A few months ago, I received an order for tempeh through the BOStempeh online network, shipped from Boston to New York. The tempeh was neatly packaged in an artistic and beautiful package design, reinforcing the brand's positioning. Once cooked, the tempeh was incredibly savory and delicious. Even when eaten with rice or combined with chili sauce, this American-made tempeh tasted authentic and reminded me of home-made tempeh in Indonesia.

I remember about four years ago when I visited the BOStempeh factory in Somersworth in New Hampshire, a one-hour drive from Boston. I was taken along to the tempeh-making process by the BOStempeh team, The Kurniantos & The Asokas. Back then, tempeh production was limited and everything was packaged by hand. Today, BOStempeh has grown into one of the top tempeh brands in America. They were even named Best Premium Tempeh Producer in New England at the 2023 Food & Drink Awards! Now, their online sales span the country reaching states like Arizona, California, New Jersey, Indiana, and especially New York. 

All of this success comes down to the grit and creativity of the crew working behind the scenes. Intrigued by their story, I reached out to Meylia Kurnianto, one of the brilliant minds behind BOSTempeh, to get the inside scoop.

Here is an exclusive interview and behind-the-scenes look at how they make the magic happen.

Q: Hello Meylia, how have you been doing?

A: Hi Naratama, I've been doing well, thanks. How about you? It’s been a long time since you last visited our factory.

Q: I am doing good. Yes, I remember, once you mentioned to me that “every single tempeh is freshly made-to-order, and our typical processing time is one week.” Could you explain a little about how the tempeh-making process takes one week? What are the steps involved?

A: Sure. The process of making tempeh can be challenging yet fulfilling at the same time. Honoring our cultural heritage, the science of fermentation, and the true authenticity of Indonesian original tempeh, we produce our tempeh in smaller batches within a completely licensed and insured, specialized commercial facility.

While the fermentation period itself ranges from 24 to 36 hours, operating full production in a commercial environment that meets to nationally recognized standards and certifications incurs some associated business operational costs. Consequently, a minimum volume is necessary to conduct production, and we generally consolidate orders received over a span of 2 to 3 days into a cycle. It's all because we care about the quality of our tempeh and ensuring our customers are satisfied. 

Q: How did the name Bostempeh come about? Is it because you are based in Boston, Massachusetts?

A: BOStempeh has two meanings. First it reminds us of our business started from our home kitchen in Massachusetts, with BOSton being its capital city, and secondly, in Indonesian language, the word “BOS” means the leader and/or “one in charge and/or dominate”. This is in line with our vision and objective to become a leading brand in the growing and promising plant-based industry, not only in the U.S. but also globally. BOStempeh brings forth not only high premium products, but also its intangible heritage essence and importance through educational materials and cultural awareness.

The name BOStempeh carries the symbolism of Alpha and Omega, representing both the beginning and the end. 

Q: There are four creative founders and partners. Each of you likely comes from a different background. Could you share the creative process behind the scenes at Bostempeh? How do you divide responsibilities such as production, packaging design, and other aspects of the business?

A: Thank you for noticing that! You are absolutely on the money. BOStempeh, LLC is a team of four purpose-driven professionals, united in one spirit, mind, and vision to bring the freshest authentic unpasteurized tempeh to the land we now call our home. As immigrants, our cultural identity and the food we grew up with are integral parts of our beings.

Our craving for an authentic taste-like-home culinary experience was the initial seed of BOStempeh as our version of the American Dream. Each of us brings a spirit of excellence, unwavering passion, enthusiasm, and an unstoppable commitment to creating state-of-the-art innovations.

Q: How are responsibilities divided among team members for production, packaging design, marketing, sales and other areas of the business? 

A: Well, we all came from a unique different background. My husband, Daniel Kurnianto, brings his engineering expertise to the business. He holds a patent for one of his inventions and also owns a second business. He oversees R&D, product development, and process improvements. One of BOStempeh’s key differentiators is the IoT (Internet of Things) monitoring system he developed, which ensures precise harvest timing every single time. This critical innovation has enabled us to become a pioneer in shipping fresh tempeh nationwide year-round without spoilage, using standard delivery services.

Meanwhile, our partners, Octavianus Asoka and Aristiya Dwiyanti, who has also owned Stovila, a 5-star Google-reviewed wedding photography business since 2012, joined us in 2020, and have been bringing with them a wealth of knowledge in food manufacturing and brand strategies. Since our commercial kitchen transition, Asoka, being the sole champion with food & beverage background from his professional career at Lindt’s chocolate, has been leading BOStempeh production in Somersworth, New Hampshire and managing our part-time staff. He spent hours in the kitchen ensuring everything meets our standards. He and I coordinate our production management closely.

Dwiyanti, who had also been actively engaged in BOStempeh’s production during our initial years, plays an essential role in enhancing our brand image through her artistic creations of social media content, printing materials, posters, brochures, and various other creative outlets. If you examine our sleeve design closely, the banana visuals were meticulously and purposefully chosen to remind us of the often-used wraps in Indonesia. The open transparent window is designed to showcase the exquisite white mycelium of fresh, unpasteurized, genuine tempeh. 

And last, I came from an academic/higher education background, I had taught at a four-year private university in Indonesia while working as a college administrator. This background of educating the market while dispelling misconceptions comes naturally to me. Reintroducing the true definition of tempeh has become my personal passion. 

As the founder, I manage all the other business aspects, including customer and vendor relations (both B2B and B2C), website maintenance, bookkeeping, taxes, insurance, payroll, shipping & handling, freight, community and network involvement, charity participation, business strategic planning and direction, among others. Recently, as part of our strategic initiatives to advance our business with the upcoming launch of our ready-to-eat tempeh product in a few months, I have now become a certified food protection manager. 

Q: One the packaging design, why did you choose a predominantly blue color tone? Is there any philosophy or meaning behind the crown/king symbol in your logo?

A: I would like to think it was not because blue is my favorite color. Jokes aside and in all seriousness, we had a few iterations before finally nailing down to this design. A major deciding part was from a color palette that complements the green banana leaves which are our core background signatures.

The logo crown/king drew from our BOStempeh’s double meanings, and we want those to vividly illustrate our existence and future growth. The crown/king image symbolizes authority and being the top or highest part of a category, whereas BOSton skyscraper at the bottom signifies our humble beginning starting from our small home kitchen.

The combo “BOS” letters and crown/king combined exemplify our leadership visions.

Q: “Plant-Based Protein” and “Taste of Indonesian Heritage” are two key highlights of your brand. Could you explain why these messages are important to Bostempeh?

While tempeh has started to gain its popularity globally, the market’s hesitation in consuming them was triggered by at least two factors: its weird aftertaste and bitterness coming from a modified version of tempeh in the US market and the soy misconceptions.

People do not realize that the tempeh fermentation process actually elevates soybeans into a nutritional powerhouse by neutralizing anti-nutrients and breaking down hard-to-digest compounds that can otherwise cause gastric distress or hinder nutrient absorption. Tempeh’s fermentation process maximizes nutrient absorption, promotes superior gut comfort, and enhances antioxidant power.  

By penetrating the markets through the launch of BOStempeh, we are RE-introducing the real, authentic integrity of tempeh. One that checks off all tempeh’s CODEX’s organoleptic attributes, without bitterness or weird aftertaste. Without flying miles away, BOStempeh brings the taste of Indonesian intangible heritage to the US market: the exact taste, aroma, and real tempeh found in Indonesia, both tempeh and BOStempeh team’s country of origin.

For that reason, earlier this year, we rebranded our tagline to “BOStempeh brings Indonesia to the United States”.

Q: How far does your online ordering reach in terms of U.S. states? Who are your largest customer segments?

A: Since 2017, we have been shipping nationwide to all 50 states, including Hawaii and Alaska. As a matter of fact, there is a grocery store in Hawaii that carries BOStempeh. Our top performing markets in 2025 include New York (15.16%), Massachusetts (11.23%), California (8.56%), Indiana (6.71%), and Florida (4.63%).

A fine-dining restaurant HAGS in New York has been whipping jaw-dropping tempeh dishes religiously using BOStempeh. In a featured interview when asked about her favorite dish/drink on the menu, Executive Chef Justice, a Michelin Young Chef NY Winner 2023, a James Beard Foundation nominee for Best Chef New York 2023,mentioned that she loved our tempeh dish, and she has been featuring the tempeh from us since she first opened in different locations. She said that our tempeh is soft and luscious with well-balanced notes of nutty soybean and healthy, thriving mold cultures. It doesn't taste anything like the pasteurized store-bought stuff.

Q: If readers of this blog would like to contact you, where can they reach you and how can they order your tempeh?

A: If you are readers who first are craving for good old taste-like-home Indonesian tempeh found at traditional markets back home, secondly have had bad experience with tempeh being bitter, rubbery, and less authentic from a modified version (NOT fresh), thirdly are prioritizing health and selectively choosing curated organic and natural ingredients without hitting the banks, and last are curious about trying tempeh but are hesitant because of misconceptions or unsure where to buy, you come to the right place: BOStempeh brings the real, authentic, fresh, organic Indonesian tempeh nationwide.

With a click at your fingertips at www.BOStempeh.com, a box of freshly fermented and harvested tempeh will be at your doorstep within a week or so. You can also email us at info@BOStempeh.com or call 617-538-6198 or simply follow our IG @bostempeh 

Q: Thank you Meylia for your time to talk on thecreativetalk.com. I am sure our readers will be inspired by your BOSTempeh story.

A: Thanks to you too. Let me know if you visit Boston. We should meet again.

Written by Naratama / Photo by BOSTempeh