[K-soy Industry] ② 100-year-old Soybean Processor 'Matsui Foods'... "Taste and Quality Are Key to Sustainability"

Insisting on Japanese-Grown Soybeans Only at "Matsui Foods"
Stable Supply to School Lunch Programs and Food-Service Companies
"Advancing Soybean-Processing Technology Is Key to Raising Self-Sufficiency"

"Only by building up the skills to make tofu, yuba (tofu skin), and natto based on tradition can we offer them to consumers at reasonable prices, and only then will consumers choose our products. It is the duty of people like me, who run processing businesses, to advance soybean-processing technology and thereby raise Japan's soybean self-sufficiency rate, even if only a little." (Matsui Akio, CEO of Matsui Foods)

Now 75 years old, Matsui Akio, CEO of Matsui Foods, leaves home every morning at 5 a.m. From his house attached to the factory, he puts on a white cap and work clothes and begins work together with his wife and daughter. Using soybeans, they make firm tofu and soft tofu, as well as yuba, the dried tofu skin made by lifting off the thin film that forms on the surface when soybean milk is boiled. This is the daily routine Matsui has repeated for 50 years.

Matsui Akio, CEO of Matsui Foods in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, is explaining the tofu production process. Photo by Ju Sangdon

On the day the reporter visited, Matsui Foods was busy packaging natto made from black soybeans. He explained that they mainly produce tofu products with white soybeans and natto with black soybeans. All products are made from Japanese-grown soybeans.

Matsui said, "I insist on using only Japanese soybeans instead of relatively cheap imported ones," adding, "Of course they are more expensive, but I am confident that by accumulating technology, we can provide tastier and safer tofu, natto, yuba, and other products to consumers at reasonable prices."

Matsui Foods, which is more than 100 years old, is now in its third generation. In 1921, his grandfather began making tofu and selling it to vegetable shops, and under his father, the family started running a tofu shop for local residents. The fourth-generation successor who will run Matsui Foods in 5 to 10 years is Matsui's son. Matsui said, "Tradition is not about carrying on the old ways unchanged, but about adapting them to the times," expressing confidence that "my son, who works for a railway company in the city, will carry on the tradition with a broader and fresher perspective."

As the third-generation president, Matsui expanded the business and now operates the current factory. Although it varies by month, the company produces 20 tons of tofu a year, using 1.5 tons of tofu per month as a reference point. To do this, they use 450 kilograms of Japanese soybeans every month, or 5,400 kilograms a year.

Matsui Akio, CEO of Matsui Foods, at Matsui Foods in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Ju Sangdon, reporter

Matsui said, "We do sell tofu, yuba, and natto through retail stores, but there are not many walk-in customers," explaining, "Our tofu costs 500 yen (about 4,500 won) per block, whereas at large supermarkets you can buy tofu made from imported soybeans for as little as 200 yen, even for the more expensive products."

Instead, products made by Matsui Foods are mainly sold to nearby schools and food-service companies. Matsui said, "By selling in bulk on a regular basis to school lunch programs and food-service companies, we have been able to secure a certain level of price competitiveness," adding, "There are consumers who seek out safe and delicious tofu made from locally grown soybeans, even if it is a bit more expensive."

Matsui Foods does not only make tofu. It also produces hamburger steaks made from tofu for children, as well as soybean flour for baking. The soybean flour is used in Hyogo Prefecture by a well-known bakery as an ingredient mixed with wheat flour to make bread. Matsui said, "Food education is not just about teaching children the value of tofu made from local agricultural products, but also an opportunity to increase their interest in soybeans and soybean-processed foods," emphasizing that "this in turn helps foster the next generation of soybean-processing technicians."

Matsui Akio, representative of Matsui Foods, is taking a commemorative photo with his wife and daughter. Photo by Joo Sangdon

Most of the tofu hamburger steaks are supplied for school lunches. To this end, Matsui actively participates in food education by visiting schools, meeting children in person, and explaining the process of making tofu, natto, and hamburger steaks from soybeans. The Hyogo Prefecture School Lunch and Food Education Support Center has also introduced Matsui Foods in its newsletter.

Matsui said, "To expand consumption of domestically grown soybeans, we need to move away from a purely price-competitiveness approach and instead clearly highlight the differentiating factors of domestic soybeans, such as taste, quality, and health functionality, while improving consumer awareness around processed products that best reflect these characteristics," adding, "If I continue to accumulate and advance technologies for making tastier and healthier products and earn consumer recognition, Japan's soybean self-sufficiency rate will naturally rise as well."