Taifun-Tofu GmbH

About Taifun Tofu

Taifun-Tofu GmbH is an organic food company founded in 1987 and based in Freiburg im Breisgau. The company produces a range of plant-based tofu specialities – from natural tofu, silken tofu and fermented tofu (FETO) to smoked varieties as well as tofu frying fillets, tofu sausages and terrines – in a total of around 20 products. Production takes place in two own plants in Freiburg-Hochdorf (tofu factory, production kitchen, packaging, logistics), and since 2023 in a second plant with production kitchen and logistics centre. The main raw material is organic soy, sourced entirely from the company's own contract cultivation with partner farms in Germany, Austria and France; the company's own soy varieties (Tofina, Tori) were bred jointly with the University of Hohenheim. Taifun supplies food retail, organic shops, gastronomy, canteens and further processors, as well as bulk packs for large-scale consumers; distribution covers 13 countries in Europe. The company employs around 340 people (2024) and is wholly owned by the Heck Unternehmensstiftung (Heck Corporate Foundation).

Site

Freiburg

Processes

Bulk packs for gastronomy, canteens and further processors, Contract cultivation of organic soy with partner farms, Own soy breeding (among others with the University of Hohenheim), Own soy silos / raw material logistics, Taifun technical Centre (pilot tofu factory for testing soy varieties), Sales in food retail as well as supply of restaurants, canteens and, Recipe development and consumer information

Materials

Organic soybeans from contract cultivation, Organic food production (tofu factory, production kitchen)

Certificates

EMAS, ISO 14001 (environmental management, first certified in 2004), EU Organic Certification, ISO 14001

Founded

1987

Employees

approx. 340 (2024)

Industries

Organic food, Plant-based foods / Tofu, Food retail, Gastronomy / Catering, Food retail (organic, health food shops, supermarkets)

1. 01

   Contract cultivation of organic soy with partner farms in Germany, Austria and

2. 02

   Own soy breeding (e.g. with the University of Hohenheim) and raw material

3. 03

   Goods receiving and raw materials department

4. 04

   Tofu production (production kitchen, tofu factory) in Plant 1 and Plant 2

5. 05

   Packaging

6. 06

   Logistics, order picking and order processing

7. 07

   Sales to food retail, gastronomy, canteens and further processors

Raw materials and manufacturing processes

Locations

Products

Inside the production

Quality and Standards

Quality is ensured through internal and external controls, including organic certificates and a validated EMAS environmental statement with regular audits. An in-house quality assurance department is located at Plant 1.

History

1. 1986

   Meeting of Klaus Kempff and Wolfgang Heck; start of the joint tofu project

2. 1987

   Founding of Taifun in the Freiburg market hall; sales at weekly markets and in the natural foods trade

3. 1990

   Merger of the companies Lifefood (Klaus Kempff) and Taifun (Wolfgang Heck) into a GmbH; Günter Klein joins

4. 1995

   Move to the company's own halls in the Freiburg-Hochdorf industrial area (today's location Bebelstraße 8)

5. 1997

   First regional organic farmers grow tofu soybeans; first deliveries abroad; EMAS certification as the first company in Freiburg

6. 2004

   Introduction of the Tukan bio&vegan brand; first environmental certification according to ISO 14000

7. 2011

   Alfons Graf becomes managing director alongside Wolfgang Heck; opening of the Taifun technical Centre

8. 2014

   Foundation of the Heck Unternehmensstiftung by Wolfgang Heck; Elisabeth Huber becomes managing director

9. 2016

   Preparation of the first common good balance sheet

10. 2017

    For the first time, all organic soybeans from Europe (Germany, Austria, France)

11. 2019/2020

    Approval of the first two own soy varieties Tofina and Tori (with the University of Hohenheim)

12. 2023

    Production in a second plant in Freiburg (Blankreutestraße 14)

13. 2025

    Joining the Freiburg Climate Pact

14. 2026

    Issuance of the bond Taifun_Tofu_Anleihe_2026_2031 (ISIN DE000A460GG0, term 04.05.2026–30.06.2031)