# Live Episode! Tofurky: Seth Tibbott (2019)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-11-29
- Length: 48m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-29-live-episode-tofurky-seth-tibbott-2019

## Summary

Seth Tibbott, founder of Tofurky, recounts building a plant-based protein company over four decades, starting with tempeh in the 1980s and pivoting to the Tofurky roast in 1995. He details his early struggles, including living in a treehouse and operating for years without profit, before achieving national distribution and $40 million in annual sales. Tibbott explains how he refined the product recipe using seitan and tofu, maintained family ownership to protect the company's mission, and expanded into deli slices and sausages.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-29-live-episode-tofurky-seth-tibbott-2019#t=0) Introduction and Early Life
- [8:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-29-live-episode-tofurky-seth-tibbott-2019#t=496) Discovering Tempeh and Starting Turtle Island
- [19:56](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-29-live-episode-tofurky-seth-tibbott-2019#t=1196) Early Struggles and Living in a Treehouse
- [31:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-29-live-episode-tofurky-seth-tibbott-2019#t=1905) The Pivot to Tofurky
- [40:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-29-live-episode-tofurky-seth-tibbott-2019#t=2445) Scaling Production and National Distribution
- [45:49](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-11-29-live-episode-tofurky-seth-tibbott-2019#t=2749) Maintaining Family Ownership and Future Growth

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Tofurky (product)
- Turtle Island Soy Dairy (company)
- Beyond Meat (company)
- Impossible Burger (company)
- KFC (company)
- Applegate Natural Foods (company)
- Meat of Wheat (company)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Trader Joe's (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Target (company)
- Costco (company)
- PCC (company)
- Java restaurant (company)
- Higher Taste (company)
- King Harvest (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Meat Stick Who? How TofuGo Turned Tofu Into a Viral Protein Snack](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-09-18-meat-stick-who-how-tofugo-turned-tofu-into-a-viral-protein-snack) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Tabi and Meena Hoshmand of Tursh](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-14-founder-feature-tabi-and-meena-hoshmand-of-tursh) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Cassie and Chelsey Maschhoff, Lottie’s Meats](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-08-02-founder-feature-cassie-and-chelsey-maschhoff-lotties-meats) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#137 Plant-Based Dumpling Kings: Eric Wu and Adam Yee, Sobo Foods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-04-09-137-plant-based-dumpling-kings-eric-wu-and-adam-yee-sobo-foods) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Sean Knecht of Tantos!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-08-founder-feature-sean-knecht-of-tantos) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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