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Tofurky Turns 25!
(Seth Tibbott is Much Older)
In December 1980 a twenty-something nomadic naturalist Boomer found himself at a crossroads. Conservative Ronald Reagan had just defeated Environmentalist Jimmy Carter, which meant U.S. government funding of outdoor eco-programs was about to end. Plus, ten years living in tents and crashing on friends’ sofas was getting old. There was a tree house to build.
With $2,500 our naturalist had saved working that summer at a Youth Conservation Corps camp on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, Seth Tibbott, sans any real business experience, founded the Turtle Island Soy Dairy. His can’t-miss plan was to make tempeh — i.e. moldy soybeans — the next granola.
After “failing forward” for the next 15 years, in late-1995 Tibbott, with a few friends, created a “delicious holiday feast” for vegans and vegetarians. His friends and employees wanted to name it the “Meatless Stuffed Tofu Roast.” But our hero insisted on a more “fun” name. Today you know that centerpiece as “Tofurky.”
Seth recently published his autobiography, In Search of the Wild Tofurky, detailing with wit and positivity how he pioneered plant-based proteins. This year marks both the 40th anniversary of the founding of his company, now known as Turtle Island Foods, and the 25th anniversary of Tofurky. Animals Voice is pleased and honored to present our exclusive…