Epic Tofu – 1st Place of the 2024 Pitch Competition

Interview with Epic Tofu

- 1st Place Winner of the 2024 Pitch Competition

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Could you briefly introduce your award-winning product or company and explain what makes it unique in the market?
Epic Tofu offers pre-chopped, pre-marinated, and ready-to-cook tofu products with exceptional taste and our signature meaty texture. Our marinated tofu products are minimally processed and made with integrity using wholesome and easy to understand ingredients like Canadian-grown non-GMO soy and artisanal marinades—for real plant-based foods that can be enjoyed without compromise.
Product innovation: When we launched our business in 2021, we could see the plant-based industry taking off. While the big plant-based companies were chasing the perfect fast-food burger and nuggets, they left in their wake plenty of room for clean-label innovation.
What the consumer actually wanted taste, texture, AND a healthier alternative to meat. And that’s where we saw our opportunity to innovate in the plant-based space. By chopping and marinating tofu, we could deliver great taste, a meaty texture, AND a healthy plant-based alternative that consumers would love.

How was your experience during the competition and the exhibition?
The pitch competition itself was a huge highlight. The energy coming from the crowd and the judges was super motivating. Plus, the caliber of Start-Ups competing for the top prize was exceptional. We were surrounded by the country’s best innovators.
The caliber of customer leads that visited our booth in the start-up village was unparalleled. Canada’s biggest retail, food service, and institutional buyers were there in force! It was the perfect venue for showcasing our brand and our products.
Also, there was an excellent industry media presence. A great show!

Did you experience a “SIAL effect” following your participation in the competition?
These was big buzz around Epic Tofu following SIAL. The fact that we won the start-up pitch competition absolutely helped! We had media coverage, great LinkedIn interest. To this day, our SIAL win is something that we tout and customers’ eyes light up when they hear it. This competition has given us great bragging rights and visibility and we’ve doubled down on our food service and institutional efforts since.

In a few words, what do you take away from your participation in the SIAL Canada exhibition and the competition?
It’s an excellent show that gives start-ups the opportunity to shine in front of the industry’s biggest players. its an opportunity not to be missed!

About Epic Tofu

The Tofu Crusaders
We’re on a mission to clear tofu of its bland reputation while helping you make healthy, more sustainable food choices.
That’s why we call ourselves Epic Tofu—a brand committed to next-level plant-based flavour made with clean, local ingredients, like Canadian non-GMO soy ✌️

Learn more