Otoufu Factory Ishikawa

Otoufu Factory Ishikawa (株式会社おとうふ工房いしかわ) is a Japanese tofu and soybean-food manufacturer founded in 1991 in Aichi Prefecture. The company began as a small family-run town shop and has grown into a producer of tofu, fried tofu, soy milk, desserts, bread, donuts, side dishes, and other soybean-based products. Its founding principle is "to make tofu we would want to feed our own children," and it insists on using domestically grown soybeans, achieving 100% non-genetically modified domestic soybeans. The company operates multiple production facilities, including the Ogakie Plant (1996), Takahama First Plant (1999), a bread workshop (2002), the Second Plant (2004), the Higashiura Plant (2005), the Third Plant (2012), a craft beer plant via the 2013 M&A of Anjo Den Beer, the Fourth Plant (2016), and a fried tofu mass-production line via the 2018 M&A of Hachiriya. Its product lineup includes signature items such as "Kyukyoku no Kinu" and "Shiko no Momen" tofu, "Yukipirika Premium," "Yose Tofu," the "Densho Tofu" domestic series, and the "Tofu Hyakuchin" series, as well as soy milk, tofu skin (yuba), desserts, bread, donuts, and side dishes. Products are sold through the company's directly managed stores, its Rakuten online store, and a regular mail-order store for businesses called "Fudo Ichiba." The company also operates group companies including Anjo Den Beer, Hachiriya, and the Mame to Kurashi Research Institute. Its corporate philosophy centers on "No one will be left behind" and the company motto "to make everyone happy," with activities in protecting Japanese agriculture, environmental projects, food culture inheritance, and community CSV contributions. The company also runs tofu-making experience classes and community welfare activities.

Otoufu Factory Ishikawa was founded in 1991, the year of the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble, as a small family-run town shop. The company's history page states that it started from a small family business and grew under the motto "delicious, safe, and secure" (旨い 安全 安心). In 1996, the Ogakie Plant was established, where the company developed a unique method to make tofu that even children who dislike tofu can enjoy, bringing out the umami and sweetness of soybeans. This led to products such as "Kyukyoku no Kinu" (Ultimate Silk Tofu) and "Shiko no Momen" (Supreme Cotton Tofu). In 1999, the Takahama First Plant (tofu, fried tofu, yuba) was completed and the headquarters was relocated; handmade yuba products such as "Yuba Toro Sashi" were introduced. In 2002, a bread workshop was built and "Oomamezo" opened, producing bread made with domestic wheat, soy milk, and okara, including "Chanto Asa Pan" and "Mocchiri Okara Pan." In 2004, the Second Plant (soy milk, filled tofu, yuba) was completed, leading to original products such as "Yuba Yose Tofu," "Yamaimo Yose Tofu," rich soy milk "Mamezo Tonyu," and dried okara products. In 2005, the Higashiura Plant (desserts) was completed, producing dairy-free soy milk pudding "Mamezo Tonyu Purin." In 2012, the Third Plant (side dishes, donuts) was completed, producing simple donuts without milk or eggs ("Kyukyoku no Tofu Donut") and tofu-based side dishes such as "Ganmo Ni" and "Misozuke Aburaage," as well as "Takahama Torimeshi no Moto." In 2013, the company acquired Anjo Den Beer through M&A, adding a craft beer brewery with a diverse range of beers. In 2016, the Fourth Plant (tofu, namaage, tofu skin) was completed, exploring new possibilities for tofu with Japanized Chinese-style tofu skin "Tofu Kanshi," ready-to-cook tofu menus with sauce, and Taiwanese tofu sweets. In 2018, the company acquired Hachiriya through M&A, completing a mass-production line for agedashi tofu. The company has also been active in preserving traditional tofu-making methods. It notes that after World War II, nigari (bittern) was replaced by "sumashi powder" and imported soybeans became common, leading to a loss of traditional taste. About a decade before the history page was written, the company began efforts to preserve "domestic soybean, nigari-set tofu," working with farmers to increase production of high-quality, traceable domestic soybeans. It now uses 100% domestic soybeans and has achieved 100% non-GMO soybeans, verified by public inspections. Today, the company operates direct stores, an online store on Rakuten, and a business-to-business mail-order store called "Fudo Ichiba." It also runs group companies including Anjo Den Beer, Hachiriya, and the Mame to Kurashi Research Institute. Its corporate philosophy is "No one will be left behind," and it engages in activities such as protecting Japanese agriculture, environmental projects (Mamezo Eco Project, Kangaeru Tofu Project), inheriting food culture (Takahama Torimeshi Gakkai), and community CSV contributions (tofu-making classes, community welfare, NPO Daizukids).

• 2018

  M&A of Hachiriya; mass-production line for agedashi tofu completed.

• 2016

  Fourth Plant completed (tofu, namaage, tofu skin).

• 2013

  M&A of Anjo Den Beer; craft beer brewery added.

• 2012

  Third Plant completed (side dishes, donuts).

• 2005

  Higashiura Plant completed (desserts).

• 2004

  Second Plant completed (soy milk, filled tofu, yuba).

• 2002

  Bread workshop built and Oomamezo opened.

• 1999

  Takahama First Plant completed and headquarters relocated.

• 1996

  Ogakie Plant established; developed unique tofu-making method.

• 1991

  Otoufu Factory Ishikawa founded as a small family-run town shop.

Premium, domestically sourced, traditional-style tofu and soybean foods with a focus on safety and food culture.

• Kyukyoku no Kinu

  Ultimate silk tofu.

• Shiko no Momen

  Supreme cotton tofu.

• Yukipirika Premium

  Premium tofu product.

• Yose Tofu

  Soft-set tofu.

• Densho Tofu Domestic Series

  Traditional tofu made with domestic soybeans.

• Tofu Hyakuchin Series

  Variety tofu series.

• Mamezo Tonyu

  Rich soy milk made with domestic soybeans.

• Kyukyoku no Tofu Donut

  Simple donuts made without milk or eggs.

1. 1株式会社おとうふ工房いしかわotoufu.co.jp
2. 2沿革｜株式会社おとうふ工房いしかわotoufu.co.jp
3. 3企業情報｜株式会社おとうふ工房いしかわotoufu.co.jp
4. 4商品情報｜株式会社おとうふ工房いしかわotoufu.co.jp
5. 5Otoufu Factory Ishikawa - Wikidatawikidata.org