Soy Takes Its Place at America's Dinner Table

Can the feds get Americans to trade in a sizzling rib-eye for a soggy block of tofu? It's a question Kraft Foods (KFT), Kellogg (K), and Hain Celestial Group (HAIN) are keen to answer since the U.S. Agriculture Dept. in January began encouraging Americans to eat more soy.

In coming months, Americans will be inundated with commercials pushing everything from soy-infused chili to corn dogs, as food companies try to position the bean curd as a healthy protein alternative. The trick will be getting consumers past the "ick factor," says Tripp Hughes, who oversees soy products at Organic Valley, which makes organic soy milk and coffee creamers. Soy is an integral part of Asian diets, but it has never been widely accepted by Americans even though they routinely eat it—perhaps unwittingly—in processed foods that use soy oil such as sauces, salad dressing, baked goods, and snack foods.