Tofu Maker’s Shares Surge by Adding Automation to Ancient Craft
- Yamami shares soar 138% this year as record profits predicted
- Japan’s tofu industry is struggling due to rising costs
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Many of Japan’s tofu producers are struggling to stay in business, even as people eat more of the plant-based source of protein. Not Yamami Co., which is forecasting record profits thanks to automation and mass production.
At its newest factory at the foot of Mount Fuji, the tofu maker, one of the few that’s listed, can produce 15,000 units of the bean curd per hour. That’s several times more than its rivals, the company says. Yamami is able to tap pristine groundwater whose temperature is stable at the site — key for making tofu, an important part of Japanese cuisine for centuries.