Twin Oaks
| Rating |  |
| Company | Twin Oaks Community Foods |
| Location | Louisa, VA |
| Products | tofu, tempeh, soymilk, mushroom pate |
| Market Area | Mid-Atlantic |
| Web Site | www.twinoakstofu.com |
| Total Score | 910 |
Twin Oaks Community Foods is a worker-owned cooperative that produces tofu, tempeh and soymilk made with organic soybeans bought directly from a Virginia farm. They readily shared with us the name of the farm and we were able to confirm that they do indeed buy directly from this family farm in their home state. Twin Oaks Community Foods is a wonderful example of a brand connected directly to the hard-working farmers who produce food.
They write:
“Twin Oaks Community Foods is a worker-owned co-operative located on 400 acres in central Virginia. We have been in business producing quality Organic Extra-firm Tofu since 1991. Our co-operative began by providing easy-to-use meat alternatives to Charlottesville, Richmond and local vegetarian communities. Over the past decade, positive customer response has urged us to grow and we now provide organic soyfoods to an array of customers up and down the East Coast. We strive to provide premium soyfoods crafted using unbleached well water, organic non-GMO soybeans, and the highest quality organic herbs available. We play our part in supporting local agriculture by using only Virginia-grown soybeans, helping to reduce the use of fuel for transportation. The Twin Oaks Community Foods 30-person crew takes pride in making vegetarian products that are good for our families and yours.”
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1000) | 910 | 5-Bean Rating |
Family-farmer owned businesses receive the most points, investor owned corporations the fewest.
Ownership Structure | 90 | Worker-owned Cooperative |
|
Reflects a company’s commitment to purchasing organic soybeans.
Percentage Organic Soybean Purchases | 100 | 100% Organic Purchases |
|
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 | 100 | QCS |
|
Companies selling only organic products receive the most points.
Organic Product Line | 90 | 99% Organic Products, 1% Conventional non-GMO |
|
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 | 90 | 100% directly from American farmers; farms are not visited |
|
Companies that are committed to preventing GMO contamination receive the most points. Prevention of GMO Contamination | 40 | no testing |
|
Companies that do not add flavor or add only certified organic natural flavor receive the most points. Flavors | 100 | organic natural flavors |
|
Companies that do not use soy lecithin or that use certified organic soy lecithin receive the most points.
Soy Lecithin | 100 | none used |
