Tofu, a staple known for its stable affordability, is facing challenges in Japan, with shops across the country feeling the squeeze from surging prices for soybeans, the bean curd's primary ingredient, as well as escalating electricity and gas bills.
Traditionally, tofu is important in the diet of many Japanese households, along with eggs and bean sprouts, and has been sold consistently at low prices. Any significant price hikes risk hitting sales.
With bankruptcies and voluntary business closures showing no signs of slowing down, the industry is striving to broaden its sales channels in an effort to overcome the predicament.