The soyfoods market is growing rapidly in the US as the health benefits of the product become more widely known. Soy-based products which were once niche have become mainstream, and manufacturers are investing in new brands and better marketing to capitalise on the trend.
One new product which aims to do just that is SoyToy, a soymilk machine which its creator Robert Cohen claims will allow consumers to make their own soymilk at a fraction of the cost of buying it in a store.
The soymilk maker is not cheap at $159, but Cohen said that would quickly pay for itself as it produces healthy soymilk from dry soybeans in just 25 minutes for approximately four cents a quart.
The machine is easy to use - the process is started via the simple push of a button - and SoyToy does not require soybeans to be soaked overnight. Making the product at home for immediate consumption also means that the milk retains all of the essential fibre and nutrients that are frequently stripped out by many of the pre-made soymilks currently found on supermarket shelves, Cohen claimed.
The homemade soymilk can be flavoured to make it more palatable, or used to make creamy soups, cheese, butter, ice cream, sour cream, veggie burgers, mayo and all kinds of other intricate dishes and flavoured milks that are traditionally made with cow's milk, but with all the health benefits of soy, Cohen added.
Although the product is easy to use and simple to clean, it remains to be seen whether today's convenience-focused consumer will be prepared to wait even just 25 minutes for a cup of soymilk.