This month’s blog post is dedicated to the history of Nature’s Soy. Rich in history, Nature’s Soy started in 1989. For this post, we featured one of our team members who has been with the Nature’s Soy Team since 2010. Yaqing, our Plant Manager shared the background of Nature’s Soy history from the beginning until now.

It all started in 1989 with a dream.

From the very beginning, YatSun Wen was dedicated to creating and fulfilling his own American Dream. Before Nature’s Soy became the growing soy-based brand that it is now, it all started in a small tofu shop on 12th street in downtown Philadelphia. At this time, the name ‘Nature’s Soy’ was nonexistent as the store’s first name was ‘Sun Kee.’ In this small shop in Philly, YatSun produced tofu and rice noodles to sell from the shop. As YatSun continued grow and learn more about producing tofu and rice noodles, Sun Kee continued to grow as well, ultimately out of the shop’s current space.

Yaqing Lu, Plant Manager at Nature’s Soy

In 1999, YatSun moved from the current shop to a new location in Philadelphia. By 2003, Nature’s Soy was thriving in their new facility with a dedicated team and a successful future ahead. During this time, YatSun continued to focus on the growth of Nature’s Soy which led to his partnership with Dr. FenJin He. Dr. He was a PhD Food Scientist and had extensive experience in flavor and food development. With the foundation of YatSun’s current practices and Dr. He’s experience in food; Nature’s Soy was ready to become a leading tofu and soymilk manufacturer.

With a focus on serving the ethnic market, Nature’s Soy broadened its distribution from locally in Philadelphia to surrounding areas including Maryland and Virginia. The expansion into other regions brought growth to the Nature’s Soy brand which led to the production of new products and then the addition of the automated UHT soymilk production line. This state-of-the-art addition was a high standard for food safety and quality for the soymilk production.

From 2003 and on, the Nature’s Soy team continued to grow and become a tight-knit family as they focused on creating high-quality, delicious soy products for a growing market. By 2016, Nature’s Soy was ready for its next step. The company began their partnership with Keystone Natural Holdings, an organization that focuses on connecting people of diverse cultures with authentic, health-conscious, and innovative food. With this partnership, Nature’s Soy continued to grow in the retail ethnic and food service space with a variety of offerings including large pack tofu for restaurants and other large dining facilities.

From 1989 to 2021, there has been many changes and new additions but with each new chapter, Nature’s Soy continues to lead with the foundation that YatSun and FenJin built in the beginning. When asked to describe Nature’s Soy in one word, Yaqing replied “family,” which for the team at Nature’s Soy is more than just reporting to work each day but growing and evolving together as a one. As Nature’s Soy continues to grow, our team and our family continue to grow as well.

With an ambitious American Dream, YatSun Wen and Dr. FenJin He created a legacy that continues to stand the test of time. The Nature’s Soy family looks forward to the future as our story continues to unfold while carrying on our founders American Dream.

To learn more about Nature’s Soy, please visit the Our Story page.

The Story of Nature's Soy