Live Episode! Tofurky: Seth Tibbott
Marcus Marritt for NPR
Seth Tibbott may be the only founder in the world who grew his business while living in a barn, a teepee, and a treehouse.
His off-the-grid lifestyle helped him save money as he started to sell tempeh, a protein made of fermented soybeans.
Throughout the 1980s he barely scraped by, but things took a turn in 1995, when he discovered a stuffed tofu roast made in Portland, Oregon.
Knowing vegetarians had few options at Thanksgiving, Seth named the roast Tofurky and started selling it at co-ops in the Pacific Northwest.
Nearly 25 years later, Tofurky sells plant-based protein around the world, and has estimated sales of $40 million a year.
This show was recorded live at Revolution Hall in Portland, Oregon.