The Nasoya expansion project added 200 feet to its production lines.
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Ayer-based tofu manufacturer Nasoya has completed a $55-million expansion project, adding nearly 65,000 square feet of new production space and creating what the firm says is the largest tofu production line in the world.
The Nasoya expansion project added 200 feet to its production lines, meaning the manufacturer’s lines now total 320 feet for coagulation, forming, and automated packing of the company’s tofu, Suk Kim, vice president of marketing at Nasoya parent company Pulmuone Foods USA, said in an email to WBJ. The facility as a whole now takes up nearly 200,000 square feet.
Nasoya’s scaled line features new production technologies and automated systems, doubling the manufacturer’s production capacity to 400,000 pounds of tofu per day, equating to more than 2.1 million servings. The project will add approximately 20% more jobs to the Ayer facility, said Kim. The company did not provide the exact number of jobs created.
“With the overall U.S. tofu market projected to nearly double by 2030, this investment ensures we have the infrastructure in place to continue leading the category and meeting rising consumer demand,” Kim said.
Pulmuone’s U.S. tofu sales have grown $48 million, or 38%, since 2022, prompting the California-based manufacturer to invest in its Nasoya site.
“With increased capacity at its expanded Massachusetts facility and coast-to-coast production capabilities in both Massachusetts and California, Nasoya now has the scale and operational strength to support this momentum, meet rising demand and help shape the future of plant-based protein in the U.S.,” said Kim.
Founded in 1978, Nasoya was acquired by Pulmuone Foods in 2016, according to a May 2016 press release. While Pulmuone did not disclose financials of the transaction, media outlets including Food Dive reported the purchase was valued at $50 million.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.
