Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Pulmuone claims 75% share in US tofu market
Pulmuone's tofu products sold in the U.S. / Courtesy of Pulmuone
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Pulmuone had a 75 percent share of the U.S. tofu market in the third quarter, the company said Monday.
The food company said its tofu market share in the U.S. soared from 4.9 percent in 2015 to 69.5 percent in 2016, citing Nielsen research data.
The company attributed the success to growing consumer demand for plant-based foods and aggressive marketing strategies. Plant-based meat alternatives are becoming a more popular choice for American consumers.
About 8 percent of Americans are vegetarians, and 37 percent of non-vegetarian millennials responded that they are willing to buy plant-based foods, according to Mintel Reports in 2018.
“The growing demand for plant-based proteins in the U.S. has been the major driving force behind the success of Pulmuone's tofu business,” said Park Jong-hee Park, a category manager of Pulmuone Foods USA.
“We will continue to offer new plant-based foods to dominate the U.S. tofu market.”
Pulmuone tapped into the U.S. market under the brand Nasoya, the top U.S. tofu manufacturer which is owned by Pulmuone Foods USA.