history of soy yogurt, soy acidophilus milk and other ... - SoyInfo Center

Note 2. This is the earliest English-language document
seen (May 2006) that uses the word “soybase” to refer to a
concentrated form of soymilk, containing 9-12% total solids
/ dry matter, from which regular soymilk or soymilk products
can be made by adding water, fl avors, sweetener, etc. Prior to
this time, Alfa-Laval used the term “soybean extract” instead
of soy base. Address: R&D manager, Alfa-Laval South East
Asia Pte. Ltd., 11 Joo Koon Circle, Singapore 2262. Phone:
86 22 711.
684. Business Communications Co., Inc. 1987. Mass
merchandised “healthy” foods. 25 Van Zant St., Norwalk, CT
06855-1781. 162 p. April. Price: $1,500.
• Summary: In this expensive ($1,500) market study,
there is a chapter titled “The Soyfoods Market,” which
has the following segments: Summary of market segment.
The tofu market. Soy-based frozen desserts. Soy-based
beverages. Soy-based yogurt-like products. Other soybased
prepared foods. Fermented soy products. “A move
toward the consumption of convenient, good-tasting foods
with a healthful image is the food trend of the eighties.
There is a strong relationship between healthful foods and
the consumer’s need for convenience. In the future, food
manufacturers can expect the growth of ‘healthy’ foods to
outpace that of the total food market, as more consumers
pursue a healthful lifestyle...
“BCC defi nes the ‘healthy’ food market as those
segments of food categories that are generally accepted
by the consumer as having a healthful image. Total retail
sales of all product segments included in this analysis were
estimated to have reached $88 billion in 1986.” Address:
Norwalk, Connecticut. Phone: 203-853-4266.
685. Product Name: [Semoa Lactic Acid Soymilk (Regular,
or Light/Low Calorie)].
Foreign Name: Semoa Nyûsan Inryô.
Manufacturer’s Name: OFCO Oriental Foods. Nagano
Miso (K) Group.
Manufacturer’s Address: Tenjin 3-9-29, Ueda-shi,
Nagano-ken 386, Japan. Phone: 026-824-7771.
Date of Introduction: 1987. April.
Wt/Vol., Packaging, Price: 150 ml for 220 yen.
New Product–Documentation: Toyo Shinpo. 1987. April
21. p. 2. “Daizu seihin no nyûsan inryo Semoa o shuppin”
[Lactic acid soy beverage Semoa is exhibited]. The company,
whose president is Mr. Hideki Oka, has been exhibiting this
product which is made from a soybean extract fermented
with Lactobacillus plantarum. It has a mild fl avor, with very
little beany fl avor. Mr. Oka also runs a major miso company.
686. Przybyla, Ann. 1987. Driving forces behind 1986 new
food introductions. Food Engineering 59(4):61, 71, 74.
April.
• Summary: New food products containing tofu increased
HISTORY OF SOY YOGURT & CULTURED SOYMILK 260
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from 28 in 1985 to 49 in 1986, according to Marketing
Intelligence Service. Mentions Le Tofu, Jofu, and Tofoods
Tofu Entrees.
687. Product Name: [Soyourt {Soy Yogurt}].
Foreign Name: Soyourt.
Manufacturer’s Name: SPADE S.A., then Tofushop
Centanin SA in 1987.
Manufacturer’s Address: 11, chemin du Faubourg de
Cruseilles, CH-1227 Carouge (by Geneva), Switzerland.
Phone: (4122) 42 73 18.
Date of Introduction: 1987. April.
New Product–Documentation: Soyfoods (ESFA). 1987.
April p. 4. “Switzerland: SPADE S.A. which manufacture
and sell Tofu and Soyourt, is available for sale or majority
participation. Minimum investment: Swiss France 250,000.
For more information contact: SPADE S.A., Mr. A.
Kaeser, 11 rue du Faubourg de Cruseilles, 1227 Carouge,
Switzerland. Phone: (4122) 42 73 18.
Letter (fax) from Verena Krieger. 1990. May 31. This
company is now named Tofushop Centanin, owned by Renzo
Centanin. They are still at the address shown above.
688. Jewish Press (Brooklyn, New York). 1987. Juan Metzger
to speak at [Jewish] Vegetarian Conference. May 1.
• Summary: The conference will feature samples of kosher
vegetarian food products. Robert Tepper of Farm Foods &
Barricini will also speak. Metzger was head of the Dannon
Company from 1959 to 1981.
689. Raposa, Laura. 1987. Tofu maker drives toward $10
million in annual sales. Company profi le [of Tomsun Foods
International]. Boston Herald. May 3.
• Summary: Tomsun produces 60,000 to 70,000 lb/week of
tofu and 25,000 cases/week of Jofu. In 1986 Tomsun sold $4
million worth of tofu and tofu products. The development
of Jofu began in 1984 after a phone call to Timmins by
Metzger, who was looking for a way to expand Dannon
Yogurt’s product line. The prospectus for a public stock
offering hit the streets on 12 December 1986. $4.3 million
was raised. It is now considered not nearly enough. The
three Jofu markets are: lactose intolerant, watching fats or
cholesterol, dislike sour taste of yogurt. Regular yogurt users
won’t give it up. Marketing strategy: less-more. “It’s got less
of what you don’t want and more of what you do.” In 1980
Community Development Finance Corp invested $100,000
in the form of equity and loaned the company $100,000.
690. Lee, Doreen. 1987. Azumaya’s intro: Tofu with taste
[Stir Fruity]. Adweek West. May 4.
• Summary: “Stir fruity, a light creamy blend of 80% silken
tofu, 15% real fruit, and 5% fl avoring and syrups made its
debut in Northern California supermarkets last week as the
fi rst tofu-based snack food. And if positive early tests hold