Aloha Tofu Factory

This place is out of my way, but if I’m in the area, I’ll stop by for a few things.
It’s cheap! Broken tofu is the way to go; I’ve only noticed a few flaws in the block.
I personally like the yudofu, I’m not a big fan of the tofu mousse. I’ll pick up some yudofu as a tofu hua subsitute. The yudofu is different from tofu hua texturally, it’s little more courser/​grainier, but if I’m craving it tofu hua, it will do. I just whip up some ginger syrup at home and it works for me :)
I bought a bag of okara to make patties with months ago. One bag had a lot of okara… I’m still so okara-​ed out that I won’t be buying okara for a while…

I tried their matcha tofu mousse — so good! I also always get their tofu at the supermarket.

I love this place because the workers are so nice. They always give me free treats. I also love the mousse. The strawberry, chocolate, green tea, and pineapple are my favorite. The other tofu products are ok, and I’m glad to support local business. The neighborhood is sketchy but hey, at least there’s parking. I want to try the dofu but when I brought what I thought was a big container for a $ 3-​something half scoop, I was told it was too small! How’s that?! I will continue to support this place and recommend you give it a try.

I was lucky enough to accompany some middle school students on a tour of aloha tofu factory. Oh my gosh! I’ve never felt so genuinely welcomed in a factory setting before. Not only was the owner and his wife some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, they were such great hosts! After an informational video and showing of the factory, we were able to sample different things the factory makes as well as buy some of their souvenirs.
The soy milk is a little heavy for my taste, but I don’t really like soy milk to begin with. The soy milk they make here is legit though, like the kind I’ve had with yutiao in Taiwan (super legit Chinese breakfast food, and healthy too!!) I’m thinking about forcing myself to start drinking this because I think I could really start liking it a lot.
The soft tofu is sooooo yummy. I’m definitely coming back to get some. It’s so fresh and soft! The owners let you use some of their personal stash of soy sauce from Hiroshima too. So yum!
Soft tofu mousse!!! I went to a women’s college, where vegan friendly desserts were a staple. Nothing I had tasted as good at the mango soft tofu mousse we sampled! I will def be back for more!
I want to frequent the aloha tofu factory for so many reasons. The tofu is amaaazing, the owners and workers are so friendly and tofu is healthyyyy! Woo!

If you love, not like, LOVE tofu or anything tofu-​product related then you need to come here!
Everything is fresh… so much more than the stuff that you buy from the store… and also, cheaper!
Fellow Unilocaler, Jennifer C., is right about the area being a little sketchy. When you go down the small road, it may seem like you’re driving down the wrong direction but when you small the fresh soybeans and spot one of their multiple branded white vans, you know you’re in the right place!
From soft tofu to natto, they have everything! I am especially excited that they have yudofu. For those of you not familiar, it’s super fresh softer-​than-​soft tofu! You can basically eat it anyway way you want. Some add a little shoyu and furikake. As for me, I tend to eat it like a dessert. I add almond milk and a little honey: a much healthier alternative to ice cream! Also, If they’re not already sold out, try their tofu mouse! It’s full of awesome healthy yumminess!
Not only do I love all the food but I love the aunties that work there. They’re always smiling and super sweet! Sometimes, they even give away free tofu products for you to try! (Today, they gave me firm tofu! Yay! I can make tofu burger for dinner!) Thanks aunties! :) :) :)

I am a review procrastinator. That being said, I loved this place so much, that I wrote this the same day!
The place is a bit sketchy when you first drive up, but you can instantly smell the boiling soy beans, and you know you’re in the right place. When you enter the building, you are in the heart of the whole tofu making process; you see tofu getting drained, employees packing the fresh tofu into boxes, etc. I instantly got excited.
I knew I had to try the tofu mousse, and luckily one of the flavors of the week was green tea. I had some when I got home, and that stuff is flipping awesome. Wonderful, pungent, green tea flavors. The only «bad» (bad being relative…) things in there are gelatin and heavy whipping cream. Each of the mousse was $ 3.25. A bit expensive for a small cup, but I think it is totally worth it. A slice of cake or pie is easily $ 3.50+, and way unhealthier. The mousse is rich in flavor, but so fluffy. More please!
I also bought some firm tofu, which I have yet to try, but after tasting the soy milk and the mousse, I have no doubt that this stuff will be great too. This was my first time purchasing Aloha Tofu, and I was surprised that the containers are larger (20oz, compared to the 14oz I’m used to from other brands). It was cheaper too. Aloha Tofu charges $ 2.10 for the firm or soft tofu, but the lady helping us asked us if broken tofu was OK, and since I’m only cooking for me and my husband, it wasn’t a big deal. The broken tofu was $ 1.90, and from what I see, it’s pretty intact. Plus, I know the stuff I bought here is definitely fresher than supermarket tofu; there was a lady packing the tofu right next to the crate of broken tofu.
Speaking of the soy milk, my friend wanted to buy some, but we didn’t know we had to bring our own containers. The lady helping us (who was such a sweetheart), offered us some samples. The soy milk came piping hot. Unsweetened, fresh soy milk. Yum! She even offered to give us some ice to help cool it down, so that we can drink it. This soy milk doesn’t taste anything like the supermarket soy milk, and in a good way. The soy flavor is strong, and unsweetened makes me love it more; you can sweeten with your own sweetener of choice, and to desired sweetness.
Tip: Bring your own containers for soy milk and yudofu.

so far all the flavors we’ve tried were great. love this place. if your iffy that it will taste like tofu, don’t be. it doesnt… really? haha! its good. its mostly tofu texture. silky, smooth, very delicate. the chocolate one has been my favorite so far. i think i will buy some tomorrow.

I LOVE the place. I went for the first time on November 1 with two of my friends and was shocked.
If you love the yudofu.. . or the soft tofu, literally, bring your own pot (make sure it is kinda big). I brought a one gallon pot and for $ 7, I got a scoop of yudofu that totally filled the pot up with fresh, warm yudofu. And let me tell you, it was delicious. All three of us were shocked at the volume I got. It was so much that we gave a container to two of our next door neighbors, kept two for ourselves, gave two to church (Konko Mission of Wahiawa), and saved two more for my cousin.
They also have mousse made of tofu. The lady at the front let us try the strawberry (one scoop each) and it was GOOD!!! I am definitely going back to try the pumpkin (this is a seasonal flavour)!!
They were very friendly and understanding, especially since we had no idea how all of this worked. Now my mom is asking, if I’ll be getting yudofu once a week or every other week.
This place is a must to check out. It is inexpensive, a wonderful experience, and overall ono-​to-​da-​max!
NOTE: They only accept cash or checks. Absolutely NO credit cards.

According to Chinese legend, Prince Lie An invented «doufu» around 150 BC.
Chinese «doufu» is a bean curd made by coagulating soybean milk using calcium sulfate (gypsum).
It is believed that Lie An also invented soybean milk. This seems logical to me because you cannot make doufu without soybean milk.
Lie An inventing soybean milk makes sense to me. Before Lie An, people were eating soybean straight from the vine; eating it boiled and lightly salted; or mashed in the form of a paste [1]. I say «right on» to Lie An for figuring out how to make a liquid form of soy.
On the other hand Prince Lie An inventing «doufu» is baffling to me.
Turning beans into milk and then doufu is not like turning cocoa beans into chocolate or wheat into a cinnamon roll. What making doufu is to me, is turning bland soymilk into an even blander and slightly bitter solid he called doufu. Why go through all the trouble of make something that doesn’t taste that good into something that doesn’t taste any better?
Way back then I think people thought Lie An spent too much time in the kitchen working on his doufu and not enough time leading. I think that is why he never became an emperor or a king.
Well Surprise… surprise! Somehow his invention caught on. It started appearing in Japan during the Nara Period (710 to 794 A.D.). It was during that period that the Japanese perfected the art of making something that didn’t taste that good out of soybeans called «tofu».
Japanese tofu is different from Chinese doufu because of the different type of coagulate used to turn in the milk into a solid. Japanese add a coagulant derived from sea water called nigari. Nigari is primarily the minerals magnesium chloride and calcium chloride.
From Japan, tofu found its way to Hawaii during the Meiji Restoration of the late 19^th century when thousands of Japanese, immigrated to Hawaii to work on sugar plantations.
In 1950, Kamesaburo Uyehara took over his friend’s Aloha Tofu Factory and started making and selling tofu. The factory and business are now run by Kamesaburo’s grandson Paul Uyehara.
I made my way down to the Aloha Tofu Factory because of Unilocal friend Pomai S.‘s review of Aloha Tofu’s new product — Tofu Mousse [2].
I was very excited about trying this new type of tofu product.
I see their storefront door on the left side of the factory.
I walk in and can see the operations of the factory in the background. The factory looked clean, organized and efficient.
You can check out the Aloha Tofu Factory on Youtube.
I look at the Tofu Mousse flavors of the day posted to the left of the entrance and order the Strawberry. A 4 ounce container cost $ 2.75 and contains the following ingredients: Strawberries, non-​GMO whole soybeans, water, glucono, delta lacone, calcium sulfate, cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, gelatin and lemon juice.
I also ordered:
1 — 20 ounce container of soft off-​grade tofu — $ 1.80
1 — 3 ounce box of natto — $ 1.15
1 — 16 ounce package of okara — $ 1.20
When I get home, I excitedly tried the Aloha Tofu Strawberry Mousse. The mousse was light; and had a very delicate and refined taste. The texture was like combining Yoplait yogurt and self serve fro-​yo. It was smooth and not runny. I could taste that hint of tofu in the background when I put a spoonful in my mouth. It was sophisticated in taste and texture. This luxurious form of tofu was delicious! It’s a dessert that is fit for a king!
I like that Aloha Tofu is coming up with new tofu products. I like that they are trying to enhance and improve the taste of tofu.
The problem for me is that tofu has always been a food for poor guys like me. I has always been a food that I consider healthy and cheap.
I love Aloha Tofu products and will be heading to their factory to buy soft tofu at $ 1.80 tub; natto at $ 1.15 a box; okara at $ 1.20 a package; and soy milk at $ 3.60/half gallon. But as far as the mousse is concern, this pauper is sticking with a serving of Yoplait when on sale at Longs; because I’m a $.60 a 4 ounce cup kind of guy.
[1] A Japanese form of this mashed soy paste is called miso.
[2] I don’t know. May or may not be good for hairstyling. I haven’t tried!

Aloha Tofu recently started making very limited edition Tofu Mousse dessert cups in a variety of flavors, varying by two each week. Before they were only available Thursday through Saturday, however due to demand, they’ve ramped-​up production and you can now get them throughout the week, direct at the factory only, while supplies last.
Each one comes in a nicely-​labeled 4 oz. thermo-​sealed clear plastic container, including a handy-​dandy little foldaway spoon, for some really cool packaging!
Aloha Tofu Mousse flavors include: (My Unilocal rating on each one)
* Cheesecake (4 stars)
* Chocolate (4 stars)
* Chocolate Cheesecake (5 stars)
* Strawberry (10 stars, Yup, 10 stars!)
* Pineapple (7 stars)
They will begin offering a Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Mousse (7 stars) and Caramel Coffee Cheesecake «Macchiato» Mousse (10 stars) at the end of October in observance of Halloween and Thanksgiving.
The lady who makes it there at the factory used to be the exclusive Cheesecake pastry chef for the Emperor of Japan, so consider yourself in the hands of royalty with every scrumptious bite of this blissful Tofu Mousse.
To be more descriptive how it tastes, you can barely tell it’s made with Tofu, which they use their Soft Tofu to make it. Where if someone didn’t tell you it was made with Tofu, you probably wouldn’t know, just thinking «there’s something different about this», yet not being able to put a finger on it. It certainly has the whipped airiness and genuine texture of a mousse, while also thankfully not being too sweet. My favorite is is the Strawberry and Caramel Coffee Macchiato flavors.
They require refrigeration, where they’ll keep for about a week. Freezing not recommended.
Currently Aloha’s Tofu Mousse are only available directly at the factory. Call them at 845‑2669 for flavors of the week and availability.
You gotta’ head on over to the factory and try it yourself. It’s a «mouthgasm» in a plastic cup. «Guaranz ballbaranz» you’ll go nuts for it! Get a few, because trust me, you’ll want some for that late night snack. You know the deal.
See photo section for samples of the Tofu Mousse.

Aloha Tofu is a third generation family-​owned and run business.
When we have tofu that is locally made, why on earth would anyone buy tofu shipped over from the mainland or Japan?! Even if they are cheaper or have louder packaging, fresh always wins for me.
They just came out with a tofu cookbook, so I have been going through the recipes and re-​discovering tofu. Just tried the Okara Balls and Tofu Pizza. If you follow them on Facebook, they post a recipe every Tuesday.
Paul Uyehara, the president of the company, is doing some really innovative things like Tofu Mousse (I’ve had Plain, Green Tea, and Chocolate) and a ready to eat tofu cup with soft tofu that comes with a folding spoon and a packet of ponzu sauce. For now, you can only get them at special events. I usually special order these for events as a light and healthier alternative for people to eat.
Tip: You can go to the factory and pick up fresh made tofu, aburage, natto, and okara. If you bring a container, they will also give you soy milk! It’s usually pretty hot in temperature, so I never bring plastic containers.

Pro tip: they sell super-​fresh tofu to the public, even if all you need is one block. Check out their website too, there’s a ton of recipes (natto spaghetti?).