Morinaga Foods acquires plant-based brands Tofurky, Moocho

Tofurky, a leading manufacturer of plant-based meats in the United States, has announced that Morinaga Nutritional Foods, the U.S.-based manufacturer of Mori-Nu Silken Tofu, has acquired the company and its sister brand, Moocho.

With the acquisition of Tofurky, Morinaga Nutritional Foods will own the third-largest retail brand for plant-based meats in the U.S. Tofurky and Morinaga Nutritional Foods have a long-standing relationship, as Morinaga has been a tofu supplier for Tofurky products for 17 years. The acquisition of Tofurky and Moocho will help strengthen the integrated supply chain and future category growth for the brands. Tofurky will continue manufacturing products at its sustainability-focused facility in Hood River, Oregon, where Morinaga Nutritional Foods plans to increase operations with technical staff to maximize capacity. The company will also uphold the core values, original recipes, and product availability of both Tofurky and Moocho brands.

“We’ve been working with the team at Morinaga for nearly two decades, and over that course of time realized the multiple synergies our organizations have across our businesses—from supply chain and operations to new product development targets,” said Jaime Athos, president and CEO of Tofurky. “We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved thus far as an independent and family-operated company, but as we enter our next stage of growth, Morinaga will provide the platform needed to help us expand more aggressively in the U.S. and beyond.”

Tofurky hasn’t rested on its laurels since Seth Tibbott founded it in 1980. In 1995, the company debuted its first holiday roast as a plant-based alternative to the stereotypical centerpiece roast turkey for Thanksgiving.

Athos, Tibbott’s stepson, has been president CEO since 2005. Under his guidance, the company has added plant-based burgers and, recently, deli slices. The company’s most recent release comes from Moocho, which introduced a plant-based cream cheese line in late 2022.

“We launched this item in response to market insights suggesting that existing players weren’t meeting consumer expectations on attributes like creaminess and flavor. Our dairy-free cream cheese is differentiated by its smooth texture that doesn't dissolve or melt into bagels or bread like some recipes,” spokeswoman McKenzie Jester wrote in an email. “It also contains a proprietary fermented or cultured acid ingredient, which delivers a tanginess in the flavor profile, making it striking similar to its traditional dairy counterpart.”

Morinaga will continue the Tofurky and Moocho brand names, and Athos will remain in his position as president and CEO of the Tofurky division, according to Jester.

“We also want our consumers and long-time loyal customers to rest assured that nothing in terms of our products, recipes or availability will change,” Jester wrote in an email. “Quite the contrary, Morinaga recognizes the strength of our brands in the U.S. and has no intent to make changes, rather help make Tofurky and Moocho products to meet ever-increasing marketplace demand.”

Morinaga Nutritional Foods was founded with a vision to help people lead happy lives through delicious foods that contribute to physical, mental and environmental health. The company manufactures shelf-stable tofu, sold in both the retail and foodservice channels with a focus on quality and aseptic packaging. Offering tofu that is merchandised as an ambient finished good with considerable shelf life, as opposed to traditional refrigerated options, is a differentiated benefit in the category.

“Tofurky has a proven track record of success in the U.S. and is a significant player in the plant-based category with many loyal fans,” said Hiroyuki Imanishi, president and CEO of Morinaga Nutritional Foods. “We’re excited to help bolster both Tofurky and Moocho’s presence in the U.S. while strengthening manufacturing efficiencies and boosting new product development to meet ever-increasing marketplace demand.”

In addition to Tofurky’s sustainable manufacturing facility in Hood River, Morinaga operates a tofu manufacturing facility in Tualatin, Oregon, and a sales and R&D office in Torrance, California. Morinaga plans to leverage synergies from Tofurky’s sales and marketing teams to fine-tune total portfolio approaches to the U.S. marketplace.

All Tofurky and Moocho foods are 100% non-GMO and are indulgent ways for everyone from vegans to flexitarians to enjoy their favorite comfort foods.

Victoria Camron contributed to this report.

Source: Tofurky