SoyBoy
| Rating |  |
| Company | Northern Soy Inc. |
| Location | Rochester, NY |
| Products | tofu, tempeh, tofu ravioli, tofu hot dogs, okra burgers |
| Market Area | East |
| Web Site | www.soyboy.com |
| Total Score | 755 |
Northern Soy, makers of SoyBoy, was founded in 1976 and remains an independent company that is still managed by the original founders. They readily shared all sourcing information. They source a portion of their soybeans directly from family farmers; when these family farmers do not have enough soybeans to sell, Northern Soy works with brokers and specifies that they only want organic soybeans grown as close as possible to their New York plant.
They write: “We make SoyBoy brand products, although we’re sometimes known by our corporate name, Northern Soy. Our Rochester, NY factory may be the only remaining large-scale, independently-owned U.S. tofu plant. Currently, 100% of the soybeans we use are organically-grown, sourced locally whenever possible. Every ingredient in the plant is GMO-free,and we never use processing aids or defoamers. Our tofu is known for its firmness, high protein content, and year-round consistency. One of our top priorities is creating a safe, healthy work environment where people are paid excellent wages, receive great benefits, and can take pride in their work. After 31 years in business, we still believe,”Soy to the World.”
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1000) | 755 | 4-Bean Rating |
Family-farmer owned businesses receive the most points, investor owned corporations the fewest.
Ownership Structure | 70 | Privately Owned |
|
Reflects a company’s commitment to purchasing organic soybeans.
Percentage Organic Soybean Purchases | 90 | 98% organic, 2% non-GMO |
|
Companies committed to transparency receive the most points.
Disclosure of Information for Verification | 100 | full and open disclosure |
|
Reflects the integrity of the company’s chosen organic certifying organization. Organic Certifier | 75 | QAI |
|
Companies selling only organic products receive the most points.
Organic Product Line | 60 | 75% Organic, 10% Conventional non-GMO and 15% Conventional |
|
Companies that manufacture in-house receive the most points.
Manufacturing | 100 | All manufacturing done in-house |
|
Companies that purchase directly from farmers receive the most points; companies that buy through brokers selling imports receive the fewest.
Sourcing and Farmer Relationships | 70 | Soybeans purchased from a New York farmer and from brokers who supply North American soybeans |
|
Companies that are committed to preventing GMO contamination receive the most points. Prevention of GMO Contamination | 40 | no testing; the company is in the process of developing a testing system |
|
Companies that do not add flavor or add only certified organic natural flavor receive the most points. Flavors | 50 | 100% non-organic natural flavor |
|
Companies that do not use soy lecithin or that use certified organic soy lecithin receive the most points.
Soy Lecithin | 100 | none used |
