The Tofoo Summer Sampling Tour.
The Tofoo Summer Sampling Tour was all about getting plant-based food into the hands of real people – hot, fresh and full of flavour. Over 12 weeks, iMP delivered a nationwide hot sampling roadshow that travelled to 12 UK cities, two major festivals and Tesco HQ, converting sceptics into fans one bite at a time.
With 30,576 samples, over 34,000 engagements and more than 3.4 million vehicle impressions this campaign proved that tofu isn’t just for vegans, it’s for everyone.
Tofoo strategy: sampling at scale
The Tofoo tour was designed as a rolling brand experience on wheels with a mix of city centre activations, festival sampling and on-road visibility.
- national reach: 12 cities including Manchester, Leeds, London, Glasgow, Bristol and Cardiff
- high-profile festivals: Taste of London and the Big Feastival
- retail influence: on-site activation at Tesco HQ to engage retail buyers and decision-makers
The branded sampling van, affectionately named “Lola,” was fitted with a fully equipped hot kitchen, allowing the team to serve freshly cooked tofu samples directly from the road. This was true live product trial, converting curiosity into confidence.
Tofoo sampling objectives.
Tofoo wanted to overcome one of FMCG’s toughest perception barriers: “tofu is bland and hard to cook.” the goal was simple – get people to try it, love it and buy it.
-
drive trial at scale by distributing freshly cooked, hot samples of Tofoo’s hero products
-
raise awareness among flexitarian and health-conscious audiences, not just vegans
-
challenge category perceptions by showing how tasty and versatile tofu can be
-
deliver measurable ROI with a cost-per-sample under £6.00
Experiential sampling kit.
Everything about the setup was designed for maximum sensory impact: the smell of cooking, the sound of sizzling tofu and the vibrant Tofoo visuals drew people in instantly.
-
iMP branded sampling vehicle, equipped with a full catering setup
-
branded gazebo and seating area for dwell time and conversation
-
an interactive “wheel of fortune” and a “like it / don’t like it” counter for engagement and insight
-
festival-grade production that looked great in any location
The bright “it’s easy to Tofoo” branding captured attention across city centres with Lola generating more than 3.4 million impressions during travel between sites.
Impact & measurable ROI.
This campaign didn’t just deliver numbers – it delivered results.
-
trial: 30,576 real product experiences with immediate taste-led conversion
-
engagement: 34,000+ one-to-one conversations and demos
-
efficiency: delivered £0.75 under target cost-per-sample
-
visibility: millions reached through on-road branding
-
retail influence: live sampling at tesco hq reinforced retail confidence and listing performance.
Tofoo’s growth numbers back it up: while the chilled meat-free category declined by 2%, The Tofoo Co. grew +12.2% YOY in value, solidifying its position as #2 in the market with its naked 280g SKU as category leader.
Why Tofoo chose iMP for hot food sampling.
As a leading FMCG sampling agency, we design and deliver high-impact hot food sampling campaigns for food and drink brands across the UK. The Tofoo Summer Sampling Tour showed how a strategic, taste-led approach can shift brand perception and drive trial at scale. Our in-house production team managed every detail from vehicle branding and kitchen installation to site booking, permits and staffing. By combining data-driven planning with creative execution, we ensured consistent delivery across 12 UK cities and festivals. The result was a seamless live activation that proved FMCG sampling can build awareness, shift attitudes and drive sales, all in one tour.
What made Tofoo’s campaign stand out in the plant-based category?
Scale, authenticity and taste. While most plant-based activations focus on messaging, Tofoo focused on flavour giving consumers a direct, sensory experience. The combination of live cooking, approachable ambassadors and festival-quality presentation made the brand stand out as fun, accessible and mainstream. By bringing theatre, aroma and real human interaction together, the campaign turned preconceptions into positive word of mouth that carried well beyond the live event.
-
Tofoo knew that the biggest barrier to trial was perception. By serving hot, freshly cooked tofu, the campaign let consumers taste it the way it should be eaten – hot, seasoned and delicious. The live cooking setup broke the “cold, bland tofu” stereotype instantly, converting first-time tasters into real fans.
-
According to Nielsen Scantrack data, The Tofoo Co grew +12.2% in value year-on-year, even as the wider chilled meat-free category declined by 2%. This campaign directly contributed to that growth by increasing trial, driving consideration and reinforcing Tofoo’s position as the UK’s #2 meat-free brand.
-
iMP used its in-house branded truck “Lola,” fitted with a professional hot kitchen. The setup met all safety standards, with refrigerated storage, food-safe prep surfaces and full HACCP compliance. This allowed Tofoo’s hot sampling campaign to maintain quality and consistency at every stop nationwide.
You may also be interested in…
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
David and team at iMP are the real deal - kind, personable, dependable, professional, and offer a craftsmanship that rivals any agency I've encountered in my career. We will absolutely be using iMP again for any future UK activations (if they will have us) and highly recommend for any companies seeking an incredible experience - ESPECIALLY if you're a US-based team like us, and need an expert on location.
Brand Director
Life360
Had a wonderful experience working with David and the whole iMP team for an event this summer! David went above and beyond to help wherever possible and the branded ice cream van turned out beautifully. Hope to work with iMP again soon!
Brand Manager
ETTG
We worked with iMP for our event stand and staffing of the Ideal Home Show. David and the team were fantastic, our stand was incredible and we had so many compliments on it. The staff were great, they are really high energy and engaged our consumers at the stand. I would highly recommend if you are looking to run any sampling or experiential events for your brand.
Brand Manager
Snuggledown
Hiring iMP for an event I was leading on for a new client was a great decision. They turned around a high quality sampling event and promo vehicle with a very short turnaround time, and their staff on the day were incredibly enthusiastic and professional. They made the process easy and the client very happy, we'll definitely be working with them again.
Brand Director
Lee Kum Kee
Ready to make your brand unforgettable?
Whether you need to scale up a nationwide sampling roadshow, build a high-concept pop-up environment, or hire fully wrapped promotional vehicles, our strategy team is ready to map out your campaign.