Hodo Tour
Market Days
Products
Contact
510.464.2977
People
Founder and CEO Minh Tsai, along with over 150 employees. Board members include John Scharffenberger of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker and Dalbir Singh of Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Foods.
About
As a child in Vietnam, Minh Tsai took morning strolls with his grandpa to the neighborhood tofu shack. The freshness and artisan-quality of the soymilk, tofu, and yuba of his childhood eluded Minh for many years and ultimately led Minh to leave a finance career to found Hodo in 2004. Hodo now supplies tofu to Chipotle nationwide, sweetgreen, and notable Bay Area restaurants including The Slanted Door, State Bird Provisions, The Progress, SHED Cafe at Healdsburg Shed, and Mister Jiu’s.
Process
Hodo sources soybeans with specific protein and fat composition to make their creamy soy milk, the basis of all their products. They use the whole bean, including its seed coat, and double extractions to get the most protein and fiber out of the bean. Their tofu is simply this soy milk combined with calcium sulfate, a natural mineral. Hodo meticulously minimizes the ratio of calcium sulfate to soy milk, ensuring a superior taste and texture. Their tofu is nutty, sweet, and smooth, with an average of 50% more protein than other tofu on the market. Fresh yuba (“tofu skin”) is made by heating the soy milk and allowing the fat and protein to form paper-thin sheets, which are then lifted off the surface by hand. Hodo is the only maker of fresh organic yuba in the country.
Sourcing
Hodo sources US-grown, organic, non-GMO soybeans from farmers’ cooperatives. All products are certified organic, vegan, preservative-free, gluten-free, and non-GMO.
Fun Fact
Hodo gives the bean pulp left over from their soy milk-making process for use as organic ranch fodder.
Location
Oakland, California
Slideshow
About CUESA
CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) is dedicated to growing thriving communities through the power and joy of local food. Learn More »