.
In addition, tofu is cheaper compared to other meat substitutes. While Beyond Meat retails a pound of vegan beef for $8.99, customers can buy the same amount of tofu for just $2.99
“For price-sensitive, health-conscious consumers, this (buying tofu) is a viable option for adding more protein to their diets,” said Dasha Shor, a global food analyst at Mintel, a market research consultancy.
Share this news to support the growing trend of plant-based foods.
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
Tobey Maguire often speaks about veganism and animal issues. Tobey Maguire, the actor best known for playing Spider-Man in the Sam Raimi trilogy, is a vegan. He has been a vegetarian since 1992 and became a vegan in 2009. A lifelong commitment to animal rights Maguire’s decision to go vegan was motivated by his love …
Continue reading “Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know”
Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
The number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based industry increased by almost a third from April to July 2023, GlobalData reported. The plant-based food industry is booming, and this is reflected in the number of job openings in the sector. According to data from GlobalData, the number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based …
Continue reading “Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …