🔒320 feet of tofu: Nasoya’s record-breaking expansion was fueled by its 36-year relationship with the Town of Ayer

A quiet, suburban Central Massachusetts town has played the long game to gain an unlikely claim to fame: home of the world’s longest tofu production line. Tofu manufacturer Nasoya moved to Ayer in 1990, laying down roots for a company that today produces more than 70% of all tofu sold at retailers across the U.S. In 1990, Nasoya was producing 60,000 pounds of tofu a week, a mere fraction of the 400,000 pounds per day the manufacturer will soon turn out, following a $55-million expansion in March. Nasoya added 200 feet to its tofu production line, making it the world’s longest at 320 feet.

As Nasoya expands with up to 70 new hires, the manufacturer and the Town of Ayer are looking to leverage their symbiotic relationship, investing in workforce development and infrastructure to sustain each other's long-term goals. “You want to be invested in the community to entice people who live close to work close,” said Ed Swartz, senior account manager at Nasoya.

Local recruitment

Nasoya’s expansion added approximately 65,000 square feet to the facility, bringing its total footprint to nearly 200,000. That extra space gives workers more wiggle room as they ship to more than 50 U.S. retailers per week, including Stop & Shop, Walmart, Kroger, and Publix Super Markets.

“One of the things facing all businesses like this is the challenge of getting qualified or trained or good workers,” said Robert Pontbriand, Ayer town manager. In mid-March, Nasoya hired 30 new operators to its team of 170 workers, who will oversee every step of production from grinding soybeans to packaging the final product. With more hiring to come in April, the firm is looking to recruit for a range of positions, such as maintenance workers, warehousing operators, and forklift drivers, said Justin Lee, Nasoya’s senior operations manager. “Ayer is a small town, a very small town compared to Leominster and Lowell,” said Lee. Nasoya has partnered with the Town of Ayer to connect with students at local high schools and community colleges. At least 10% of the company’s workforce has been recruited through introductions facilitated by the municipality. Nasoya is now in talks with Ayer’s Department of Community & Economic Development regarding further workforce development and training opportunities and potential partnerships with the Ayer Shirley Regional High School, said Pontbriand. Aside from its formal partnerships with the Town, Nasoya has built a long-standing relationship with the community by sponsoring annual events like Ayer’s Newton Street Festival and Downtown Holiday Tree Lightings. The manufacturer views community engagement almost as a form of sales pitching. Central Massachusetts is no stranger to inclement weather, and it benefits Nasoya for employees to live nearby, said Swartz.

“That's one of the primary [reasons] Nasoya invests itself so much in the community, to be a good community partner,” he said.

More tax revenue

When Nashoba Valley Medical Center closed in 2024, Ayer lost about 500 jobs, and a substantial amount of tax revenue, said Pontbriand. Nasoya’s expanded footprint will bring in new tax revenue for the Town. Additionally, the company will pay nearly $2 million to improve the Town’s wastewater infrastructure.

“Tofu is soybeans plus water, pretty much,” said Lee. “You can imagine how much water that we use and how much water we discharge.” Nasoya is Ayer’s largest water user, he said. Currently, the manufacturer produces 170,000 gallons of wastewater per day. That figure will increase to 200,000 per day for fiscal 2026 and grow to 240,000 per day in fiscal 2027, said Pontbriand. To accommodate for this increase, the manufacturer has entered into a municipal agreement to pay the Town about $1.4 million for wastewater and $545,000 for improvements to its sewer line, to be paid over the next 10 years. While these improvements will be made for Nasoya, they will advantage Ayer’s waste systems overall by increasing capacity. “Now that translates into a significant revenue source for the town, as well as some further infrastructure improvements to the wastewater system to take this into account,” said Pontbriand. Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.