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

Regional Research Laboratory (Peoria, Illinois) published
in the J. of Milk and Food Technology (p. 71-73). A very
creative and important scientifi c article.
1974 Oct. – “Yay Soybeans!,” a highly creative little booklet
published by The Farm (Summertown, Tennessee) contains
a recipe for “Soy yogurt” – made with soymilk and starter
from Chr. Hansen’s Lab. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This is
the earliest known dated document that contains the term
“soy yogurt.”
Also this month The Farm starts making Soy Yogurt for
its many members.
1975 – The term “Soya yogurt” is coined by Thio Goan Loo
of Royal Tropical Inst., Amsterdam, Netherlands.
1979 – The term “soymilk yogurt” is coined by Shurtleff &
Aoyagi in The Book of Tofu.
1976 – The term “soy yogurt” is again used in a clearly dated
document, the book A Good Cook –Ten Talents, by Frank
and Rosalie Hurd – both Seventh-day Adventists.
1977 – The world’s fi rst soy yogurt of which we can be sure
is Soyogurt, developed and launched by Robert Brooks and
Mary Pung of Swan Foods Corporation / The Soybeanery in
Miami, Florida. This delicious fermented soymilk product is
sold in plain, raspberry, strawberry, and peach fl avors.
With this product, the very useful word “Soyogurt” is
coined.
Other early American soy yogurts are Soy Yogurt (launched
in March 1981 by Aqua Agra of Longwood, Florida),
Soymilk Yogurt (April 1982, Current River Soy Products of
Doniphan, Missouri), Soymilk Yogurt (April 1982, Trudy
de Benedictus of Venice, California), Soy Yogurt (1982,
Bountiful Bean Plant of Madison, Wisconsin), Yogo (May
1983, Bud Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland), Farm Soy Dairy
Soy Yogurt (Oct. 1983, Farm Soy Dairy, Summertown,
Tennessee; they have been making soy yogurt for The Farm
community since Oct. 1974!), and Tofruit (Aug. 1984,
Eastern Foods Corp., Minneapolis, Minnesota).
1979 – The term “cultured soymilk” is coined by Shurtleff &
Aoyagi in Tofu & Soymilk Production.
1982 – The term “Soygurt” is coined by Shurtleff & Aoyagi
in Soyfoods Industry: Directory and Databook. 2nd ed.
1985 Aug. – Europe’s fi rst modern soy yogurts are launched
in 1985. The fi rst of these to attract widespread attention
is Sojasun, launched in Aug. 1985 by Laiteries Triballat of
Noyal-sur-Vilaine, France. This fermented soymilk product
comes in a host of tantalizing fl avors including apricot-
Copyright © 2012 by Soyinfo Center
HISTORY OF SOY YOGURT & CULTURED SOYMILK 7
guava, raspberry-passion fruit, banana-orange, and exotic
fruits.
In Oct. 1988 the company begins advertising the product
heavily on French television. The slogan: “Sojasun, the fi rst
vital pleasure.”
1985 Dec. – The fi rst American soy yogurt to attract
widespread mainstream attention is Jofu, a non-fermented
product made from silken tofu by Tomsun Foods
International (formerly New England Soy Dairy) of
Greenfi eld, Massachusetts. Launched in seven fl avors, it is
partially the brainchild of Juan Metzger, a founder of Dannon
Yogurt in 1942 and the chairman and president of Dannon
until 1981. Metzger has been chairman of the Tomsun board
since 1983. During Jofu’s fi rst year, Tomsun spent over
$750,000 in advertising the product under the slogan “It’s
time to go beyond yogurt.” Potential buyers: Those who
dislike the sour taste of yogurt, are lactose intolerant, or are
watching cholesterol or fat intake.
1986 mid-December - Tomsun nets about $3.5 million in its
fi rst public stock offering - money used largely to improve
and market Jofu. By May 1987 Tomsun has orders for 25,000
cases of Jofu per week but could produce only about 12,000.
It was too much too soon for the small plant. Hopes to raise
additional capital are dashed by the U.S. stock market crash
in Oct. 1987. On 8 April 1988 Tomsun fi les for protection
under Chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Act – a victim of
Jofu’s runaway success and of trying to expand too fast. The
company never recovered.
1987 July – The United Kingdom has become Europe’s
largest market for soy yogurt, in large part because of the
large number of vegetarians and vegans in that country.
England’s fi rst soy yogurt is Sunrise Soya Milk “Live” Fruit
Yoghurt, introduced in July 1987 by Michael Cole of Soya
Health Foods Ltd. in Manchester.
Other early British soy yogurts are Yoga (launched in
1986 by the Regular Tofu Co.), White Wave Soya Yogart
(May 1987 by Unisoy Milk ‘n’ By-Products Ltd.), and
Granose Soya Yogert (Sept. 1988 by Granose Foods Ltd.).
As of 1994 the largest manufacturer of soy yogurts in the
UK is Genice Foods Ltd., which started in April 1986 as a
maker of soy ice creams. Genice develops and manufactures
soy yogurts only for other companies; its fi rst product was
made in 1989, shortly after it joined the Haldane Foods
Group. In 1990 Genice developed a unique process for
making pasteurized yogurts that have a 4-month shelf life at
room temperature. As of 1994 90% of Genice’s business is
soy yogurts and only 10% soy ice creams. Genice makes at
least 90% of all soy yogurts sold in the UK, a market worth
about $3 million a year.
As of 1994 soy yogurt is probably the fastest growing
soyfoods category in both the United States and Europe.