Central Soyfoods: Local, Organic Tofu from Lawrence, Kansas
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I used to avoid eating tofu because of the genetically modified organisms found in many soy products and a lack of options for buying it very fresh. But then I moved to Lawrence, Kansas and found the extra firm tofu (and tempeh!) created by longtime local favorite Central Soyfoods. A few reasons they won me over:
- They’re organic: Central Soyfoods uses 100% organic soybeans in their tofu and tempeh.
- They’re local: All of their soybeans are grown by Kansas organic farmers or nearby organic farmers who are part of the Kansas Organic Producers Association.
- They’ve been around: Central Soyfoods was founded in 1978, so they’ve been around as long as I have and have become a trusted source of tofu for our local grocers, many area restaurants, and retail customers throughout the region.
- They’re small: We’re not talking industrial-scaled food production here. Central Soyfoods is owned by a handful of member-owners and produces about 100,000 pounds of tofu in a year.
Pictured up top is the early owner of Central Soyfoods, Jim Cooley, preparing tofu samples at the Community Mercantile – Lawrence’s cooperative market – over three decades ago. Directly above, you can see the four varieties of extra firm tofu produced by Central Soyfoods: Plain, Hot Fiesta, Hickory Smoked, and Garlic Herb.
Related: Ingredient Spotlight: Tofu