In Suzhou's Caixiang food market, a 14-square-meter shop called Qiandoufu Tofu Workshop Cafe sells coffee, juice, desserts and dried tofu. Its owner Liu Shu was born in Rudong county, Nantong, Jiangsu province.

Liu is the fourth-generation inheritor of the century-old Miao Family tofu-making tradition in Bencha town of Rudong. Her family has made tofu since 1912, still using firewood and brine.

Refreshing drinks from Qiandoufu Tofu Workshop Cafe. [Photo/WeChat account: rudongfb]

After living in Suzhou and having visited over 20 countries, Liu said she wanted to share her family's tofu tradition from Rudong.

Few tofu-coffee combinations existed in China, and none in Jiangsu. When Caixiang market was upgraded, she proposed a specialty coffee shop. After two months of testing, she solved the problem of soy separation and fermentation, launching soy milk latte with imported pure soy milk.

A carrot soy latte subsequently went viral, appealing to lactose-intolerant customers. In the first three months, tens of thousands of cups were sold. The shop offers over 30 drinks for all ages.

Liu then partnered with century-old braised food brand Lao Lugao to create preservative-free instant dried tofu and vegetarian chicken. She launched vacuum-chilled tofu gift boxes and instant snack boxes.

Liu believes healthy, additive-free food is the future. Tofu, with thousands of years of history, deserves rediscovery.

"In the food business, the product always comes first. Making it well is what counts," said Liu.