In 2024, the global value of tofu exports reached approximately US$1.76 billion, reflecting the continued importance of tofu in international food trade.

Tofu, commonly known as bean curd, is a soy-based food produced by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds into firm white blocks. With its cheese-like texture and high nutritional value, tofu has become a staple in many diets around the world.

Since 2020, international tofu exports have shown strong long-term growth. Global export revenues increased by an average of 37.4% compared with 2020, when total shipments were valued at US$1.28 billion.

However, on a year-over-year basis, 2024 exports declined by 20.4%, down from US$2.21 billion in 2023, indicating short-term market adjustments despite overall growth momentum.

Major Exporting Countries

The global tofu export market is highly concentrated. In 2024, the top five exporting countries—the United States, Nigeria, Italy, Bolivia, and Serbia—accounted for 93.1% of total global export value, underscoring the dominance of a small group of suppliers.

From a regional perspective:

North America led global tofu exports, with shipments valued at US$1.32 billion, representing 74.6% of worldwide exports

· Europe followed with 11.2%

· Africa contributed 9.3%

· Latin America (excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean) accounted for 3%

· Asia supplied 1.9%

· Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) made up the remaining 0.1%

This report also examines export volumes by weight and compares unit prices per ton to identify both high-value and low-cost suppliers.

For reference, the relevant 6-digit Harmonized System (HS) code associated with key tofu inputs is 120810, covering soybean flour and meal used in tofu production.

Top Tofu Exporters by Country (2024)

Below are the 15 largest tofu-exporting countries, ranked by total export value, along with their respective shares of global exports:

1. United States – US$1.3 billion (74.5%)

2. Nigeria – US$146.2 million (8.3%)

3. Italy – US$111.5 million (6.3%)

4. Bolivia – US$47.7 million (2.7%)

5. Serbia – US$23.7 million (1.3%)

6. Austria – US$20 million (1.1%)

7. United Arab Emirates – US$14.9 million (0.8%)

8. Netherlands – US$13.9 million (0.8%)

9. India – US$11.2 million (0.6%)

10. South Africa – US$7 million (0.4%)

11. Portugal – US$6.7 million (0.4%)

12. Poland – US$6.4 million (0.4%)

13. Belgium – US$4.8 million (0.3%)

14. Ghana – US$4.5 million (0.3%)

15. Mainland China – US$3.9 million (0.2%)

Collectively, these 15 countries accounted for 98.4% of global tofu exports by value in 2024.

Fastest-Growing and Declining Exporters

Among leading exporters, the countries showing the strongest growth since 2023 were:

· United Arab Emirates (+3,834%)

· Poland (+595.3%)

· Mainland China (+75.4%)

· Ghana (+65.5%)

Conversely, several major exporters experienced notable declines, including:

· South Africa (−92.4%)

· United States (−20.6%)

· Italy (−11.5%)

· Portugal (−10.4%)

· Austria (−4.8%)

Leading Tofu Exporters by Company

Based on Tendata trade data, the following companies ranked among the top 10 tofu exporters globally in 2024:

1. PRICESMART INC – 38.73% (US$3.23 million)

2. CÔNG TY TNHH THỰC PHẨM TỔNG HỢP KOWA VIỆT NAM – 7.95% (US$0.66 million)

3. ADF FOODS LIMITED – 6.46% (US$0.54 million)

4. INDO COUNT INDUSTRIES LIMITED – 5.33% (US$0.44 million)

5. JFC INTERNATIONAL INC – 2.78% (US$0.23 million)

6. PT VEGETARIAN BATAMINDO SEJATI – 2.34% (US$0.20 million)

7. SERENE SHOE COMPANY – 2.14% (US$0.18 million)

8. VIFON FOOD JSC (HAI DUONG BRANCH) – 2.00% (US$0.17 million)

9. AN HAI SEAFOOD CO., LTD. – 1.92% (US$0.16 million)

10. LI CHUAN FOOD PRODUCTS VIETNAM CO., LTD. – 1.81% (US$0.15 million)