After more than four decades, The Simple Soyman is getting a second life — and for Milwaukee’s plant-based faithful, that’s welcome news.

The longtime local tofu maker, founded in 1983 by Barb and R. Jay Gruenwald, built a loyal following with its small-batch, hands-on approach and commitment to organic, locally sourced ingredients. When the couple stepped away from production in 2024, it left a noticeable gap in the city’s food ecosystem — one that didn’t sit right with Jim Neumeyer.

Neumeyer, the former co-owner of Beans & Barley, had been buying Simple Soyman tofu for years. When the business went quiet, he saw more than a shuttered operation — he saw something worth saving. So, alongside his wife, Olive Crane, he stepped in to take over the company in early 2026, with a goal of preserving what made it special while charting a path forward.

That means keeping the same labor-intensive, open-pot tofu-making process that defined the brand from the start. It’s slower, more manual, and not exactly the obvious choice for a “next chapter,” but it’s core to the product’s identity — and its flavor.

Crucially, the transition hasn’t meant starting from scratch. Key longtime staff have stayed on, and the Gruenwalds have helped guide the handoff, ensuring continuity behind the scenes as production ramps back up.  

Now, Simple Soyman products are making their way back onto local shelves, reconnecting with the co-ops and customers that supported the company for decades.

For Neumeyer, it’s less about reinvention and more about stewardship: protecting a legacy brand while keeping it relevant for a new generation of eaters.

In other words, Simple Soyman isn’t just back — it’s been thoughtfully passed on.