New York-based plant-based food company Blackbird Foods has listed a new Organic Original Seitan Block at Whole Foods Market stores across the Northeast, in what the company says is its first certified organic seitan product to enter the US retail market.
The 12oz refrigerated block contains 76g of organic plant protein and is designed to be sliced, chopped, marinated, or cooked in a range of applications, from stir-fries and sandwiches to salads. It joins Blackbird’s existing Whole Foods lineup, which already includes Original Seitan Shreds and Chili Lime Seitan Shreds.
Tofu-inspired format
The block format is deliberately modeled on the familiar format of refrigerated tofu, a product shoppers in the natural and organic channel are already accustomed to buying and preparing. Seitan, made from wheat protein, has roots in East Asian cooking spanning centuries, though it has historically seen lower mainstream adoption in the US compared to tofu and tempeh.
Blackbird Foods was founded by chefs Emanuel Storch and Mike Pease, who initially supplied seitan to local restaurants in New York City before expanding into retail.
The company manufactures its products at its own facility in New York and now has distribution across more than 4,000 stores nationally, including Target, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Whole Foods Market. In February 2025, the brand was acquired by private equity firm Ahimsa Companies, which also owns Simulate, the company behind the Nuggs brand.
