Gluten-Free has experienced dramatic growth in the kosher food industry…Social media is at the early stages in kosher communications but may be wave of the future…Retailers share ideas as Rosh Hashanah preparations go into high gear…Honey and gift-giving, a growing phenomenon as Rosh Hashanah nears…Israeli master chef raises bar on kosher cruises…Tova Ross, our Features Editor, has some great new developments in kosher around the country…So who will be the next “Great Kosher Chef?” Stay tuned…Kosher in the Baltics is available but scarce…Greece, a Growing Market for Israeli Kosher Foods…In My Sixth Sense, I look at a surprise concern about kosher pieces this holiday season…Tova Ross look’s at some new organic products in the New Product Showcase.

PLEASE NOTE: In celebration of Labor Day, our next issue will be published on Tuesday September 7th.

Menachem Lubinsky
Editor-in-Chief

Kosher Gluten-Free Sales Zoom into Double Digit Growth
New York…Sales of gluten-free products in some kosher supermarkets has risen by nearly 15%, reflecting a dramatic increase in the consumption of the gluten-free products. Many of the stores say that the sales are not necessarily to people who suffer from Celiac disease, but others who seek to avoid the wheat for a variety of reasons. One storeowner said that doctors are recommending the gluten-free diet as a general prescription for health and well-being. Israel too is in the midst of an explosion of the gluten-free products with some major supermarkets designating specific aisles for the products. At least one new store dedicated to gluten-free recently opened in the Tel Aviv harbor area. The global gluten-free market is set to grow by $1.2 billion over the next five years, to reach $4.3 billion by 2015, according to recent research by Datamonitor. Research by the independent market analyst company expects the U.S. market for gluten-free products to grow by more than $500 million by 2014, making the U.S. contribution to the global market a staggering 53 percent. In its 2007 report on new products, the Mintel Research Organization, a leading consumer goods research organization, reported that while 'Kosher' was the most frequently used claim on new products launched in the US during 2007, many of those products were in the special categories of gluten-free, 'All Natural' and 'No Additives or Preservatives. For kosher consumers looking for gluten-free, the offerings have more than doubled in just the past two years. Several Pizza stores have begun to sell gluten-free kosher pizza as have bakeries with a growing number of pastries. The growing interest in gluten-free will also be in evidence at the upcoming Kosherfest in October. Mainstream kosher manufacturers and distributors say that they are “regularly adding gluten-free items.”

Kosher Consumers Begin to Use Social Media to Communicate with Kashrus Agencies
Chicago…by Staff Reporters…Does plain roasted kasha require kosher certification? How about Sun dried tomatos without any flavors or added oil coatings, which usually are listed in the ingredients? These are some of the questions addressed to the rabbinic team at the Chicago Rabbinical Council via Twitter. According to Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, its Kashrus Administrator, social media is increasingly being used by the agency to transmit kashrus alerts and solicit subscriptions for their kashrus newsletter. Several rabbis involved in kashrus say that they “keep in touch” with many customers and even companies they supervise via Facebook. But social media is just at the early stages for the industry as a whole, industry sources say. Sam Davidowitz, the IT specialist at the Orthodox Union (OU), says that despite the agency’s comprehensive Web presence, there is still very little activity through social media. Rabbi Zechariah Senter of the Kof-K Kosher Certification agency said that most of the communications by consumers with the agency “is still through e-mail.” Many in the kosher industry believe that “it is only a matter of time” when social media plays more of a role in the growth of kosher. They say that there already is a network of “kosher foodies” that use social media extensively, even offering up-to the-minute alerts about specials in the neighborhood. Rabbi Fishbane believes that the kosher agencies should begin to promote social media like Twitter to expand their reach to the kosher market.

Retailers Share Ideas and Concepts of Kosher in Advance of Rosh Hashanah
Monsey, NY…Groceries around the country are increasingly sharing ideas of some of the most successful kosher programs in an effort to better serve their kosher clientele. Last week a management team from Jewel visited stores in the Metro New York/New Jersey area to see some of the “best practices” in kosher. Led by kosher expert Yakov Yarmove of SuperValu, the group visited amongst other stores Rockland Kosher, one of the nation’s largest and best designed kosher stores. Grocers from around the country have visited the store because of its spacious aisles and large selections of food categories that includes gourmet cheese, meat, and sushi. Rockland Kosher has become a model of the new “kosher superstore” that now exists in many large Jewish neighborhoods. Jewel's is preparing to reopen its flagship kosher store in Evanston, IL next month with many new additions to its kosher offerings.

Winn-Dixie Stores will help shoppers get the Jewish year 5771 off to a “delicious start” with cooking demonstrations and in-store sampling before Rosh Hashanah at select stores throughout South Florida. “These demonstrations not only allow shoppers to learn quick and easy recipes, but also provide them with an opportunity to sample and learn more about Winn-Dixie’s more than 1,000 kosher-certified corporate brand products,” noted Deborah Shapiro, specialty foods category manager at Jacksonville, Fla.-based Winn-Dixie. Culinary designer and author Chef Doris is starring in the live cooking demos, which will be carried out under the kosher supervision of Star-K and ORB. Among the recipes to be prepared are gefilte fish patties in tomato sauce and Israeli couscous with mushrooms.

With less than three weeks before Rosh Hashanah, some retailers have already begun their advertising in Jewish publications. Retailers are expecting a banner year despite the early start of Rosh Hashanah, largely because of three periods of “3-day holidays” (two days of the holiday plus one day of Shabbat) that fall in September and early October.

Honey and Kosher Gift-Giving on the Rise on the Eve of Rosh Hashanah
New York…by Tova Ross, Kosher Today Features Editor…Gift-giving has become increasingly popular on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and the lead item is honey, not only those ubiquitous cute honey bear bottles, but more sophisticated and gourmet options. Good kosher wines are also a common staple in the ever-expanding holiday gift baskets. HoneyRun Winery based in Chico CA, produces a sophisticated non-sulfited wine from fruit and honey, and is kosher-certified by the OU. Honeywine flavors include Blackberry, Cranberry, Elderberry, Cherry, and Dry Mead. Savannah Bee Company Grill Honey is a wonderful present for any chef, from the amateur or professional. Formulated specifically to bring a distinctive honey flavor to be a perfect pairing to grilled foods, this honey can serve as a marinade, basting or brush-on condiment to grilled veggies, meat, and fish to add a crisp caramelizing factor and honey flavor to barbecue favorites. The product, hand-harvested at the peak of honey season, is KSA kosher certified. Sandt’s pure buckwheat honey, Grade A natural and unfiltered, is another option. More full-bodied and dark than typical mass-produced grocery store honeys, buckwheat honey is richer in iron and several antioxidant compounds than its lighter and mass-produced counterparts. Buckwheat is the strongest and darkest of all honey varieties. WeeBee Honey, produced on a small family farm split between New York and Florida, is an unadulterated and 100 percent natural raw version of honey that results in a nutritionally beneficial product, rather than a mere sweetener. WeeBee uses bees located strictly in wild locations in both states, thus producing a wildflower honey coming from wild plants, trees and grasses. Since it is unfiltered and unstrained, the honey retains all the beneficial properties that are often missing from conventional honeys, such as pollen, propolis, and honeycomb. The crop is tested every year for pesticides with a USDA lab, ensuring a pesticide-free product. Company spokeswoman Anna Almeter said, “Being a small family farm affords us the opportunity to have quality and control over our colonies and our honey. We raise our bees organically, never using chemicals or pesticides on or near our bees. The taste and aroma is a sweet wonderful mix of wildflowers with a smooth texture.” WeeBee Honey is certified kosher by the OU. Other honey-related gifts for the yomim tovim include a large selection from innovative candy purveyors Oh, Nuts, and include a honey-filled candlestick, violin or guitar-shaped honey bottles for music lovers, Jelly Belly honey beans in an adorable honeycomb-shaped jar, and baked goods like teiglach (small pastries boiled in a honey syrup) and honey cake.

For a wider variety of delicious baked goods, Challah Connection has challahs, apple and honey cakes, and rugelach. Other Rosh Hashanah-themed treats from the company include caramel-filled chocolate “apples,” organic honey-flavored hard candies, teabags with honey stirring ticks, and apple-pie flavored protein bars. www.KosherGiftBaskets.com offer gourmet shofar-shaped cookies dipped in dark chocolate and glazed with rock candy crystals, a sterling silver lulav set, and a cornucopia centerpiece filled with dried fruit.

Packaged Facts estimates the overall market for gift-giving in the U.S. increased 7% from $113 billion in 2007 to $121 billion in 2009. Likewise, the total market for food gift-giving in the U.S. grew from $16 billion in 2007 to $18 billion in 2009, representing a 9% increase. Packaged Facts projects that healthy growth across all food gifting channels will propel the market past $21 billion by 2014. Kosher industry sources say that gift-giving n the kosher market ahs increased by nearly 15% in the past three years.

Israeli Executive Chef Porat Raises the Bar on Kosher Cruises
Copenhagen…As the executive chef of the five-star Dan Acadia in Herzliya, Ariel (“Arik”) Porat is already considered one of Israel’s leading kosher chefs. But earlier this month, Arik brought his mastery aboard the new Costa Deliziosa in a cruise to the Baltics, sponsored by Kosherica, a leader in the growing popularity of kosher cruises that include resident scholars and world-class entertainment. For the more than 200 vacationers (out of 2160 passengers), the 7-day cruise was also a week-long culinary experience, as it has been on many of the Kosherica cruises that featured Arik. Each evening, passengers in the elegant third floor hall dined on a five-course meal that included several choices of beef, poultry, and fish, much like those served in some of the finest hotels and restaurants. For Helit Edelstein of Kosherica, the logistical challenges of having a world-class chef of Porat’s reputation “is all part of the experience,” which on this particular cruise included Rabbi Stephen Riskin of Efrat and Cantor Yaakov Motzen. The “challenges” also included recruiting reputable kosher supervisors and, of course, acquiring the best meats, fish and other ingredients for the world-class chef. Ofi Fishman, Helit’s brother, and a key player in planning the menus, prides himself on the quality of the baked goods that is prepared on board as well as the quality natural and fresh ingredients. While their acclaimed culinary delights have become almost routine, they still are busy “educating” the ship’s staff and most importantly catering to the needs of a “very sophisticated clientele” that on this particular cruise came from as far away as Melbourne and from such places as Gibraltar, Tel Aviv, Montreal, Toronto, London, and New York. Kosher industry sources say that kosher cruising has increased by more than 20% in the past five years, despite the recession. While some travelers still prefer going on a cruise with the cruise ship providing “kosher airline-like meals,” the trend is towards joining the total kosher experience that companies like Kosherica offer. David Wallace of Eddie’s Travel, which partnered with Kosherica for the kosher cruises, sees a growing number of kosher travelers opting for organized kosher travel to many destinations throughout the world. He is already joining Kosherica for Sukkot programs at the Dan Caesarea and Hacienda Forest View hotels in Israel and for many winter cruises in the Caribbean. As the kosher passengers disembarked in Copenhagen after visits to Tallinn, Estonia, Helsinki, Finland, St. Petersburg, Russia and Stockholm, Sweden, the talk was about “the experience” which meant the Kosherica program and, of course, the food of Arik.

Feature

Residents and Travelers Now Have More Options in Smaller US Kosher Markets
New York…by Tova Ross, Kosher Today Features Editor…In a further sign that kosher continues to be a fast-growing business throughout the country, many new kosher enterprises have recently made their way to smaller cities and lesser-known “kosher havens” across the US. In Brookline, Massachusetts kosher consumers won’t have to schlep to Boston anymore for quality kosher meat, thanks to Grape Leave Gourmet Glatt. The man behind the initiative, former businessman Morris Naggar, saw the need for a local source for glatt kosher meat in his community. Despite having no experience in the food business, Naggar is using his business acumen to open the first glatt kosher butchering shop in the neighborhood in five years. Besides for meat, prepared dishes, and cold cuts, the store will also carry organic and upscale imported foods, items that are difficult to find locally, at least in kosher versions. In Columbus, Ohio, those craving frozen yogurt now have a self-serve shop, Cuzzins Yogurt, to patronize and to choose from 50 flavor variations, including coconut, Hawaiian pineapple, and tart pomegranate raspberry. The yogurt, which comes in fat-free and sugar-free varieties, is gluten-free and certified kosher by the OU. In Stamford, Connecticut, Navaratna Vegetarian Indian Restaurant recently went kosher, thanks to the combined efforts of several community rabbis representing the Vaad Haskashrut of Fairfield County. Due to the vegetarian nature of the restaurant’s menu, koshering the equipment and future supervision is a relatively simple process. The kosher certification is welcome news to Stamford’s sizeable Orthodox Jewish community, which, despite several Orthodox shuls, a nearby Jewish day school, and a JCC, has relatively few kosher options to choose from. Vaad Hakashrut representative Rabbi Daniel Cohen, of Congregation Agudath Sholom, told Kosher Today: “The restaurant itself was interested in obtaining kosher certification, as it has worked with a kosher caterer previously and felt that going kosher was a wise business decision. They were very committed to working with the rabbis to ensure complete kashrus. There was also a lot of support among kosher consumers in the area.” Rabbi Cohen said the eatery went kosher a few days after Tisha B’Av, and there already has been a significant increase in business. He pointed to the increased presence of yom tov programs in Stamford-area hotels and Jewish commuters to Stamford who keep kosher as factors that have helped drive the increase, besides Stamford’s growing Orthodox community.

Kosher markets in Arizona just received shipment of the first batch of kosher cheese and cheese curds from Cheese of the Desert, the new kosher label of Arizona Cheese Co. Initial offerings include cheddar cheese curds, cheddar cheese and pizza cheese and more versions are hoped for, if consumer response is good enough. The kosher and cholov yisrael cheese products are under the supervision of Rabbis Dan Hayman and Dovid Cohen, local rabbis for Kehilla Kosher. On West Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, there is a new organic and healthy deli, Savyon, serving soups, salads, paninis, and a variety of vegetarian dishes, such as quinoa cakes. The popular LA thoroughfare is home to a number of kosher grocery stores and restaurants. And colleges are also branching out to explore kosher options. The University of Colorado in Boulder’s new student dining area now offers a kosher eatery with a meat, vegetarian, and vegan-filled menu, due to the efforts of the campus Chabad rabbi, Yisroel Wilhelm. The new café, called “Kosher,” is run by chef Eddie Shapiro, who also serves as the mashgiach, and who operates from a completely kosher kitchen. Rabbi Wilhelm, who was working on this new venture for years, told Boulder Jewish News that two students will be attending the university this fall thanks to the new kosher option on campus.

Contest to Find Next Great Kosher Chef Launched
Brooklyn, NY…In the midst of a host of competitive reality shows searching for the next great chef comes a new contest catered to the next great kosher chef.
Created by the Center for the Kosher Culinary Arts (CKCA), “The Next Great Kosher Chef” contest is looking for amateur cooks who greatly desire breaking into the professional world of the kosher food-service business. The contest has people apply for one of three spots in the ultimate challenge; the winner of that challenge will receive a full scholarship to Winter 2010 professional training program in culinary arts at the school – a value of nearly $5,000 – and the title of The Next Great Kosher Chef. All the judges will be in-house CKCA instructors. Graduates of the Center’s culinary-training program have gone on to work in such prestigious kosher kitchens as Mike’s Italian Kitchen, The Purple Pear, Abigael’s on Broadway, Basil Restaurant, and many others. Applications are due by August 31st.Ten semi-finalists will be selected based on those submissions on September 15th , and will then go on to a qualifying round of personal interviews searching for great chef potential. From that pool, three finalists will be selected on November 15th to participate in the final competition, which will consist of a written exam and a series of innovative culinary challenges. The final competition will take place on December 12th. Many applications have already been received, including from Arizona, Florida, and the Tri-State area. (www.thenextkosherchef.blogspot.com)

Greece – A Growing Market for Israeli Foods
Tel Aviv…Greece is emerging as a growing market for Israeli foods, particularly in light of the improved relationship between the two countries after the flotilla fallout with Turkey. Israeli ready-meals company Hamim VeTaim and Greek food distributor Veropoulos have signed the first ever food-distribution deal between and Israeli and a Greek food companies, Mazon reported. According to the website, Veropoulos will import a line of Hamim VeTaim ready-meals specifically formulated for the Greek market. The initial order is for €50,000, and Hamim VeTaim estimates orders will come to hundreds of thousands of Euros annually. Trade between Israel and Greece was estimated at under $500 million. Israeli food sources are hoping that Greece will emerge as a major client for Israeli foods in the years to come.

Kosher Food in the Baltics: Scarce but Available
Copenhagen…by Menachem Lubinsky…Although Denmark is not a particularly leading European destination, you wouldn’t know it from the crowds the Chabad of Copenhagen draws on a typical Shabbat in the summer for some real homemade kosher meals. Rabbi Yitzi Lowenthal and wife Rochel were hosts to some 220 people, nearly 150 waiting to embark on a kosher cruise on Sunday. The cruise crowd was served in a large dining room and courtyard on the main level while other guests enjoyed good Shabbos food and traditional songs on the upper floor. Rabbi Lowenthal says that the Shabbat meals often attract many notables. On this particularly Shabbat, it included Jewish Week publisher Gary Rosenblatt and his wife. Nearby, the small Orthodox Machzikei Hadas Synagogue also welcomes some of the visitors as does the Great Synangogue, under Chief Rabbi Brent Lexner, about a mile from the Chabad center. Rabbi Lexner certifies an impressive number of food establishments in the country assisted by Mr. Gershwald, a producer of gourmet Havarati kosher cheese. Although the community does offer some kosher food for sale, Gershwald often travels 10 hours to Antwerp to fill up his car with kosher goodies. The country is said to include about 8,000 Jews including some more recent Russian émigrés, but the number of people who eat kosher is relatively small. Still the main synagogue averages about 150 people on a typical Shabbat and makes arrangements to sell kosher food.

In other countries on the Baltic Sea, kosher is available but sparingly. In Tallinn, Estonia, kosher food is available in the main synagogue. Few of the estimated 2500 Jews who live there eat kosher but the synagogue has attracted many tourists in recent years. In Helsinki, Finland, a small kosher deli is situated right near the main synagogue. Tourists often load up on the few Israeli goodies that are on sale, including chocolate covered pretzels and halvah. In a remarkable story of accommodation, a new Radisson Hotel built right in front of the synagogue was built in two wings with a ground level bridge so that the dome of the shul can be seen from far. Stockholm too has its share of kosher food, again associated with the Jewish community center in the city. In St. Petersburg, Russia, there are some choices that include the Le’Chaim Restaurant in the Choral Synagogue. Manager Alex says that the summer has been good for business. On this summer day, LeChaim served more than 250 meals with homemade chicken and potatoes, a basic staple on the menu. He has also been called on to do a “growing number of catering jobs.” The new Shalom Restaurant is also a key attraction for many tourists who visit the beautiful city. Chief Rabbi of St. Petersburg Menachem Mendel Pewzner also certifies a growing number of plants with many of the products slated for export.

KosherToday Newsletter - August 2nd, 2010

Future of Kosher Superstores is in Major Kosher Neighborhoods, Industry Officials Say
Brooklyn NY…It was just two years ago that a group of Israeli investors toured Jewish neighborhoods with the thought of opening a chain of kosher superstores. Industry sources say that their plan was to open the stores in cities throughout the country, not necessarily in neighborhoods with a heavy concentration of Orthodox Jews. The emergence of the superstores in such neighborhoods as Monsey, Flatbush, and Williamsburg has largely been a success as younger kosher shoppers covet the stores with their vast array of kosher products that are not necessarily available in either small kosher mom and pops or supermarkets that cater to kosher consumers. The Israelis had hoped to create a more upscale experience, much the way Rockland Kosher, Gourmet Glatt and Pomegranate offer, but they noticed that US supermarkets were rapidly trying to create some of the same experiences in their stores. Yakov Yarmove of SuperValu who is responsible for a number of higher end kosher stores said that the flagship Jewel-Osco store in Evanston ILL was currently undergoing renovations. Chains like ShopRite, Winn-Dixie and Publix have also stepped up their kosher offerings. This despite, an overall decline in sales by many leading supermarkets.

Industry sources say that any expansion of the kosher superstores would also have to factor in the new aggressive merchandising by the Club stores who are increasingly attracting kosher shoppers with discounted pricing and private label kosher brands. One distributor who is familiar with the planned Israeli initiative said: “They recognized that they would have a major battle on their hands not only from the supermarkets but also from the discount chains.” He said that after being in the business for over 30 years, he watched the landscape change from the competition between supermarkets and small kosher stores to kosher superstores with supermarkets and both with the discount chains.

Tesco Appoints Orthodox Jew to Head Kosher Program
London…Gershon Odze, an Orthodox Jew, was appointed as the new Buying Manger for Kosher, responsible for Tesco’s worldwide kosher program. The move by the world’s third largest retail chain (in sales) reflects the growing role of kosher in a chain that was founded 91 years ago by Jack Cohen. The appointment of a kosher czar is modeled after such chains as Supervalu in the US where Yakov Yarmove serves as the head of the kosher program for such popular stores as Jewel-Osco. Representatives of Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain, have been frequent visitors to Kosherfest. The chain is a key buyer of many American kosher brands. It is the largest British retailer by both global sales and domestic market share, with profits exceeding £3 billion, and the third largest global retailer based on revenue, after Wal-Mart and Carrefour and second largest in profit behind Wal-Mart. Mr. Odze is said to be extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of kosher and is expected to further upgrade Tesco’s kosher program

Israeli Food Companies Reeling From European Economic Downturn
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KT Israel Bureau Chief…Israeli food exports to Europe have been hard hit by the European economic crisis in the last year and plagued by the shrinking value of the Euro. Mazon, Israel's on line food industry news site reports that EU countries purchase some 72 percent of Israel's produce exports so that the deteriorating Euro has caused profits to decline to the point where some farmers actually suffered losses. The website reports that 48 percent of Israel's overall food exports go to EU countries and North America represents about 25 percent of the sales. In 2009, following nine years of constant growth in exports, there was an 18 percent decline in sales. However, data from the Israel Export Institute finds that 2010 is showing some recovery as first quarter sales to the EU are up four percent. According to sources in Israel, many Israeli food companies will be looking to the US market to replace losses from the EU.

Feature:

Hotels Expand Kosher Programs Worldwide
New York…by Tova Ross…Vying to attract the lucrative kosher business, many of the world’s leading hotels are expanding their kosher programs. The prestigious Ritz Carlton hotel chain announced that it will build its first exclusive kosher hotel in Israel, in the beautiful coastal city of Herzliya. It will include six floors of luxury condos, a high-end kosher restaurant, and Shabbat elevators for observant guests. The project will cost an estimated $160 million and will also include residential suites. Adi and Irit Strauss, of kosher food mega-company Strauss-Elite, are co-owners. In Westlake Village CA, the Four Seasons Hotel is expanding its kosher catering menu by partnering with the award-winning Tierra Sur Restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars, the glatt-kosher eatery in Oxnard run by celebrated chef Todd Aarons. “We have seen an increase in kosher events, and in fact, June was our busiest month for kosher catering events held here on-site,” said Shelby Taylor, director of public relations at the hotel. In this new venture with the Four Seasons, Chef Aarons will work with the hotel’s executive chef, Mario Alcocer, to develop a new glatt kosher menu without compromising the highest gourmet standards. Some dishes will include appetizers such as Wagyu beef Carpaccio and salmon tartare on buckwheat blini, and entrees like garam masala rubbed roasted baby lamb chops and crispy skinned striped bass.
Thomas Hoffmann, the director of food and beverage at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake, declared, “The partnership is a natural fit bringing together two names associated with impeccable service and exceptional cuisine. Tierra Sur’s menu and reputation for uncompromising quality parallels the level of sophistication and cuisine for which Four Seasons is renowned.” While a growing number of hotels have designated kosher kitchens, many hotels that covet the kosher business but do not have a designated kosher kitchen occasionally encounter glitches. Chef John Santo of 4StarPC Creations, a glatt kosher caterer based in New York, recalled the time when he instructed the head baker at a well-known area hotel in the rules and laws of kashrus. Despite the fact that the baker carefully kashered the oven and used kosher dairy utensils in his fruit crisp dessert, he forgot one major law – that a dairy dessert cannot be served at the conclusion of a meat meal. As kosher becomes a regular request for major hotel chains, more hotels are partnering with kosher establishments to ensure uncompromising kashrus and quality by dedicating resources and even entire hotels to make sure the needs are being met.

Israelis Look to Gluten-Free for Health and Wellbeing
Tel Aviv…KT Staff Reporters…Adit Schnedier has opened the first completely gluten-free food store in Israel, in the heart of Tel Aviv’s boardwalk area, Namal Tel Aviv (Port of Tel Aviv). Called Aditta’s, the store is in capable hands with Schneider: she is the former export manager for the Strauss-Elite company, where she worked for almost a decade. “I opened the store with both professional and personal motivations,” explained Schneider. “During my previous job at Strauss-Elite, I became familiar with the gluten-free market and read a lot about the subject. That knowledge made me realize that there is a true need for those products and a growing awareness of the link between gluten-free and health throughout the world, including Israel. And personally, I suspect that my long-term digestive issues are connected to gluten and I thought it would be wise for me to turn to a gluten-free diet.”

Schneider hired a chef and clinical dietician, both of whom had a role in developing a line of healthy and tasty gluten-free products. Namal Tel Aviv was chosen as the location for the first store, though Schneider plans to open several more across Israel and possibly the United States. “Namal Tel Aviv is one of the hottest new commercial centers in Israel and it is home to a lot of health and wellness stores, as well as a huge new yoga complex, the Clalit Alternative Health center, and a Farmer’s market with a lot of organic fruits and vegetables that is set up there twice a week. I think it’s a great place to open my first shop,” said Schneider. Aditta’s own brand of foods, called Feel Good Foods, is a primary highlight of the store’s stock, and includes cereals, pastas, sauces, soup mixes, cakes, cookies and more. Aditta’s also carries freshly-baked breads, cheesecakes, and ice-cream parfaits. All products are either OU-certified or under the certification of the local chief rabbinate. The store will offer deliveries all over Israel in the coming weeks. For more information, recipes incorporating gluten-free ingredients, and medical information and how a gluten-free diet might help alleviate certain conditions, visit www.Adittas.com.

Whole Foods Takes its Kosher Program to the Next Level
New York…by Tova Ross…Whole Foods, the mega-store filled with organic and natural food products, is stepping up its kosher program with the introduction of a new line of kosher spreads and dips – under the labels VeggieDip and VeggieSpread –at store locations in the Mid-Atlantic region. Many in-store product tastings and demonstrations will occur soon. Manufactured in Santa Cruz CA, from natural foods company Nature’s Peak, both products are completely natural and vegetarian, kosher, and gluten-free with no preservatives or sugar. Six flavors of the spreads and of the dips will be available and come in innovative combinations such as Chipotle and Lime, Tarragon Shallot, and Basil and Pesto.

Nature’s Peak CEO Paul Wilkinson said that the products have passed several “kid taste tests,” despite their super-healthy qualities, which are as enticing to children as an early bedtime. “Nature’s Peak VeggieDips and VeggieSpreads taste good and are a healthy alternative to mayonnaise,” he said, a good item to keep in mind as moms worldwide prepare for another year’s worth of school lunches. Whole Foods stores have been increasing their kosher offerings in recent years as many of its stores are located in kosher stores.

Italy Wins First Olive Oil Competition in Israel
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KT Israel Bureau Chief…Italy took first place in a first-ever international Terra Olivo Mediterranean olive oil competition that took place last week at Jerusalem’s luxurious Inbal Hotel. The three-day conference and competition brought together scores of food industry executives, medical and nutritional experts as well as chefs who discussed the benefits of olive oil. Dr. Shaul Eger, founder of a company creating olive oil based products like puff pastry, burekas and non dairy low sugar chocolate spread, said that Israelis consume only 2.2 kilos of olive oil on average compared to 10 times that by the Greeks and production is much lower than that of other Mediterranean countries. Nevertheless Israel is in position to develop new foods and therapeutic products. 60 percent of Israel's olive oil is produced by Arab farmers.

Thirty judges devoted three days to testing 189 olive oils sent from 14 countries including Italy, Spain, Turkey, Argentina and Chili. The top award went to Italy's L'Ottobratica Monocultivar. The prestige gold in the Israeli olive oil category went to Birger's Picholine and the prize for Israel's best olive oil producer went to Eretz Geshur. Inbal Hotel Executive Chef Itzik Barak who planned and carried out the gala eight course dinner celebrating olive oil for 250 guests told Kosher Today that Israel cannot compete with the olive oil industries of Spain and Italy even though the oil has been in use in this region since Biblical times. He also noted that kosher cuisine relies on olive oil to replace butter in meat dishes. Indeed his dinner which took a month to plan and 50 cooks to prepare, included lamb osso buco, beef fillet, sea bass and ended with ice cream based on olive oil which he says was "gorgeous, really gorgeous".

The New Kosher Restaurants: Prepared Foods at Kosher Gourmet Marts
Brooklyn…The Feldmans used to go out for dinner at least once-a week but now find that they can do for it less and “even more interesting” by picking up some “interesting” dishes at Pomegranate, the upscale kosher supermarket in Flatbush. Already buffeted by the recession, kosher restaurants are fighting to keep their share of the “eating out” kosher business and did not need this latest bit of bad news. For kosher shoppers in many areas, there are today a plethora of choices of prepared foods in the kosher superstores, take-out stores and even large chain stores. The trend is perhaps expanding from the general food market where supermarkets are looking to grab part of the restaurant share.

At last month’s Technomic Trends and Direction conference, Wade Hanson, the company’s director of research and consulting, outlined the mounting offensive strategy of grocers from Kroger to Publix with their not-so-subtle taglines: “A great alternative to a fast-food restaurant,” and “Ten restaurants under one roof,” respectively. These “grocerants” are striving to more closely resemble restaurants with innovative new packaging and stores rearranged for fast, convenient take-out or dine-in options, he said. New and remolded supermarkets are dedicating a higher percentage of new space to retail foodservice. Meanwhile, the center-of-store traditional section has shrunk by 15 percent. Several supermarkets throughout the country have kosher restaurants in their stores.

One kosher supermarket executive said: “I used to think that the competition is from the frozen food section where customers can pick up such items as pizza, lasagna, French fries and onion rings but now they are actually looking for the prepared full dish.” Mrs. Feldman says that in addition to buying all her Shabbos foods at Pomegranate, “I buy at least one meat meal and one fish dinner every week.”

Some Kosher Pizza Prices Decline Despite Higher Cheese Prices
New York…The average price for a slice of kosher pizza hovered around $3.00 last week, despite the rapidly rising cost of cheese, now estimated at $1.60 for non-kosher cheese and believed to be at least 25% higher for kosher cheese. In New York City, for example, the average price of a non-kosher slice was about $2.75. Sources say that the kosher pizza stores have faced some declining sales in recent months due to the economy. One Boro Park store lowered his cost for a pie to $14 from $19 a year earlier. Sources in the cheese market say that prices are up 37 percent compared with last year, when they averaged $1.17 a pound. There are an estimated 300 kosher pizza stores throughout the US with some 150 in the New York area, according to one source.

Manischewitz Recognizes Stores With Best Jewish Heritage Effort
Secaucus NJ…The Manischewitz Company recognized the winners of its National Retailer Contest for the best promotions during Jewish Heritage Month. King’s Supermarket in Short Hills, NJ won the first prize while Bigg’s Grocery Store in Cincinnati, OH took 2nd place and Giant Food Store in Linglestown, PA was in 3rd place. Thirty retail chains from across the country participated by creating promotional displays such as poster boards, balloons, shelf talkers and more. King’s Short Hills produced the most creative display winning $5,000. As part of the contest rules they were permitted to select a charity of their choice to be a recipient of the prize money. King’s Supermarket is an upscale food retailer with 24 locations throughout Northern New Jersey and Long Island. Other contest winners include Bigg’s Grocery Store in Cincinnati, OH, which received $2,000 as the second place prize winner and Giant Food Store in Linglestown, PA which received $1,000 as the third place prize winner to go to their given charities. Judging of the entries was based on size, product assortment, and overall creativity. In addition to the charitable donations, Manischewitz also contributed a catered lunch for all of the employees of King’s Short Hills. Manischewitz is a supporter and major corporate sponsor of Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM), which was created by Congressional Resolution and Presidential Proclamation, declaring the month of May as Jewish American Heritage Month.

News Briefs…

Bayonne, NJ…Baron Herzog’s Chardonnay has received some high marks from several prestigious sources. The latest praise came from the Wine Enthusiast as well as the Tasting Panel, each lauding the wine as both a high quality product that provides excellent value for the cost. Anthony Dias Blue, in the June 2010 edition of The Tasting Panel calls the Baron Herzog Chardonnay a “Best Buy” and said the wine is “smooth and nicely balanced, clean and juicy with good length and some depth”. While Wine Enthusiast included the Baron Herzog in their September 2010 buying guide, calling the wine an “Editor’s Choice” and saying “Made in a food-friendly fashion, this Chard shows a warm core of pineapples and green apples. Quite a nice wine for Chardonnay fans to drink with roasted chicken”.

Paris, France…The Yoplait trademark is owned by Yoplait Marques Internaionales SAS, a wholly-owned company of the Yoplait Group, France and used in the USA under license by General Mills. This clarification was made by Donna Hartley, Vice President of the International Business Unit of Yoplait commenting on a recent Kosher Today article that reported about the interest of General Mills in partnering with an Israeli company. General Mills owns and operates the Yoplait yogurt business in the US.

Rosh Haayin, Israel…Idele Ross…Kibbutz Einat Food Industries has found a new flavor for its line of certified kosher products. The company which produces dry baked goods, including croutons and breadcrumbs for the food industry and retail market in Israel and abroad is now exporting kosher bacon-flavored croutons to the ASDA chain of supermarkets in the UK. Yahali Atir, the CEO of Einat Foods said the connection was made at last year's PLMA expo in Amsterdam when ASDA marketing representatives visited Einat's industries booth. The first shipment has gone out and the deal is valued at some $250,000 dollars.

KosherToday Newsletter - July 19th, 2010

Kosher Shoppers Abandon “One Stop” Concept
New York…A Flatbush mother of five says that she shops in at least four stores each week. She says that she changed her shopping habits two years ago from shopping everything she needed in one store. In interviews with shoppers and retailers, it is becoming apparent that many kosher shoppers are returning to the days of dividing their shopping chores, only this time it is not necessarily the baker and the butcher but the Club store and large independent kosher stores that offer special discounts on specific items. Even shoppers who have made the move to such high end stores as Pomegranate are also shopping other stores. The recession has changed the shopping patterns of shoppers everywhere. A joint study released by Deloitte and Harrison Group found that 92% of people surveyed have changed their grocery shopping behavior in the last two years. In particular, 89% said they have become more resourceful while 84% say they are more precise when they shop.

Some kosher shoppers say that they are being more resourceful in planning their shopping, buying many items in bulk at a Club store and taking advantage of specials at such discount stores as the Kollel store. The Club stores have added many kosher products in the past two years. One retailer told Kosher Today that the new shopping habits of kosher consumers has “created a price war where shoppers are actually comparing prices between stores.” He said that he knows that one of his shoppers has her husband shop at two different stores while she buys specific discounted items at his store. While the retailer hoped that these new shopping trends were recession related, he in the end was not so sure. For manufacturers, the most disturbing aspect of new shopper surveys is that American shoppers are for the first time preferring generic items that are cheaper rather than brands.

Large Food Manufacturers Largely Ignore Kosher Consumers
New York…Large food manufacturers largely ignore kosher customers while retailers are paying more attention to their kosher base. Few of the large manufacturers advertise in Jewish weeklies and periodicals, but retailers do flag kosher consumers, particularly on the eve of Jewish holidays. Recent studies show that the manufacturers are also lax when it comes to wooing Muslim Americans. But there is evidence that national marketers are paying some lip service to the estimated 6 million Muslims in the US by advertising on Muslim Web sites. The same cannot be said for kosher consumers. "Best Buy even included the phrase 'Happy Eid' in a holiday flyer that also mentioned Christmas and Hanukkah last year," S. Saad Ahmed, director of sales and strategy for the Los Angeles-based Muslim Ad Network, tells Marketing Daily, "which was definitely a kind of olive branch to Muslim Americans." "Companies like Staples and HSBC are also reaching out to this market, which is worth about $200 billion," Lisa Mabe, principal of Hewar Social Communications, a digital marketing agency in Washington D.C., tells Marketing Daily. Based on studies by LUBICOM Marketing Consulting and the Mintel Organization, an estimated 12 million Americans buy kosher food products on a fairly regular basis, which does not include ordinary Americans that buy some of the $250 billion in food products that are kosher certified. Marketers have long agreed that the manufacturers may be loosing out on an opportunity to woo more kosher consumers to their brands by ignoring the kosher world. It appears that while the manufacturers may be asleep at the wheel, retailers are increasingly recognizing the opportunities of marketing to kosher consumers, particularly before major Jewish holidays.

The Kosher Symbol: A Seal of Trust for Vegans, Vegetarians, and Food Purists
New York…by Tova Ross, Feature Editor…As people around the globe continue to move towards a healthier diet, many vegetarian, vegan, and health-oriented food companies are also increasingly obtaining kosher certification. The reason is that many manufacturers believe that people buy kosher foods not only for religious reasons, but with the belief that kosher is synonymous with higher-quality. A few months ago, the New York Times reported that in today’s world, with worries over food contamination and a heightened awareness of food allergies and purity of ingredients, “kosher equals pure” for many people – Jewish or not. And Mintel, a consumer goods research company, found that only 15 percent of those who purchase kosher products regularly do so for religious reasons.

The Redwood Wholefood Company, the British ethical and vegan food company owned by Heather Mills, was just awarded kosher certification for its broad range of natural, plant-based foods, including dairy-free cheeses and similar-tasting alternatives to meat in beef, turkey and chicken flavors. The kosherization process took almost a full year to complete, and the supervisor is the Manchester Beth Din. Said Heather Mills. “Achieving kosher certification is an endorsement of the care and attention we give to the sourcing of ingredients and to the manufacturing of our products.” The company’s products are sold under the VBites label in the United States.

Daiya Foods, non-dairy (pareve) products that are similar to dairy cheese in taste and texture, have recently received OU kosher certification. In addition to being dairy-free, Daiya foods are free of gluten, soy, eggs, wheat, barley, whey, peanuts, and tree nuts. Mara Friedman, editor-in-chief of The Jew and the Carrot, a blog about Jewish thought and food tradition along with contemporary issues like sustainability, organic eating, and nutrition, (www.jcarrot.org) stated, “Vegetarians navigating a world of confusing food labels know that innocent sounding ingredients in conventional products are often animal-derived. A kosher label on food is one of the most trustworthy guarantees that certain animal products will not be present.”

Summer Ideal Launch Time for Many New Frozen Items
New York…by Staff Reporters…When the temperature goes up, so do the number of new product launches that are frozen and kosher, with the objective always being to succeed year-round. One newcomer that has made a splash is the new kosher line of Chozen Ice Cream, recently profiled in the New York Times and stocked in stores like Pomegranate and Manhattan’s Westside Market. Created by the women in the Fisher family, the line uses innovative add-ins from the Jewish repertoire of favorite snacks – such as rugelach, matzah, and babka – in gourmet ice cream. Flavors include vanilla ice cream with chocolate and caramel coated matzah bits, and chocolate babka ice cream with babka chunks swirled throughout. In time for Rosh Hashanah, the company plans to introduce caramelized apple ice cream with honey chunks.

More sophisticated palettes may gravitate towards gelato, a frozen dessert similar to ice cream but with a lower fat ratio and lower sugar content. Gelato means frozen in Italian; the dessert originated in Italy. Aldo, a popular Israeli chain of gelato shops, opened in several locations last summer in the US – including famous tourist attraction Madame Tussauds Wax Museum and in the Upper West Side– under the name Screme. The gelato, which has 5% butterfat (typical ice creams contain up to 14%) comes in many classic and innovative flavors, including cornbread, Snickers, biscotti, cinnamon cookie dough, and chocolate brownie whiskey. With chic menu items comes chic prices – a single scoop of the gelato is $5. The gelato can be ordered under a freshly-made waffle as well. In Boca Raton, The Gelato Shoppe offers delicious kosher gelato certified by the Orthodox Rabbinic Board of Hollywood. The shop offers dairy, cholov yisrael, or pareve frozen desserts in such flavors as Belgian dark chocolate, tiramisu, panna cotta, Italian wedding cake, banana cream pie, persimmon, and basil.

The Talenti brand of gelato was also recently certified kosher by the Orthodox Union. The gourmet line has sumptuous flavors like caramel cookie crunch, white chocolate raspberry, Caribbean coconut, and Sicilian pistachio. The Talenti line can be ordered online at www.icecreamsource.com or purchased at Whole Foods. Gelati-Da is another line of gourmet gelatos, kosher certified by the cRc, that are found sporadically in retail stores throughout the U.S. Your best bet is to order it online, also at www.icecreamsource.com. Flavors include vanilla marsala, coffee fudge latte, and amaretto chocolate. Israel-based company G. Willie-Food International Ltd. is introducing a brand-new line of gelato manufactured in Italy, which will begin selling this month. For those who are strictly watching their waistlines and shun even the lower-fat gelato, there are new “diet” ice creams that satisfy the palette with much fewer calories. Strauss, the Israeli ice cream company, has a new line of low-calorie vanilla, coffee, chocolate and cherry ice cream bars and sandwiches, none exceeding more than 55 calories. And Klein’s line of Healthy Habits Dixie cups, bars, and push pops and Snapple Ices offers a variety of flavors and textures for less than 100 calories. As kosher continues to become synonymous with high-quality and gourmet, we can expect even more lines of inventive and delicious frozen desserts in summers to come.

Alcohol Manufacturers Suddenly Discover Kosher Market
New York…Vodka brands from around the world are obtaining kosher certification as are other alcohol beverages. Kosher wine and spirit experts say that there has been a significant increase in demand of alcohol beverages, particularly by younger kosher consumers. The Orthodox Union recently announced that the coveted Glenmorangie of Scotland had received its kosher certification. More recently it added its certification to varieties of single malt whisky manufactured by Tomintoul Distillery. Me Oko, a line of American made Vodka was recently certified by Khal Adas Jeshurun, based in Washington Heights in New York. Kosher wine experts say that it has become fashionable amongst many young Orthodox Jews to consume the alcohol products at weekly Kiddush sessions in the synagogue, at weddings and at social gatherings. One expert said that many are “copying practices at a Farbrengen, the gatherings made famous by the Lubavitch movement at which Chasidim find spiritual satisfaction in a gathering laced with stories of the late Rebbe, singing and dancing, and consuming vodka. He noted that the Vodka was as much a part of the latest trend as hanging out at a high-end kosher restaurant on a Thursday night or eating Sushi. Not all Orthodox Jews are happy about this development as some rabbis have banned the alcohol from “Kiddush clubs” and other shul sponsored events. While the manufacturers have noticed an uptik in demand, alcohol consumption remains taboo in many quarters, but as one youth said: “Give me some good herring, a wholesome kichel and it is automatic that I wash it down with some Vodka.”

Increasing Number of Kosher Alerts Puts Some Consumers on Edge
New York…With the addition of hundreds of new kosher products comes a drawback that has many kashrus sources and ordinary consumers on edge. It seems that as the number of products increase so do the number of alerts that appear in Anglo Jewish newspapers, kosher certification agency newsletters, and the blogs that routinely cover such alerts. The alerts typically involve an unauthorized usage of a kosher symbol as was the case with Snapple recently when its certifier, OK Kosher Certification, alerted customers that the 24 pack – 20 oz plastic bottles of Snapple had been incorrectly labeled OK Pareve. It appeared that while most of the flavors were kosher, the Fruit Punch was not. Another advisory referred to JELL-O Strawberry Cheesecake Snacks produced by Kraft Foods which the OK does not certify because it contains gelatin. The issues with kosher certification are as widespread with larger manufacturers as they are with smaller ones.

Also of concern is changed status of restaurants and retail establishments. In Chicago, the cRc had to warn customers that it no longer certified many Red Mango stores around the country. Changes in certification at many eating establishments routinely occur but in many cases the stores are left without certification. Kashrus agencies say they are noticing an increased volume of calls to their consumer hotlines. One rabbi told Kosher Today that the calls begin the minute that there “is any kind of buzz about the kashrus status of a product or easting establishment.”

KosherToday Newsletter - July 6th, 2010

General Mills Latest US Food Giant to Seek Partner in Israel
Tel Aviv…General Mills, one of the America’s food giants, is looking for a partner in Israel, to emulate successes by other multi national food icons like Nestle, which has been steadily growing its partnership with Osem and realizing significant profits. A General Mills delegation recently visited Israel’s Food Industries Association in anticipation of finding a partner in Israel. Interestingly, Pepsico which partnered with Strauss put its emphasis on growing the Sabra brand in the US. It is in the midst of a national marketing campaign to brand Sabra’s hummus and other Mediterranean salads. The General Mills delegation, according to Globes, is officially looking for “possible future cooperation,” but an Israeli food industry source told Kosher Today that their objective may very well be to “copy Nestle.” General Mills is a Fortune 500 company, and one of the world’s largest food companies, with some $25 billion in sales. It owns such well known brands as Hagen Dazs, Pillsbury, Yoplait, and many well-known cereals.

Retailers Look for Scarce Shelf Space for Plethora of New Kosher Products
New York…Kosher retailers in many parts of the country are faced with an unprecedented dilemma: What to do with the ever-increasing number of new kosher products? The retailers say that many of the new products are right for placement in almost every part of the store -- grocery, frozen, and refrigerated -- but that finding the space is a daunting challenge. It appears that even stores with adequate space, stores that have at least 5,000 square feet are finding it hard to find shelf space for an estimated 300 new products that have been added to distributor lists in just the last six months. It is particularly stressful for retailers that are aware of the quest for the new products, whether a new whole wheat pretzel, a prepared dish with soy, new flavored sauce, or a new variety of couscous. There are many new snack foods in an already crowded snack aisle or flavored beverages in the shelf that often takes up the most space. The problem is compounded by the fact that most existing products have a stable customer base. Said a Queens NY retailer: “Who am I going to throw out to find out whether a new product can sell better than the product it has displaced?” Some stores are making arbitrary decisions, choosing new products that are heavily advertised or that already enjoy broad acceptance.” The retailer cited the Shibolim brand as an example. “I started out with one small display; now I have an end cap plus three shelves of the product. I cut out three flavored rice cakes to make room for the product.”

Retailers nowadays are much more accommodating to new products than in the past. Many of the products are quality items and as has been proven in the past, can add to the bottom line. New products helped the bottom line of many retailers this past Passover, although as is often the case, the products seldom survive the Passover season. What drives sales of new products, say the retailers, is the enormous interest by younger customers to experiment with new items. In many kosher sections throughout the country, an elaborate display of Sushi products has replaced other items.

Pomegranate Brands Gourmet Foods with Catskills Outposts
South Fallsburg, NY…Pomegranate, the upscale kosher grocery in Flatbush, has found a new way to brand its products even while most of its customers are on vacation, the majority in the Catskill Mountains. In full page ads in several Anglo-Jewish newspapers, the store announced that its products would be displayed in three locations in the Catskills. At Landau’s in South Fallsburg, a Pomegranate showcase just at the entrance of the store features a full assortment of dips, salads, and cold cuts. A store official said that the Pomegranate display would soon include some of its acclaimed cuts of meat. Other Pomegranate displays are located in Crunchies in Center 1 in Woodridge and at Dougie’s in Woodbourne. For Pomegranate, the Catskills outposts allow it to make up for some of the lost business in the summer while continuing to brand the store’s upscale image. For the stores carrying the Pomegranate line, it offers them a cut from a proven seller. In Landau’s, whose Boro Park store was one of the pioneers in offering gourmet kosher foods, the Pomegranate display was virtually depleted right after the weekend. Pomegranate had pledged to replenish the showcase once a week.

A Passion for Chocolates Leads to Much More for Israeli Couple
Tel Aviv…Roy Gerson and his wife Sharon Moshkowitz thought their life was good together as IT specialists. When Roy began to “play” with chocolate in “an artsy way,” Sharon thought that it was a nice hobby to have. But when Roy began to share his artistry with family and friends, Sharon took notice: “I looked at the 1,000 boxes of chocolates on Erev Rosh Hashanah that all but filled my house, and thought that maybe Roy is right in that this could be a business.” Four and a half years later, the couple no longer debates the issue. They are partners in Israel’s most successful chocolate venture. The Tel Aviv store was termed Israel’s leading boutique chocolate shop by Yediot Ahronot, Israel’s leading daily. Roy is now a celebrity in his own right, including frequent appearances on TV. The Gersons now have 8 shops with a major production facility in Petah Tikvah. The shapes of his bottles, the themes of his chocolates, and the design on every piece of chocolate are so unique that people come from around the world just to taste a small sample. His chocolates, most certified by the Chief Rabbinate and some by the Badatz, are the gifts of choice on the eve of Jewish holidays. Roy’s celebrity status is not so much because of his retail success, but because of his constant innovation that ushers in many new products on a regular basis. Roy and Sharon are thinking about taking their successful chocolate boutique model overseas, perhaps to the kosher market in the US. As good as life was for the Gersons in their previous life, it is a lot sweeter after their major success.

Israelis Turn to Healthy Snacking as Part of New Trend
Ashkelon…by Tova Ross, Kosher Today Feature Editor…A new generation of Israelis are making changes in their diets that would no doubt shock earlier generations who grew up on a Middle Eastern diet of hummus, tehini and falafel. Today’s supermarkets showcase healthier products, including many made with olive oil. Of note is Nature’s Bars and Snacks, a new kosher line of food products made by the Israeli company Tivit (www.naturesugarfree.com). The products are completely organic and gluten-free; made with all-natural ingredients; are low-fat, sugar-free and cholesterol-free; and vegan (can be an ideal addition to the diabetic diet). The unsaturated fats found in the products from the seeds and nuts are proven to help lower cholesterol. The low-carb bars, including an even more reduced-calorie version, include flavors like peanut brittle with honey; cashew and almond with berries; cereal, dates and cinnamon; cereal and chocolate; cereal with cashews and hazelnuts; and sesame, sunflower, and honey. Nature’s Snacks are bite-sized versions of the bars in easy, re-closeable take-along bags.
Rami Offer, Tivit’s CEO, declared, “When incorporated into a nutritionally balanced diet, our unique products can contribute positively to a healthy lifestyle living.” Tivit is acquiring an increasing chain of distributors throughout the United States and Europe. Israeli food sources say that companies like Tivit are using cutting edge technology to develop healthier products that are replacing products high in saturated fats and sugars. Israelis often travel long distances just to visit farms that sell natural products. Food shows on Israeli cable TV are also of late focusing on healthier eating. Tivit and other companies that are marketing the healthier foods are betting that they may be able to get Israelis to trade in a half falafel sandwich for the healthier snacks.

Kosher Community Adapts to Vacationing and Gift-Giving Customers
Liberty NY…by Staff Reporters…There was a time when the kosher community simply accepted the reality that some 300,000 New Yorkers leave the city for two months, which essentially meant also accepting the fact that they were involved in a 10-month business. Like Pomegranate, mentioned above, many kosher retailers have simply followed their customers. Kold Kuts, the Brooklyn neighborhood establishment serving burgers, deli, hot dogs, and popular Shabbos dishes like cholent and kugel, opened a satellite in South Fallsburg, NY. Another Brooklyn mainstay, Jerusalem II Pizza, has undergone a complete renovation and is open under new management this summer. The store is located on Main Street in Woodbourne, and has soup, sushi, salads, a pasta bar, and ice cream on the menu. Some New York food establishments have turned their attention to kosher camp “care packages.” Many camp care package proprietors operate year-round, sending gift baskets for holidays or for the college student who dorm far from home. All agree that their sales in the summer, traditionally the slowest time for sending gift baskets due to the lack of holidays, are boosted by the camp care package component to their businesses. Jane Mortiz, owner of the Westport, Connecticut-based Challah Connection and The Kosher Gift Box, two online companies that deal with kosher food gift packages, commented, “Sending food care packages are the parents’ way of reaching out to their children in camp with something delicious.” Though Mortiz said the majority of her business comes from holiday gift baskets during the year or college gift baskets, the camp care package part of the business, which she began five years ago, is lucrative enough that she keeps it going. “I have a lot of grandparents who purchase the care packages,” she said. Many who patronize her business are return customers year after year, she also noted. Challah is the biggest-selling camp care package item, she said, as parents often want to acknowledge Shabbos to their campers away from home. “Many of our customers are secular or not even Jewish,” said Mortiz, “and the ones who most often get traditional items like challah or babka for their children.” Oh, Nuts, one of Brooklyn’s finest candy and sweets shops, does a brisk business in care packages during the summer season, “enough to keep our business humming during July and August,” said Ari Tahover, a spokesperson in their marketing department. Oh, Nuts offers over twenty-five different varieties of camp care packages and free shipping on these camp baskets. Tahover said they ship a couple hundred per week to camps primarily in upstate New York. Eleanor Newman of The Chocolate Emporium said much of her camp care package business is generated by virtue of being located near Camp Stone in Pennsylvania. The Challah Connection offers several “Healthy Munch” boxes that include chocolate-covered figs; trail mix; crackers with peanut butter spread; and oatmeal packets. Karen Chazan of KosherCarePackages.com said her company also offers a “No Junk in the Bunk” version of their camp care packages, all big enough to feed a bunk size of twelve campers. Still, more popular with kids are their OK-certified freshly baked cookies and brownies and blondies.

Kosher Caterers Adapt to New World of Upscale Customers
Manhattan…by Tova Ross…It’s been a long time since kosher food was synonymous with matzah balls, tzimmes, and stuffed cabbage. More and more in recent years, the trend in kosher food has been cuisine that can only be described as upscale, gourmet, and on par with the most sophisticated food trends in the mainstream culinary world. Whether it’s visiting one of the many fine kosher establishments like The Prime Grill or Abigael’s, or from kosher gourmet products like artisan cheese, kefir yogurt, oolong teas, and organic foods like whole-grain breads and nut butters. Kosher catering today has gone far beyond the traditional synagogue caterer or off-premises catering in a hotel. It is as much a function in the back yard of a luxurious home as it is in the Waldorf Astoria. RAVE! Catering and Event Planning, founded and headed by Noam Sokolow, is making a name for itself with its exclusive brand of catering in almost any venue. Although based in Manhattan, RAVE! has been steadily gaining a national reputation, which is responsible for its recent move to national kosher certification agency Star-K from the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County. It has done its share of catering in such elegant venues as the Pierre, the New York Plaza, and the St. Regis, but it has also catered events for politicians including former President Bill Clinton and Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

RAVE! is the caterer of choice by many of the rich and famous because of its innovative dishes as well as its supremely elegant presentation. Some of the innovative menu items include sweet potato chips with chipotle sauce; grilled beef, veal and turkey sliders served on miniature buns; wild mushroom risotto; and crispy vegetable pakoras. According to Sokolow, his exclusive clientele have no qualms about paying top dollar for the best in the most gourmet fare. Other caterers note that people with tighter budgets still demand the finest staging possible. David Pearlman, of Brooklyn’s Garden of Eat-In family business, who started his own Executive Caterers in 2006, acknowledged the recent economic downturn and said that many of his clients ask for the most elegant presentation rather than the most expensive or fancy foods. “We often practice the art of taking simple items and elevating them to gourmet status simply through an elegant presentation.” Since he first started his catering business, Pearlman has charted the shift among his clients towards a more refined and well-informed sense of food. “I see people becoming steadily more educated in fine wines and knowing about menu items like balsamic reduction, truffle oil and tuna tartare – all things the average kosher consumer might not have heard about several years ago,” he said. Pearlman attributes the increasing knowledge about elegant food primarily to the Food Network, which he calls “a huge phenomenon that’s like going to culinary school right from your couch.”

Marty Bodner, one of the owners of the in-demand and NJ and NY-based Main Event Caterers, confirms Pearlman’s feelings on the new age of kosher catering. “People definitely have a more sophisticated palette today as opposed to twenty years ago when Main Event first started catering events,” said Bodner. “Additionally, I think people are now much more willing look at lower end of the spectrum of the food, and how we can use our expertise to take that to the next level.” Bodner said that rather than take more expensive cuts of beef or veal, he uses inexpensive cuts and presents it just as elegantly as he would a grade-A prime rib. “By presenting less expensive items with a beautiful presentation, we are able to accommodate a lot more people,” said Bodner. Also different from twenty years ago? “There’s a lot more caterers in the market right now,” Bodner said. “It’s a hot business.”

KosherToday Newsletter - June 21st, 2010

Turbulent Weeks for Shechita in Many Parts of the World
London…Staff Reporters…The shocking news that shechita (kosher slaughter) was effectively banned in New Zealand appears to have set other developments in motion in the past week. KosherToday has learned that Rabbis in Europe are convinced that a new regulation on shechita adopted by the European Union was directly related to the New Zealand requirement that animals be stunned prior to shechita, effectively ending shechita in New Zealand. A source here told KosherToday: “The New Zealand action has emboldened animal rights activists in many part of the world to go for the jugular.” The EU adopted a new regulation which will require that kosher meat be labeled as “meat from slaughter without stunning.” The European action was closely followed by a warning from Rabbi Yona Metzger, Chief Rabbi of Israel, that he would order the Chief Rabbinate to stop certifying kosher meats imported from South America, namely Uruguay, unless the practice of shackling and hoisting of animals was ended. Although Metzger had previously spoken out against the practice, this was the first time he actually set a deadline in 2011. About 70% of Israel’s beef is imported from South America. There were also rumblings in many other parts of the world, including Australia. Henry Grunwald QC, chairman of Shechita UK, the umbrella organization that defends shechita, said the decision will have a serious impact on the kosher meat industry, particularly since 70% of an animal killed by shechita is consumed by the non-kosher market. He said: “This ill-conceived amendment discriminates against kosher food and will have a significant impact on the kosher meat industry across Europe. The Jewish community is fully supportive of providing consumers with information about the origins of their food and we urged MEPs that if they wanted to label meat and meat products, labels should include those killed by electrocution, shooting, gassing or clubbing as well as the many millions of animals that are mis-stunned during the stunning process. To pick on one method is suspicious, troubling and discriminatory.”

Jewish Calendar Puts Squeeze on Kosher Industry
New York…With Rosh Hashanah looming on the eve of September 8th, many in the kosher industry are invoking a line made famous by Comedian Jackie Mason: “The Jewish holidays are either early or late; they’re never on time!” The early Rosh Hashanah, less than three days after Labor Day, will force the industry to advance preparations to early August, say sources in the kosher food industry. At least one distributor already lamented that he would not be able to take his “usual vacation.” He was already busy preparing to ship to the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York where an estimated 300,000 vacationers will converge, albeit for a somewhat shortened stay this year. Several retailers said that they traditionally did better when Rosh Hashanah was late. Said one: “I usually get two major surges, replenishments (people returning from vacation) after Labor Day and before the holidays; now it’s folded into one.” It will also cut into the lucrative advertising business for many Jewish publications since Rosh Hashanah is a prime advertising season, second only to Passover. In some markets, Rosh Hashanah has emerged as the primary gift-giving season of such items as gourmet honey and fine wines.

A Cross Between an Upscale Supermarket and a Club Store Flourishes in Israel
Rishon Letzion…It is a supermarket. It is a Club Store. No, it’s like a Whole Foods Store or perhaps a gourmet specialty store. The Chatzi Chinam (“Half Free”) supermarket is like no other in Israel and certainly without parallel in the U.S. Any kosher consumer would think of Chatzi Chinam as a Disneyland of foods. The aisles are neatly laid out to project an abundance of branded, imported and specialty items. Customers expecting to find produce at the entrance will be disappointed as the first aisle is full of housewares, kitchen utensils and detergents. There are aisles upon aisles of branded products, namely by Israel’s giants Osem and Strauss-Elite, specialty items like gourmet and organic items from around the world, fresh beef and poultry that is not packaged, its freshness obvious through a large showcase. There are prepared meals and an incredible array of cheeses and wines in what seems like an endless display of great looking foods. There are plenty of tasting opportunities as part of a general emphasis on customer service. In a relatively short period of time, Chatzi Chinam has become the model of the new-age supermarket, and everything is kosher.

Amazingly the chain is the third largest in sales without having the number of stores of its key competitors. Cousins Zaaki Shalom and Mordechai are not stopping there. They continue to open more stores but are also in an acquisition mode, including the well-known Binyamina Winery which they acquired in 2008 for $13.5 million.

Kosher Distributors Expand to Drugstores
New York…The dramatic expansion of kosher into Club Stores continues to be a big story in the kosher food industry. But of late, a leading kosher distributor told KosherToday, “there has been a great deal of activity in drugstore chains.” In what appears to be a growing trend, drugstore chains are expanding their food sections, and in areas that cater to kosher consumers, they are including Chalav Yisrael milk, cheeses, snacks and candies, in addition to the normal compliment of foods like cereals and beverage. CVS is the latest drugstore chain to try to stake a claim for a bigger piece of the nation’s trillion-dollar food budget. The Woonsocket, R.I.-based company will double the size of food sections in 3,000 of its 7,000 stores by year’s end. The distributor says that kosher food is already available at many WalGreens stores in such cities as New York and Miami. He plans to add a salesman “to cover the drugstore world.” The drugstores offer consumers the option of quick shopping and convenient store hours, which is why the distributor believes that drugstores will become a major source for kosher foods in the next five years.

As Hummus Goes Mainstream, Rabbis Warn About Kosher Status
New York…Hummus has gone mainstream, to the tune of $325 million, according to data provided by Symphony IRI Group. In 1995, hummus was a $5 million business led by a smattering of companies. It was recently featured in the Dining Section of the New York Times. But according to some kashrus officials, it poses the same challenges as another mainstream food: bagels. One rabbi said that he has on occasion warned his congregants to make sure that the bagels they eat are kosher certified. “It’s not just flour and water,” he said he told them. “You have to know what else goes into the mix and you certainly have to be wary about equipment and utensils used.” Now he says, he will be reminding his congregants to be equally as vigilant with hummus. The Times, in fact, featured both Holy Land and Sabra, but only the latter has kosher certification. One kashrus official said that he was aware of people who otherwise observe kashrus of consuming hummus in a non-kosher restaurant. Sabra, which is owned by PepsiCo, is taking full advantage of the growing acceptance of hummus. It is advertising nationally and its products are now routinely available in many public places like airports.

Increasing Number of Israelis Use Spices for Health and Wellbeing
Galilee…by Menachem Lubinsky…Avi Zithershpieler is by no means a physician, but yet thousands of Israelis have come to rely on his unusual collection of herbs and spices to stay healthy. It has been a half century that Avi founded “The Spice Farm” in what is known Bethlehem of the Galilee. As you approach the large atrium like store just in front of the farm, the aroma of some of the most unusual blends of spices from Israel and obverses will instantly identify your location. If it does not, driving up “Spicy Way” will. Of the 600 products, there are many grown in farms throughout Israel but other products are imported from places like Thailand and Turkey. So popular has the farm become that it now has 10 small outlets throughout Israel and of late an outpost in London. There were blends of herbs and spices to treat almost every medical condition but even more importantly for many Israelis was the benefit of adding the products to their ordinary diets as a means of wellbeing. Gourmet chefs and housewives come to the farm to buy just the right spice, herb, grain, or dried fruit that will enhance a salad, soup, meat and poultry and, of course, desserts. While one of the Farm’s main objectives is to satisfy the Israeli palate, the Middle Eastern touch is very much in evidence in such products as Syrian or Yemenite Za’atar. There are also a variety of granola flavors that almost every visitor seems to want to taste. On most days, Avi offers lectures about the farm and the health and wellness benefits of his products. It has become a leading tourist destination for Israelis and even for the many Christian tourists who frequent the area. While one of the staff people stresses that so much of what is displayed is natural, she also points out that the entire Visitor Center is certified kosher by the Rabbanut of Emek Yizrael.

From Leeds to Charlotte, Kosher Continues to Expand
New York…by Tova Ross, Features Editor…For kosher travelers crisscrossing the globe, the number and variety of kosher offerings continues to expand. While in years past, these new launches were in well-known Jewish centers, today it is in places that are not necessarily on the radar of kosher travelers. In Leeds UK, the new Gelman’s Bakery will begin baking a line of kosher bread and cakes, certified by the Leeds’ Beth Din. Co-owner Moira Gelman plans to add dairy baked goods, such as cheesecakes, later this year. The bakery will supply other kosher outlets with their products as well. The Gelman family has a long history in food production and catering, and the Leeds Jewish Representative Council is hopeful that the community will support the new kosher venture. Incidentally, tennis fans who are kosher who will be at Wimbledon will not be denied as the Chabad of South London Campuses, is planning to repeat a kosher café it ran last year.

Ivano-Frankovsk, a southwestern city in the Ukraine, a new kosher hotel has opened. Called Under the Temple, and located next to the city’s primary shul, the hotel also houses a museum displaying exhibits on the area’s rich Jewish history (the city was home to several Chasidic rebbes before World War II). Tzimmes Lounge, a kosher catering facility, is also on-site, and is certified by Rabbi Moshe Leib Kolesnik, the city’s chief rabbi and Chabad representative in the region.

Back home, there were many new interesting additions. Shalom Pita, a pizza and falafel store opened on the Jersey Shore, in Ventnor. Both cholov yisroel and pas yisroel, Shalom Pita serves pizza, falafel, knishes, and more, and offers summer travelers to the beaches of New Jersey – which has limited kosher menu options – a slice of the pie. In North Carolina, home to Duke University but not home to many kosher establishments, Polka Dot Bake Shop, located in Charlotte, has received kosher certification from the Star-K for its most famous product: the sweet potato cracker, baked with real sweet potatoes. The crackers are available in original; rosemary and olive oil; cracked black pepper; and chipotle with smoked paprika flavors, and are pareve and egg and nut-free.

Israeli Winery Goes from Good Wine to Good Food
Zichron Yaakov...What does a winery do with an abundance of grapes? It already is Israel’s 5th largest winery and exports over 1 million bottles. If you are Oshra Tishbi, you expand into gourmet jams, honeys and even sauces. The Merlot wine jams, a favorite with the many tourists who visit the Visitors Center, is as good as well, good wine. The Tishbi Winery is no ordinary winery. It is a piece of history, says Oshra, referring to the founding of the vineyards in 1882 by the Chamiletski family who fled persecution in Russia to their new home in Palestine. It was the famed Jewish poet Nachman Bialik who renamed the family Tishbi and it was Baron Edmond de Rothschild who commissioned the family to develop the vineyards.

More than 100 years later Jonathan Tishbi used the family’s considerable expertise in growing grapes to take the family in the direction of winemaking. The family’s vineyards in various parts of the country produce a variety of grapes that were to become the basis for Tishbi’s award winning wines. Israel’s diverse climates from the Golan Heights to the Judean Hills offered the family the opportunity to compete with some of the best grape growing regions in the world. Its Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon became instant hits not only with the local market but in markets overseas. The wines are imported to the US by Admiral Wines.

To say that Oshra enjoys what she does as the export manager and really the foreign minister of the winery is an understatement. The effervescent Oshra tells tourists “let’s have fun” as she serves a variety of great wines with some great food, all the while stressing the natural, wellness and health. With her infectious smile, she positions a number of wines for tasting: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet and, of course, Merlot, all kosher certified and mevushal. She also surprises with her 2009 Gewurztraminer and the taste is superb. It is in the restaurant in the Visitor Center that the Tishbis stress the great marriage of good food and wine, a combination that the Tishbis hope will continue to bring them great success. L’Chaim!

Betting on More Coupon Clipping, CouponKosher.com is Launched
Boca Raton, FL…by Tova Ross…Kosher food industry officials have long debated the benefit of coupons in the lucrative kosher market. There is strong evidence that as a result of the recession, there is more coupons clipping in the kosher market than ever. Elizabeth Wolf, an Orthodox Jew from Boca Raton, Florida, noticed that coupons for specifically kosher items – whether from a secular brand like Heinz or Kellogg’s or from completely kosher brands like Kedem and Manischewitz – were less common than coupons for more mainstream items. Wolf, a supermarket cashier, noted remarks from customers – who were buying kosher for religious and other reasons – who said they’d like to see more exclusively kosher coupons. After her day job, Wolf began working on her idea for a kosher coupon website by hiring a web designer and by contacting food manufacturers for her new venture. CouponKosher.com, a website with a tentative launch date of July 4th, will allow the kosher consumer to easily access a virtual destination with a variety of coupons for kosher items.

“There’s a lot of mainstream coupon savings sites like www.coupons.com or www.coolsavings.com, but there’s none that have exclusively kosher coupons,” explained Wolf. “My website won’t only offer solely kosher coupons, but it will be more user-friendly than a lot of the more mainstream savings sites, which often require users to log-in and download a printer-system for their websites.” CouponKosher.com will simply allows it visitors to click on the kosher coupons of their choice, print on their home printer, and take to the store to redeem for their purchases. The site will be a pay-per-click operation; Wolf also anticipates revenue from advertising once the idea catches on and garners more users. While it is too early to gauge consumer response, her Boca Raton Synagogue rabbi already gave the website his seal of approval.

KosherToday Newsletter - June 7th, 2010

Kosher and Non-Kosher Same Names Create Confusion for Consumers
New York…by Staff Reporters…Should a kashrus agency certify a kosher restaurant that also has a non-kosher restaurant by the same name? For one would-be diner the answer is a clear no as he almost ate at the non-kosher eatery just because a kosher restaurant Web site took him to the site of the non-kosher eatery with only a minor mention buried in the copy that they also have a kosher restaurant. The mistake was ultimately corrected but many who were involved questioned whether the major kashrus organization certifying the restaurant should have given the certification in the first place. A New York area Vaad’s refusal to certify a Dunkin Donuts franchise was criticized by some but the Vaad maintains that there is much that is not kosher in the franchise names that share space with the Dunkin Donuts. The growing role of the Internet as a major source for kosher restaurants is a new reason for tightening up oversight to avoid confusion, say several rabbis reached by KosherToday. Said one: “I guess agencies and rabbis will now have to check Web sites and links to make sure that there is no confusion.” In as far away places as Buenos Aires, the potential confusion has become an issue. A group of American tourists in Buenos Aires complained that the glatt kosher McDonald’s is in a mall that has several other McDonald’s restaurants despite the fact that the kosher McDonald’s has a large kosher sign in the middle of the logo. The Buenos Aires McDonald’s is the only glatt kosher eatery of the international food icon. The potential for confusion, say kashrus sources, could be an issue with any brand that produces both kosher and non-kosher and even if the same is produced with different kashrus standards. While many were forgiving about the restaurant error, they were also hoping that kashrus certifiers would also take precautions so that such confusions do not occur.

Israeli Movement Towards Wellness Makes Olive Oil a Thriving Category
Tel Aviv…by Staff Reporters…With his heavy French accent, Julian Atias, founder and owner of LiveO (the O from Olive is at the end), speaks passionately of his high-end store on Rothschild Blvd that has taken olive oil to a whole new level. A few blocks away on Fryshman Street is another olive oil boutique called Olia where Hila Venkert made a career change from the world of fashion to promoting exotic olive oil products. Many supermarkets throughout Israel carry several brands of olive oil, but not just bottles of the 100% virgin olive oil, but also jams, sauces, and mixes, which says Julian is all part of a new emphasis by many Israelis on wellness. Many of Hila’s customers, including the elderly, actually begin their day not with a cup of coffee or orange juice but with a cup of olive oil as a means of stimulating the good agents in the body. Julian’s olive oil comes from Kibbutz Revivim in the Negev with its 500 acres of olive trees grown under the best conditions. The kibbutz developed the technology to keep the salt underneath the soil to give the trees the ideal conditions for growing the olives. Julian’s store has nearly 100 different products made with olive oils, whether with the Israeli vintage olives Barnea or Souri or Italian Frantoio, a Tapendade spread that mixes parsley and sesame or a simple mix with sundried tomatoes.

Some of the customers are here to feel good while others are on an olive oil regimen prescribed by physicians to lower saturated fats. The various olive oil jams have become best sellers to Israelis looking for the blend of the sweet and the distinct olive taste. At Olia, Hila’s brother Nimrod is constantly producing new combinations at his plant in Nes Ziona, sometimes creating the conditions of foreign grown olive trees. The fusions at Olia “simply blow many tourists away,” says Hila. Blends like the Middle East blend with three different types of olives, infused figs that includes dried figs, sugar, balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, green olives and shata pepper. Customers have become as discerning with olives as wine connoisseurs are with their fine wines. Both Olian and LiveO also offer a full line of olive oil cosmetic products that many customers have come to associate with healthier and “younger looking” skin. The products in both stores are under rabbinical supervision and there is a growing interest in exporting these olive oil gourmet products that are taking Israelis by storm.

Community Torah Center Introduces the Milky Way to the Pacific Northwest
Portland OR…by Tova Ross, Features Editor…The Orthodox Jewish community in Portland may well become the model for other growing Orthodox communities that seek to satisfy their need for kosher food. With 150 Orthodox families and over 40,000 Jews, Portland is a rapidly thriving Jewish community. A centerpiece of the community is the Portland Kollel where young married Orthodox Jews continue Torah study while building an infrastructure of religious life in the community. They recently took a bold step in founding Superior Kosher Foods, LLC, selling chalav yisrael dairy products including milk, cream, ice cream, and yogurt in five flavors (sold under the Wholesome Creamery label). “We used to have to ship all our chalav yisrael dairy products to Portland, which was very expensive and sometimes not so fresh,” explained Rabbi Chanan Spivak, the Kollel Director of Outreach, originally from Brooklyn, NY. “It’s hard to get used to paying $5 for a cup of yogurt.” Together with the kollel’s director, Rabbi Tzvi Fischer, Rabbi Spivak helped found Superior Kosher Foods just a couple of months ago, though neither rabbi has formal experience with the kosher food industry, “besides for eating kosher,” they joke. “We are using consultants who are industry professionals to help us throughout the process,” explained Rabbi Fischer, “and we’re also looking to expand into other dairy products like cream cheese, butter, and sour cream.” They are already a success story as their products are available in supermarkets in cities throughout the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle and Los Angeles at such stores as Albertson’s, QFC, and Food Front.

“Interestingly, there’s big demand not just from the kosher market but also from those who are dedicated to locally-made products,” commented Rabbi Fischer. “The Northwest, especially Portland, is very ecologically-conscious, and very committed to buying food products from local vendors. Therefore, the segment of our market that is increasing exponentially is not even necessarily Jewish, but loyal to buying food that is made locally.” Another unique aspect of the company is that 100 percent of the profits go towards community outreach and building Jewish communities in the Pacific Northwest. The rabbis/food company CEOs hope that as Superior Kosher Foods expands, so will the job opportunities, a big boon for families looking to find employment in a small-town Jewish community outside of the big Jewish enclaves. Portland also recently established a community eruv and has a vibrant Orthodox shul, Kesser Israel.

Israelis in Search of Larger World Stage for Food Exports
Tel Aviv…Several Israeli exhibitors at Kosherfest will not be coming directly from home this coming October. They will have made a stop at SIAL, the huge international food show that takes place several days earlier in Paris every two years. They will be part of a new 24 booth Israel pavilion that will follow a similar presence at ANUGA last year, a show that is held every two years in Cologne. Both shows are firsts for the Israelis as an organized pavilion, sponsored by the Israel Export Institute. With its superior technology, ideal climate for growing food ingredients, and new world class packaging, the Israelis are on a mission to dramatically expand food exports throughout the world. Michal Ne’eman of the Food Division of the IEI, told KosherToday that last year’s foray in Anuga was highly successful, with many of the companies finding distributors in different parts of the world. The kosher status of the products has not hurt either as buyers from the US, Europe, and even the Far East showed interest. The IEI recently responded to a chain of stores from Thailand looking to stock kosher products in Bangkok for Jews who live there and for the many business travelers and tourists who also make the city a key destination for customers looking for kosher. In fact, Israeli food sources say that they would not be surprised if the Israelis showed up at a key food show in the Far East in the unforeseeable future. For whatever reason, say the sources, the Israeli government has suddenly found money to tackle these markets. Unlike a decade ago, the Israelis seem to have the production capacity to meet the demands of a growing market. Despite the attempts to broaden its horizons, Israelis still have to face a hostile and often ambivalent world that sees Israeli military action as one-dimensional. In fact, many Israeli manufactures were somewhat unnerved by the flotilla incident which one manufacturer said plainly is “not good for business.” If security is what they seek, none is better than the kosher market in the US, as is represented by Kosherfest. Israeli food exports to the US have risen dramatically in the past decade. Now Israelis are hoping for a cordial reception on the world stage of food exhibitions. The new slogan soon to be released for Israelis foods is “A Taste of Israel: A World of Flavors.”

Flurry of New Kosher Launches Around the World
New York…by Tova Ross…Kosher restaurants open in Manhattan every other week, it seems, and to a lesser extent in Jewish communities like Brooklyn and Teaneck. Kosher products abound and kosher cooking and baking classes offer aspiring chefs or passionate cooks the opportunities to elevate their kosher culinary creations to gourmet. Recently, however, an international spate of kosher announcements traversed the globe. Last month The Golden Café opened in St. Petersburg, Russia, to serve local Jews and Jewish visitors both meat and pareve items. Golda Tolochinskaya, the café’s manager, said the wide variety on the menu reflects Ashkenazi, Israeli, and Georgian cuisine, under the strictest kashrus requirements. St. Petersburg’s Chief Rabbi Menachem Mendel Pewzner, who is also a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in the region certifies the kashrut of the eatery. And for the first time since before the Holocaust, kosher consumers in Germany will now be able to purchase dairy products that are certified chalav yisrael (higher standard kashrut for dairy). Koscheremilch, a dairy farm near Hamburg in the North of Germany launched by Ze’ev Lluz, is now producing a line of dairy products that are certified kosher and chalav yisrael. Previously those who ate chalav yisrael had to ship products in from France, or have Chabad emissary Rabbi Shlomo Bistritzky personally supervise the whole milking process.

In Dorset UK, the Bournemouth Hebrew Congregation (BHC) opened a market on its premises. Shop@theShul sells kosher meat, poultry, dairy products and baked goods, including challah. For the recent Shavuot holiday, the market offered soft cheese and dairy cakes. The market is open on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sunday mornings, and is run by a team of volunteers. BHC has been open for over 100 years and serves hundreds of Jewish families in the area. Since 1976, the shul has offered an on-site mikvah, and now, it provides kosher food as well. And at the Prosserman JCC in Toronto, kosher cooking classes based on French cuisine are now being offered, with a long-term goal of forming a certification program for kosher chefs. The program is coordinated by Nancy Weisbrod, a graduate of Le Cordon Blue in London, with the participation of Chef Eran Marom, an Israeli who trained in French cooking schools. Chef Marom told the Jewish Tribune that he finds his work to be fun and a big challenge.” He said that he has to constantly search for new items. “ We want to educate [future students] about other products that are out there, other stuff that is available,” he says. Also in Toronto are two new restaurants set to open this month. Delicacies is an upscale eatery serving meat dishes, and My Zaidy's Pizza and Bakery will be the city’s most northern restaurant. Both restaurants are under the supervision of the COR - the Kashruth Council of Canada.

Growing Nestle/Osem Group Eyes US Salad Market
Shoham, Modi’in…As the salad market continues to grow in the US kosher market and even in mainstream, Osem may soon find itself in a head to head battle with Sabra USA, owned by PepsiCo. Osem, 54% of which is owned by Nestle, acquired Tribe in 2008, which may very well be Osem’s brand of salads in the US. Although it acquired the Sabra brand in Israel, it does not own the US brand. Baruch Peled, the export manager for Osem’s core products, explained that Osem has been on a buying spree in recent years as part of its major expansion worldwide. In addition to Tzabar (Sabra) in Israel, it acquired such popular brands as Bonjour and Tival. With annual sales of $1.5 billion, it is the largest of Israel’s “big three” which also includes Tnuva and Strauss/Elite. Osem, says Peled, emphasizes initiative, excellence and “Israelisness.” Its world-class distribution center is by all accounts one of the most progressive in the world. With 12 plants in Israel and 9 overseas, its food lines now extend to 35 categories. Osem’s new moves in the US go well beyond its Osem USA business. In addition to Tribe, which Peled says offers consumers hummus without preservatives (as opposed to Sabra), Osem also acquired Veggie-Patch, which may very well be its expansion into the US market with products similar to those vegetarian items successfully marketed in Europe under the Tival brand. The large Bamba doll at the entrance to the plant has also been making news with some fascinating new products, including Hazelnut and Bamba Halva filled Bamba. Nestle has also been filling some of its cereals with cream, a trend it may take worldwide. If anyone had any doubts about the power of Nestle/Osem, they need only watch pallets moving from slot to slot without the benefit of human involvement, save for the computer programmers. There are more robots in the center, the size of at least two football fields, than humans. The Nestle/Osem group will no doubt be a company to watch in the years ahead in the kosher and general markets throughout the world.

May 24th KosherToday News Headlines

Nearly Half of Supermarket Products are Kosher, New Study Finds
New York…Most supermarkets in larger cities carry at least 20,000 kosher certified items, a KosherToday survey indicates. In many stores, the number of kosher products is closer to 25,000, nearly half of all items on grocery shelves. Several food categories are virtually all kosher, including beverage, coffee and tea and cereals. Kosher consumers in the US have 125,000 kosher items to choose from, a far cry from the 16,000 items quoted in a 1987 survey just prior to the first Kosher Food and Jewish Life Expo at the Javits Center in March. With so many kosher products, kashrus agencies warn against “consumer complacency” in which labels are not checked for their kosher status. “Ever so often, you will find a flavored beverage that just is not kosher,” one kosher certifier said. Supermarkets continue to add new items with a kosher symbol, largely line extensions or new certifications on such well-known products as Gatorade. Despite the dramatic increase of the kosher fare in the nation’s supermarkets, those stores in most cases do not offer the variety, including products with many different kosher certifications, of the independent kosher stores, a major factor in the continued popularity of the kosher stores. Kosher certified items can be found in almost every aisle, including the growing number of snacks and frozen items that are kosher certified.

European Euro Crisis Forces Israelis to Plan More Exports to US Kosher Market
New York…The sharp decline of the Euro is already wreaking havoc for many Israeli food exporters who suddenly find the coveted European market an unpredictable destination. In interviews with a number of food industry sources in Israel, it appears that the losses from the decline in the Euro have in some cases wiped out potential profits. They say that many food exporters who had always considered the US kosher market secondary to Europe because of its proximity and competitive climate are re-evaluating their position and are actively considering increasing exports to the US. This comes at a time when many American kosher consumers are already feeling the brunt of what some have called the “Israeli invasion.” This past Shavuos, Tnuva published a recipe booklet with dairy dishes for the holiday while Strauss promoted some of its better ice cream products. Just before the holiday, a delegation of food executives representing the Kedem group was in Israel to tour some of the plants that manufacture products that are imported by Kedem. The group was led by Nathan and David Herzog and included Yakov Yarmove from SuperValu as well as Ron Wise from DPI. They visited Strauss-Elite, Beigel and Beigel, Prigat, Yehuda Matzo, Affifit and Wissostky Teas, all companies that Kedem now represents in the US kosher market. Menachem Lubinsky of LUBICOM Marketing Consulting will be joined by Bill Springer of Diversified Business Communications, co-producers of Kosherfest, in several days of meetings with Israeli food officials later this month as part of a tour organized by the Israel Export Institute.

Websites Deal With Ever Changing Kosher Restaurant Scene
New York…KosherToday staff reporters…A London businessman who travels frequently to the Big Apple has learned to check a number of key Web sites that cover the kosher restaurant scene prior to leaving the UK. While he has many options, a favorite is www.GreatKosherRestaurants.com, which offers him special discounts as well as the latest updates. In fact, the traveler has of late made reservations on the site. The kosher restaurant Web site is the brainchild of Elan Kornblum, known as "The Restaurant Guy," who is the president and publisher of the Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine. Another site that also sends e-mails on the latest updates is Koshertopia. The e-mails report on new openings, closures, and even changes of kosher certification. Another world-wide data base of restaurants, popular with many travelers is Shamash.org. These are but a few of nearly a dozen websites and blogs that cover the kosher restaurant scene throughout the country. Kosher restaurant sources say that while the kosher restaurants appear to have weathered the “worst” during the current recession, “they are by no means out of the woods.” The sources say that while many kosher restaurants continue to close in such major cities as New York, Miami and Los Angeles, they seem to be offset by new openings. One kosher restaurateur pointed out that a kosher restaurant always operates “on thin ice” since they are not open on weekends, a traditional profit center for non-kosher restaurants. Some restaurants have banked on a theme that can appeal to a “crossover” audience. It is these constant changes that have made such sites as Great Kosher Restaurants so popular.

New Gadgets Help Some Kosher Consumers
New York…by Tova Ross, KosherToday Features Editor…Keeping kosher is becoming easier, thanks to a number of high tech innovations. Kosher adherents can already use an Apple app “My Grocery Master” to search a database of over 100,000 specialty foods for kosher products in their closest grocery stores. Now comes a new invention: a stick that can detect the presence of pork in any dish. The uni-cultural plastic stick can alert both kosher and Halal eaters to the prohibited pig by using antibodies that react with the non-kosher animal’s muscle tissue. Invented by scientists at the Kazakh National Center for Biotechnology, the stick may not be so necessary for kosher consumers in the US, who rely on some of the 1,000 kosher-certifying agencies and rabbis as well as the FDA to properly ensure their food is not contaminated with pork products. Yet the stick comes in handy for Muslims in Kazakhstan (Islam is the dominant religion there), where chefs often use pork in supposedly Halal dishes because it is cheaper than many other meats. Sources told KosherToday that the stick may be handy for Jews who keep kosher and are frequent travelers around the globe, where food certification standards are not always subject to the strict ones in place in the U.S.

While the stick may not be a practical everyday aid, iBless Food 1.0 by the Davka Corporation can come in more handy. iBless Food 1.0 is a resource guide for Hebrew blessings (brachos) for over 500 different foods. It allows for easy scrolling on an iPod, iPhone, or iPad to discover what type of blessing should be made over fruits, vegetables, and popular snacks and appetizers. The blessing—both for before and after the food being eaten—is shown in both Hebrew and English transliteration and chanted aloud with each word highlighted as it is said. Additional information about the customs of that particular blessing is also shown.

OU Addresses Complexities of Oil Usage
New York…by KosherToday Staff Reporters…Just when you have perfected the important practice of checking vegetables for insects comes a new guide on the kashrus of oil by the Orthodox Union (OU). The “OU Manual for the Oil Industry” is designed for mashgichim and others who supervise cooking and baking with oil. It follows on the heels of the OU’s guidebook for the baking industry. Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher, stated: “This manual is an important step in the department’s goal to provide kosher industry professionals and kosher consumers alike with a thorough, extensive education in kosher laws and practices.” Printed in full color with many vivid illustrations, the recently-published manual focuses on three specific areas of concern for kosher certifiers, kosher food retailers and service facilities: technology, practicalities and methodologies of kosher supervision, and the official rulings of OU halachic authorities. Topics include refinement, fractionation, and deodorization of oil. Rabbi Moshe Zywica, the OU’s Director of Operations, helped coordinate the manual. He calls it “required reading for anyone supervising or certifying an oil agency, and the first manual of its kind to explain the issues involved with ensuring the oil used in cooking and baking is completely kosher.” In addition to Rabbi Zywica, those who worked on the manual are Rabbi Yaacov Luban, the OU’s executive rabbinic coordinator, who served as the editor; Dr. Avraham Meyer, who has a PhD in chemistry and who Rabbi Luban calls “a walking encyclopedia of technology and kashrus,” who served as an advisor for the text; Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, an OU Rabbinic Coordinator who oversees the oil industry; and Rabbi Avraham Juravel, an OU Rabbinic Coordinator who reviewed the entire manual before its publishing. To obtain copies of the manual, contact yoels@ou.org.

US Food Chains Ignore Americans; Sources Say
Tel Aviv…The closure of the Burger King franchise in Israel left many Americans living in Israel wondering if the chain did its marketing homework. Burger King joined Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts and Wendy’s as failed franchises in Israel. The reason given for the closure is almost always that Israelis did not take to the taste of the American foods. In the case of Burger King, the franchisee will rebrand its 52 Burger King stores as Burger Ranch, a more popular local chain. Eli and Yuval Orgad, the franchisees, have owned the Burger King stores since 2005 and bought the 55-unit Burger Ranch chain last year. Other restaurant franchises in Israel (not all of its branches kosher) include KFC, McDonald's,Subway, Dominos and Pizza Hut. Idele Ross, KosherToday’s Israel Bureau Chief, reports that Omri Padan, McDonald's-Israel CEO said the 'revolution' is a McDonald's Israel strategy which will not change. The chain has 150 outlets in Israel, 30 of which are kosher. Seven new branches are expected to open by the end of 2010. One source told KosherToday, all Burger King “needed to do was obtain a good hechsher that would appeal to the near 500,000 Israelis of American origin in addition to as many as 500,000 tourists and businessmen.” Burger Ranch is a hamburger chain started by South African immigrants to Israel in the seventies and emphasizes the Israeli preference for local fare over imported American tastes.” All the research carried out over the past few months shows beyond a doubt that the taste of Burger Ranch is the preferred taste for most Israelis," Orgad directors Eli and Yuval Orgad were quoted as saying in the Hebrew media.

30 Retailers Participate in Maninschewitz Jewish Heritage Promotion
New York…The kosher food industry is playing a major role this month in Jewish American Heritage Month, thanks to a major effort by Manischewitz. At least 30 major retailers are participating in promotions that will include a retailer display contest. Manischewitz has created numerous merchandizing materials for in-store use that reflect the spirit of JAHM, such as poster boards, shelf talkers and more. Retailers will be challenged with a first ever display contest in honor of JAHM. Manischewitz will make donations on behalf of the top three retailers with the biggest and most creative in-store displays. Several kosher food executives, including Yakov Yarmove of SuperValu have been invited to the White House this Thursday (May 25th) to join President Barack Obama in celebrating 350 years of Jewish history in the US.

"The United States would not be the country we know without the achievements of Jewish Americans," said the President in recognizing JAHM. “We are honored to sponsor Jewish American Heritage Month,” says David Yale, CEO of the Manischewitz Company. “Our company has played a significant role in the history of Jewish American culture. We are delighted to support this month-long celebration that gives us reason to take pause and honor the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our society.” Tova Ross, KosherToday Feature Editor, writes that Manischewitz was indeed an important part of that heritage. In the 1800’s in Lithuania, most young Jewish men were immersed in their yeshiva studies, preparing for a career in the rabbinate or working as merchants, artisans, or laborers. Though Rabbi Dov Behr Manischewitz was once a Talmudical scholar in the Telz yeshiva, something else called out to him, and in 1886, he emigrated to America with his new wife, Nesha. It was in Cincinnati two years later, that he founded his eponymous kosher food company. Manischewitz, who had also been a shochet in Lithuania, was the first person to come up with the idea of selling machine-made matzah to American Jewry for Passover. The idea caused a small amount of controversy, for it changed both the shape of matzo (which up until then had been circular or oval-shaped) to square pieces, and the individuality of burnt, charred, or irregular matzos to a uniform and perfectly-shaped matzos in every box. Manischewitz matzo became a national and international product, changing the way Jews purchased and ate matzo. After conquering matzo, the company soon came to dominate the kosher wine market. In 1932, the company expanded to Jersey City to better serve the increasing Jewish population, which was mostly based in the Metropolitan New York area. The Jersey outpost soon became the main base for the company when its Cincinnati branch closed in 1958.

May 10th KosherToday News Headlines

Industry Experts Expect More Changes in Kosher Poultry
New York…”The departure of Hain from the kosher poultry scene is the beginning of a shake-out in kosher poultry,” a leading distributor of kosher beef and poultry predicted. In interviews with several purveyors and distributors, KosherToday learned that the landscape for kosher poultry continued to evolve and that at least one or two other established producers were “shaky.” Hain announced that its Kosher Valley brand will be sold to Empire Kosher Poultry, which is said to have improved its sales in recent months, largely due to increased production by major distributors who are slaughtering at the Mifflintown, PA plant. Empire, the long-time leader in kosher poultry, had faced stiff competition from increased production by existing producers and the emergence of several purveyors that targeted the strictly Orthodox market. AgriStar, the successor to the failed Agriprocessor, continued to compete in the poultry market as did relative newcomers like KJ Poultry in Monroe, NY. Industry sources noted that while sales of kosher poultry will continue to rise in the Orthodox community, it is declining in other markets. “I think when everything is said and done there will continue to be a strong demand for kosher poultry, but at present there may very well be a glut,” a leading expert said.

Industry officials were also curious about why the Kosher Valley brand did not succeed in the current health-conscious environment. The brand was the first all-natural kosher poultry product to be antibiotic-free (ABF), vegetarian fed and humanely raised. It featured modern and well received packaging and stood out as a higher-end product. Yet, say the officials the demand for the natural chickens was not as expected and consumers demonstrated once again that price is a major factor in their purchasing decision. Empire says that it will continue to produce the chicken and some experts predict that all-natural branded chicken and turkey products will continue to gain share in the kosher market.

Israel Seeks Legitimacy for its National Cuisine
Tel Aviv…Chef Yonatan Roshfel of the upscale Herbert Samuel restaurant was recently ranked as being in first place in a list of rising stars by the prestigious culinary magazine Food&Wine. The news was disseminated by the Israel Export Institute in an effort to create what a food writer once called “the non-existent Israeli cuisine.” In fact, in a televised game show, a contestant described Israeli cuisine as “kosher food.” Unlike France and Italy, there is no international acclaim for Israeli cuisine. Israeli products are routinely labeled as Middle Eastern or even Mediterranean as the highly successful Sabra Salads is positioned n this country. Even Food&Wine characterized the cuisine at Herbert Samuel as “neo-Mediterranean.” As a melting pot, there is no monolithic cuisine that can be tabbed as Israeli. After all, Jews immigrated to Israel from the broader Diaspora bringing the local cuisine with them. But that has not stopped Israeli food officials from trying to create a new “Israeli cuisine.” Israeli chefs are often invited to participate in international competitions and they are certainly revered in the Jewish markets, particularly if associated with one of the leading hotels.

Industry officials point to Israeli wines that have leapfrogged into world-wide recognition, so much so that well established wine producers such as France, Italy and Spain have taken notice and are actively competing against the wines. Israeli food officials say flatly that the objective of establishing an Israeli cuisine is well worth the effort from a financial point of view. But the question becomes what besides the traditional Middle East dishes (i.e. hummus, tehina, falafel etc.) can Israel claim is authentically Israeli, a challenge many chefs have pursued. They are looking at many traditional French, Italian and Spanish dishes and trying to “Israelize” them, as one chef put it. Truth is that Israeli chefs are up to the challenge, creating dishes that compete favorably with world-class chefs, as anyone who has eaten at a leading Israeli hotel knows. The challenge at hand is to sell this new excellence to the rest of the world. The good news is that the nouveau Israeli cuisine is absolutely kosher.

Travelers Find Kashrus in Israel Confusing
New York…With the Summer travel season looming, leading kashrus officials in this country are preparing to respond to inquiries from travelers about kashrus overseas. While generally being familiar with symbols and organizations here, many vacationers find it hard to negotiate the standards and symbols overseas. What is fascinating, say kashrus officials, is that Israel is the most confusing. While the majority of Israel’s food establishments have certification by either the Chief Rabbinate or the local Rabbinate, the standards may vary from case to case. It is particularly perplexing to travelers who covet glatt kosher. Some establishments routinely interchange Glatt with Mehadrin, adding to the confusion. Then there is Bet Yosef glatt which is not always accepted by many Orthodox Jews. The certification by the Orthodox Union (OU) of some establishments (hotels and restaurants) in recent years has given American travelers and Americans living in Israel “a level of comfort.” One observer noted that at such high-end restaurants as Papagaio and Red Heifer, English was the language spoken. “It’s like you closed your eyes and imagined you were at an upscale restaurant in Manhattan.” It is also important to such popular hotels as the Ramada and Plaza in Jerusalem who attract American Orthodox Jews.

A leading kashrus official in Israel told KosherToday that American tourists seeking the highest standard of glatt are aware of rabbis and agencies that meet their standards. He mentioned Rabbi Moshe Landau of Bnei Brak, Rabbi Avrohom Rubin of Rehovot and the Eda Hachreidit as examples of some of “the more acceptable certifications.” The rabbi acknowledged that certificates hanging in food establishments can be confusing, especially to tourists with limited command of the Hebrew language.

Kosher Food for Struggling Jews in Affluent Jewish Neighborhoods
Woodmere LI…by Tova Ross…The Five Towns may be amongst the most affluent Jewish regions in the country, but it is also an area with an increasing number of Jewish families who are struggling, KosherToday has learned. The Jewish Community Center of the Greater Five Towns has had a kosher food pantry for nearly five years (thanks to funding from the UJA-Federation of New York) to provide struggling residents of the Five Towns with pantry staples and canned foods. But it was only recently that increased demand for assistance has necessitated a move from the JCC’s basement to a larger storefront on Central Avenue in Woodmere. Rina Shkolnik, the JCC’s executive director, said: “Five years ago, we served fifty, maybe sixty families a week. Two years ago, we served eighty five families. Last year we served 135, and this year, 150. With an average of four members to a family, that’s already over 500 people that don’t have enough food to eat.”

Shkolnik attributes the rising number of people in need to the still-struggling economy. “Many of these families that are suffering already have kids in yeshiva and mortgages to pay, and when those costs are taken care of, it often doesn’t leave enough for kosher food,” she explained. Basics like milk and meat are more expensive when they’re kosher, and when one member of the family lost his or her job, finding the money for things that have already been committed to doesn’t leave a lot of room to buy kosher meat or other typically more expensive basic foods.

The new JCC storefront—which opened in part by donations from the JCC’s board of directors—operates differently from the basement food pantry, from which community members could not frequent and only receive donation from deliveries. In the storefront, perishables and canned goods are still collected from both private donations and from bins placed in local supermarkets like Gourmet Glatt, Brach’s, and Supersol that ask shoppers to buy an extra item to donate, but the food is then stocked on shelves for those in need to come and “buy” as they “shop.” And, unlike its previous location, this storefront is equipped with freezers used solely to stock meat, so families who cannot afford kosher beef and chicken can still enjoy it. The storefront’s windows have shades to protect the privacy of families who come to “shop” there. The space is leased for two years, but hopefully, it won’t need that long for community members to get back on their feet.

Wines That Go Well With Dairy Promoted for Shavuos
New York…With the two day holiday of Shavuos (Festival of Weeks) set to begin next week (eve of May 18-May 20), many Web sites are promoting recipes for the customary dairy meals. Supermarkets are also featuring many specials for fish, blintzes, cheeses, and vegetarian dishes. The Royal Wine Company (Kedem) is suggesting wines that can be paired with the Shavuos dairy fare. One suggestion that the wine company is promoting is “that when selecting a white or rosé this Shavuot, try to buy wine from recent vintages such as 2007 or younger. Also remember to serve these wines chilled, but not too cold—that can mask some of their aromas.” Amongst the wines listed for Shavuos and by extension the spring are Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Red Bordeaux, Chenin Blanc, and rosé (Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese and even Cabernet Sauvignon). Kedem offers these wines from California, France, New Zealand and Israel.

Gourmet Pizza: The Culinary World’s Hottest Trend Goes Kosher
New York…by Tamar Ross…One of the more notable trends in food nowadays is the upscaling of “ordinary” foods to gourmet. Pizza was certainly never thought of as anything but a quick bite on the cheap that could serve as a snack or meal. In many homes, Thursday night is routinely referred to as “pizza night,” because mom is probably preparing for Shabbat. Recently, however, pizza went gourmet as sophisticated restaurants started popping up all over New York—home of serious “foodies”—replete with menus and waiters bringing individual pies to the table, pies with features like thin Neapolitan crusts and Gruyère cheese. And, similar to many trends from the mainstream culinary world, gourmet pizza has officially migrated over to the kosher world.

Mike Gershkovitch, the chef and proprietor of Mike’s Bistro in New York City, recently branched out to dairy dining with Mike’s Pizzeria and Italian Kitchen, a gourmet cafe on the Upper West Side. The restaurant serves slices with caramelized onion, fresh herbs, ricotta and goat cheese, with options for a gluten-free or focaccia crust. And Café Viva, an established pizza shop also on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with an outpost in the Village, has long been serving vegan pizza fare that regularly gets rave reviews, especially among those who, for health or other reasons, cannot consume gluten. Their pies are all made with either whole-wheat, spelt, or corn crust, with popular offerings such as their Santa Rosa pie, with roasted garlic and tofu, and their Naturale pie, with organic tomatoes and miso-marinated tofu. Café Viva has been heralded in the secular world for its variety of wheat-free items. Shoshi Arnow, a student at Stern College for Women in Midtown Manhattan, says, “Café Viva is great not only because the food is delicious, but it allows people with celiac and gluten intolerance to finally enjoy a kosher meal out, and one that doesn’t sacrifice taste.” Craig Goldman, a 29-year old resident of the Upper West Side, dines at both Mike’s Pizza and Café Viva regularly. “Both stores offer the familiar taste of pizza with a sophisticated touch,” says Goldman. “Kosher pizza is not what it used to be—it’s much better.”

But it’s in Crown Heights, the home of one of the first kosher pizza stores (called Chopsie’s for those who may remember it), that has perhaps the most ambitious new store to hop on the gourmet pizza bandwagon. Basil Pizza and Wine Bar offers wood-oven baked pizzas including Bosc pear and blue cheese with arugula; parmesan and white asparagus; wild mushroom with truffle oil; and for the truly adventurous, hazelnut with banana and Sea salt.

If you’re thinking that this establishment doesn’t offer the usual pizzeria side dishes of plain fries and Israeli salad, you’re right. Sides include basil fries with garlic-truffle mayo and crispy risotto balls with tomato coulis; salads such as watercress and pear and arugula, beet, and warm goat cheese. Adam Sanogueira, the sous chef, was trained in Italy and worked at several Michelin star restaurants there before returning to NY. As he puts it, “Basil is a great restaurant that just happens to be kosher.” Sanogueria explains that the staff’s goal is to not just serve food that is excellent for kosher, but excellent in general, and to customers who have never before eaten kosher in their lives. “We’ve been drawing crowds from all over—New Jersey, the Five Towns , and even Manhattan .”

Israeli Food Exporters Concerned Over Expanding Euro Crisis
Tel Aviv…Israeli food manufacturers are concerned that the expanding Euro crisis may affect their projections for 2010 and 2011. Europe is a major market for Israeli exports. Shraga Brosh, president of the Manufacturers Association, told Globes, Israel’s leading business publication, that a third of Israeli exports are in Euros, which are currently 20% below what they were at the beginning of the year. Ironically, Israeli exporters in the past two years focused on the Euro as an alternative to the declining value of the dollar. Israelis are also closely watching how the Euro crisis affects the US. Avi Hefetz, Director General of the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute, said, "In the past few months, we've heard from exporters about their difficulties on a number of counts: a drop in orders from Greece, Portugal, Ireland, and Spain too; payment arrears; and customers not meeting terms or facing financial difficulties.” Israeli exports to crisis-ridden Greece totaled $295 million in 2009 and exports to Portugal totaled $111 million.

Israeli Dairies in Major Drive for Shavuos
Jerusalem…Israel's three leading dairy companies launched major initiatives in advance of Shavuos (Festival of Weeks) which in Israel takes place from sundown on May 18th to sundown on May 19th. Tnuva is offering larger packages for the same price, Strauss is distributing gifts while Tara Dairies is pursuing a price strategy. All three companies are also launching new products for the holiday. Sales of dairy products usually jump by almost 50% during Shavuot. However, in contrast to previous years, Strauss and Tara are now targeting Tnuva's core business, which is sharpening competition. Tnuva will invest $1 million in marketing while Tara will invest NIS 3 million.

Idele Ross, KosherToday’s Israel Bureau Chief, reports on many other activities in advance of Shavuos. The holiday celebrates the receiving of the Torah by Moses at Mt. Sinai as well as the harvest of the wheat and the first summer fruits. The annual ten days Milk and Honey Festival in the Jezreel Valley offers outdoor activities for the entire family. Boutique dairies are open and wineries celebrating the fruit of the vine have also planned activities for the public. Seyman Food importers, specializing in gourmet products from France and Belgium as well as Italy is importing soft cheeses ahead of the Shavuos holidays from France's Coeur De Lion cheese makers. The Seyman Trade Company was formed in 1985 by French immigrants to Israel who saw a great potential for importing premium kosher products from France and Belgium. Their product catalogue includes goat cheeses from France, real French country butter from Normandy, Parmigiano, Reggiano and Gorgonzola cheese from Italy. Today after 20 years of activity, their products are sold in all supermarket chains in Israel. The cheeses carry the kashrus certification of the Chief Rabbi of Israel.

Canadian Order Hailed by Israeli Winery Soon to be Kosher
Kfar HaTikvah, Galilee…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…Officials at Tulip wineries are raising their glasses in celebration of the news that the Canadian Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has placed an order with the Galilee winery. Roie Itzhaki, who manages the winery, said that 18 percent of their production is sold abroad. He said the winery’s success abroad is due to the quality of the wines and not because they are kosher. But Tulip will soon be kosher to further expand its market. The family winery produces 100,000 bottles a year which are also exported to the US. The winery which is located in Kfar HaTikva (Village of Hope) near Kiryat Tivon is well known for its social conscience as well as its fine wines. The winery has hired a number of developmentally challenged adults from a nearby sheltered housing project who are involved in many stages of the wine production.

Itzhaki told KosherToday that he is working on kashrus certification and is certain that by the end of this year Tulip wines will be kosher certified. He said he is in touch with the authorities who are working with him to bring the business in line with kashrus requirements. Itzhaki said that becoming kosher is very important because it will greatly increase the potential market for Tulip wines worldwide.

April 26th KosherToday News Headlines

Kosher Retailers Say Recession Still Curtailing Buying for Many
New York…The recession continues to have a significant impact on kosher food sales despite a perception that kosher food is “recession-proof,” KosherToday has learned. In dozens of interviews with industry officials, it became clear that the buying habits of kosher consumers was markedly different this past Passover than it was just two or three years ago. “People are being squeezed on all sides” said a Boro Park retailer, “and they are more price conscious than ever.” He said that he observed that more customers were buying from lists rather than just impulse buying or walking up and down the aisles and picking up items. In nearby Flatbush where Pomegranate has set a new standard in shopping for kosher foods, there were many customers who now shop in multiple stores. A kosher blogger wrote: “I have learned to buy items at Pomegranate that cost about the same everywhere (i.e. many dairy products) and to save by buying at places like COSTCO, Paperific and the Kollel store.” The retailers say they are constantly reminded by customers of a breadwinner that has lost their job. Stores that recorded double-digit growth in 2008, said they only did 2% - 3% better on sales during Passover 2010 than they did in 2009. The same seemed to be true in kosher wines where many customers shunned the more expensive wines they routinely bought in 2008. The number of people relying on help from such charities as Met Council on Jewish Poverty, Tomchei Shabbos and Keren Aniyim as well as similar organizations in cities outside of New York also increased significantly.

Despite this disturbing development for the kosher food industry, sources say, the industry as a whole seems to have weathered the “pockets of downturns” well. They pointed to making up some of the slack with volume. “Natural growth has always helped the industry even in a down economy,” said one kosher food manufacturer. New items also continue to drive sales as younger kosher customers continue to show a strong desire to try new and interesting foods. While there is talk of a recovery, in the kosher food industry the recession still continues to take its toll.

Keeping Customers Engaged After Passover Challenge for Many Kosher Retailers
New York… While some stores were still restocking their shelves after Passover, SuperValu was already promoting Israeli products in advance of Yom Haatzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, marking the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the Jewish state. Yakov M. Yarmove of SuperValu noted: “In addition to continuing the support of Israeli products, it always helps to have another sales program coming out of Pesach, when traditionally kosher sales slow down.” In a promotion with Osem, SuperValu launched an ad campaign for many of its affiliated stores throughout the country. Other grocers are gearing up for the upcoming holiday of Shavuos (eve of May 18th through the 20th) when in addition to the usual mix of holiday products, dairy items are highlighted. Some retailers say that the post-Passover period is a time for discounting many items and “keeping customers interested,” as one Midwest grocer said.

Passover 2010 will also be remembered for its unprecedented advertising. The number of full page ads in Jewish print media before the holiday was unparalleled. Some called it the “Pomegranate syndrome,” referring to the high-end Flatbush grocer that almost from its inception in August 2008 has been promoting the store through weekly full-page ads. It prompted many other kosher food purveyors and retailers to also go the full page route in the belief that Pomegranate's use of the large ads was a major reason for its success. But as it turned out, even Pomegranate went dark in the two weeks after Passover, although sources say it is expected to resume its advertising this week. One retailer said “I’ll be doing a great deal of advertising for Shavuos,” but then he joked: “My next Jewish holiday after that is barbecue.”

Disclosure Model of Kosher Food Laws Spreads, Latest is Georgia
New York…Georgia became the latest state to adopt the disclosure model of legislation to protect kosher consumers after New York’s century-old kosher protect bill was ruled unconstitutional in 2003. With only two days left to the session, the Georgia House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing the Georgia Kosher Food Consumer Protection Act, which replaces the current kosher labeling laws. The new law is modeled after the New Jersey law (replaced law ruled unconstitutional in 1992), that was later adopted by New York and several other states in requiring the posting of standards used when making representations of kosher. The current law in Georgia faced a First Amendment challenge brought by the ACLU and a Conservative rabbi.

While some critics have sought to discredit the disclosure model as “irrelevant” in an era of customer awareness, the reality is that the law does protect kosher consumers. In New York alone, sources say that inspectors of the New York State Kosher Law Enforcement Bureau routinely discover instances of where unsuspecting kosher consumers are duped. They say that during the just concluded Passover holiday many items that are kosher but not kosher for Passover were placed on shelves that were marked Kosher for Passover. A prominent rabbi said: “I am flabbergasted that the same people who go through hoops to protect the ordinary consumer deny that right to people who wish to eat kosher.”

Feature: Social Marketing Helps Drive Kosher Food Sales
New York…by Staff Reporters…A small Brooklyn grocer found it strange that at least three neighborhood women seemed to buy the exact same ingredient items within a few hours. His curiosity was satisfied when one of the women told him that she was “tweeted” about this great recipe and even directed to the exact aisle of where the ingredients were. A young couple at a high-end kosher restaurant in Manhattan posted their experience on Facebook as well as on a blog the husband writes. Increasingly, social marketing is having an impact on kosher food sales. The number of blogs that routinely cover kosher cooking, restaurants, new products, kashrus alerts, and travel increases with each passing day. Through Twitter and Facebook, kosher consumers now have instant feedback on the availability of kosher food products as well as special promotions and discounts. Kosher restaurateurs even are dealing with a growing number of customers who use their phone cameras to post the dishes that are being served. One kosher food executive said that the industry was benefiting from a new “kosher foodie culture.”

On Facebook, there are a number of pages dedicated to kosher cooking and kosher products. Some examples are: “Keeping Kosher in the Kitchen,” specifically offering recipes for the kosher kitchen, which has almost 2,500 fans; “Kosher Crockpot Recipes – Beyond the Chulent,” which has over 1,000 fans; “Salads (kosher) Galore” has over 3,000 fans; “hip” kosher products that are marketed to younger people like Ike and Sam’s Kettlecorn, started by two young Jews from Brooklyn; and kosher restaurants/cafes have fan pages, such as Burgers Bar, Kosher Subway, etc. Aron Ritter, founder of the Kosher Wine Society, uses Twitter and Facebook to announce wine tasting events and publicize the Society’s activities. Says Ritter: “In today’s ever-changing marketplace, using social media to reach people is really the optimal way to go.” Kosher food sources say that they are really beginning to feel the enormous power of social marketing. Manufacturers say that many SKU’s are moving better, largely due to the new technology. One owner of a kosher restaurant says that he now routinely asks customers to tweet their positive experience. While many in the industry still do not recognize the changes in the marketing of kosher products, it is only a matter of time that the industry takes note of one of the most dramatic changes to affect the industry since sushi became a kosher staple.

Many New and Interesting Exhibitors at Kosherfest 2010
Portland, ME…With six months to go, the 2010 edition of Kosherfest is already shaping up as a show with many innovations and new products. With each passing year, the annual kosher food trade show emerges as the international showcase for the latest products to be introduced to the industry. To be held on October 26-27 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, this year’s show will include many interesting trends. The number of exhibitors displaying spelt and gluten-free items is expected to grow. Traditional Greek yogurt, which is all the rage right now, will be at Kosherfest. Unlike traditional yogurts, which generally don’t exceed 3.5 percent milk fat, Greek yogurt is a strained yogurt made with cow or goat milk and has up to ten percent milk fat. This higher percentage allows for a smoother and creamier texture and taste. Greek Gods Yogurt can be used as a healthy base ingredient in dips and salads dressings; as a delicious garnish for soups; and as a tasty and wholesome breakfast parfait, mixed with nuts, granola, or fresh fruit. Different and unique breads will be presented by Rotella’s Italian Bakery, a family company based in Omaha, NB since 1921. Certified kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU), the products include wheat, rye, and pumpernickel bread loaves; hamburger buns; hoagies; ciabatta; dinner rolls and breadsticks; and specialty breads such as garlic bread, bread bowls, and flatbread. Guttenplan’s Frozen Dough is a frozen dough specialty company with a complete line of products that promises to bring many Kof-K certified products to household kitchens. Products include dough for Kaiser rolls; apple turnovers; cinnamon swirl bread; coffee rings; cinnamon pretzels; bagels in a variety of flavors such as jalapeño, apple cinnamon, and cranberry orange; and pizza dough. Kosherfest organizers say that this year’s show will also include a record number of international exhibitors with many new products.

Changes in Manhattan Restaurant Scene Offer New Options
New York…A new kosher dairy restaurant opened within earshot of the Israeli Consulate on Second Avenue as part of a number of interesting changes. Koshertopia, a blog that tracks kosher restaurants, reported that Lunchbox opened last week at 844 Second Avenue (corner of 45th St.). The dairy take-out offers fresh salads, hot lunch options, sushi and a variety of take-out options. The restaurant is under the supervision of the OK. The blog also reports that My Most Favorite Food moved to 247 West 72nd Street. The original location on 45th St. closed it doors permanently after over a decade of business. The popular Prime Grill restaurant which already has Solo, an Asian themed kosher restaurant, has opened a fusion restaurant of modern and southern Japanese cuisine at a moderate price point. Prime KO is located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Prime KO Executive Chef Makato Kameyama, previously of Prime Grill, has created an authentic Japanese menu of steak, fish, and sushi dishes. Prime KO was designed by Warren Ashworth, the man behind Union Square Café and BLT Market, among other notable restaurants. Finally, Shalom Bombay is set to open at a new Manhattan location at 344 Lexington Avenue.

Kosher Briefs…
Berlin…Air Berlin is aggressively pursuing the kosher traveler. The second largest airline in Germany and fifth largest in Europe, has added a third non-stop flight between Berlin and Tel Aviv. Passengers from Cologne and Munich also have a choice of two non-stop flights a week to Tel Aviv. Two further flights a week from Düsseldorf to Tel Aviv will be included in the schedule from June.

New York…"Iron Chef" Masaharu Morimoto tried his hand at kosher butchery last week butchering a full tuna and rolling sushi with the help of Rabbi Yonah Metzger—the chief Rabbi of Israel—at the Lubavitch Youth Organization's "Grand National Testimonial Dinner" at Cipriani on Wall Street in New York. Morimoto has a personal connection to the organization due to the Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed key members of the Lubavitch Youth Organization, and also destroyed Morimoto's restaurant.

Liverpool, UK…If you want to be both happy and kosher, then Liverpool Day Limmud at Hope University on May 2nd is the place to be. Holistic life coach Marvin Shaw, of Edgeware, will be offering a session of kabbalistically-inspired relaxation, meditation and visualization techniques aimed to make you feel better. Marvin’s ultimate dream is to set up a Kosher Happiness Centre of Creative Therapies at which all sections of the Jewish community would be offered a range of therapies from expressive voice and public speaking, counseling, color therapy, relaxation, meditation, poetry therapy and creative writing to goal setting, energy healing, massage, aromatherapy, laughter therapy and anger management.

April 12th KosherToday News Headlines

KosherToday Exclusive: Resurgent Kosher Meat Market Faces New Market Challenges
New York…The stage is set for the return of glatt kosher beef from Agri Star Meat and Poultry to many supermarket shelves, but the circumstances are far different than those that the company’s predecessors Agriprocessor left behind nearly two years ago. Industry sources say that there is no shortage of either glatt kosher poultry or beef in the marketplace, with the exception of several small markets that the former Agri served but other producers do not consider cost effective. In fact, the industry has experienced significant change since the ill-fated federal raid and subsequent bankruptcy of Agriprocessor, most notably the emergence of several new players in the industry, particularly in poultry. Agri Star, under the management of Jewish businessman and philanthropist Hershey Friedman, had been producing as many as 20,000 chickens a day contributing to what industry sources say is a “major glut of poultry products” and what has emerged in many markets as an unprecedented price war. The anticipated return of the beef from the Postville, Iowa plant was praised by local cattle farmers that have suffered as a result of the Agri shutdown of its beef production. The company itself is touting the resumed production as offering “extremely high quality” meat products. It also speaks of supporting the local Jewish community, which was developed and nurtured by the Rubashkin family.

Agri Star is also embroiled in controversy in the aftermath of the resignation of Rabbi Menachem M. Weissmandl of Monsey, who sources say, dropped his kosher certification of Agri products because of a poor working relationship with Mr. Friedman and his team. Said one source: “Mr. Friedman’s inexperience in the business did not augur well for his relationship with the supervising rabbis.” Rabbi Weissmandl has been replaced by the Tartakov Beis Din. It is uncertain what effect the change will have in the marketplace. Agri Star products, like those of the predecessor company, are also certified by the Orthodox Union (OU). The source wondered about the fate of the shochtim (kosher slaughterers), many brought here from Israel by Rabbi Weissmandl, which only added to the many questions about the future of Agri Star in the marketplace.

The shortages in the marketplace just after the demise of Agriprocessor have long been replaced by existing giants like Alle Processing and many newcomers, including imported beef products from South America, primarily Uruguay. Some caterers are still smarting over the loss of “real quality glatt kosher beef” that the market had become accustomed to, but one caterer told KosherToday “there are some really good cuts out there.” The kosher meat and poultry market in the US in 2009 was estimated at approximately $550 million, with less than half labeled as mehadrin or glatt. Even Hebrew National which produces kosher but not the higher standard glatt is said to have upgraded its kosher standard in recent years. According to rabbinic sources, under Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag of the Triangle K, “the kosher meat now meets the standard of being kosher.” The recast kosher poultry market includes more than a dozen brands, with one supermarket showcasing seven. This has cut into the sales of some of the established poultry producers. An industry source says “that the pie got only slightly larger but the number of chickens significantly greater and you can figure out the rest.” His reference appeared to be the effect on the long-time large producers.

Kosher Food Sales for Passover a Mixed Bag, Survey Shows
New York…When all the numbers are in for kosher food sales, Passover 2010 may show an 8% - 10% increase, but there were some markets that were described as “soft.” In interviews with more than a dozen retailers, manufacturers and distributors, the big story appeared to be some of the subtle changes in the behavior of consumers. One noticeable trend was the move to healthier eating with more whole-wheat and spelt matzohs sold. The recession appeared to still have a hold on many customers as they avoided overbuying and shunned more expensive items. The grocery sources said they also noted a stronger demand for ingredient items, indicating more home-cooked items.

Sales were stronger in the New York area than they were in other parts of the country. Kosher sources say that natural growth and the addition of significant numbers of out of area guests contributed to a 12%-15% sales increase in some areas in New York. In some areas, new items again drove margins to offset losses on such loss leaders as Matzoh and grape juice. One Brooklyn retailer credited the calendar for his strong season “I love it when Shabbos is free-standing and in the middle of the holiday as it was this year, giving me three shopping spurts within the holiday. Sales of all categories of Matzoh were believed to flirt with the $90 million mark but some stores said that their biggest sales were not in specially produced Passover foods. One retailer said that he had sold a record number of full cases of potatoes, onions and eggs, as more families seemed to stay at home. But at the same time, operators of special hotel programs all over the country said that they had done far better this year than in the preceding two years, but were still shy of the numbers recorded in 2007. The market as a whole seemed to deal far better with the customary annual shortages than in the past, albeit that there were many reports of shortages of Matzoh, particularly whole wheat and gluten-free in the New York area.

Even those retailers that categorized their 2010 Passover sales as “soft” seemed to indicate that they had at least matched last year’s sales and one said that “he only realized a 2%-3% increase.” He blamed the weaker sales on the early Passover, which he says always effect his sales. Another retailer in the Midwest blamed the ongoing recession, while a retailer in the South said that every few years “there is an unexplained adjustment.” Distributors say that they believe that nationwide Passover sales will at least increase by 8%-10%.

Feature: Food Maven Leads Tours of New World of Kosher…in Midwood, Brooklyn
Brooklyn…by Menachem Lubinsky…Shoppers on some of Midwood’s main commercial strips (i.e. Avenue J, Avenue M, Kings Highway) have a good chance of bumping into Arthur Schwartz, known as the The Food Maven and labeled as “a walking Google of food and restaurant knowledge” by none other than the New York Times Magazine. Chances are that there might also be some 12-20 people in tow, participating in one of Mr. Schwartz’s periodic shopping tours of some of the better known kosher stores in Midwood. His favorites include Pomegranate, Isaac’s Bakery, Gourmet on J and Mabat Restaurant. Schwartz’s tours typically begin with “one of the best bagels in town” with cream cheese and coffee at his Park Slope home and then proceeds to what Schwartz considers the “new world” of kosher.

A cursory glance at Schwartz’s resume confirms the coveted title of Food Maven. He is the author of seven cookbooks, including Jewish Home Cooking: Yiddish Recipes Revisited, the food writer for Newsday for nine years, the Daily News for 20 and the host of a popular radio show on WOR radio. Schwartz also operates a cooking school in Italy. Most of his groups find the visit to Brooklyn in itself an eye-opener, explains Mr. Schwartz. Their concept of Brooklyn as a crime infested borough with many pockets of slums is immediately shattered “when we travel down Albemarle Road or pass some of the large houses in Brooklyn.” But what they are unprepared for is the quality of the kosher food (ah the herring samples in Pomegranate!) that they could not even fathom existed. Schwartz has an interesting take on the development of kosher. He believes that this new age of kosher has only taken hold in the last five years. “Look at the ingredients, the quality of the Balsamic Vinegar, and the prepared foods, not to speak of the cookware” and you see that a new generation of kosher consumer is here. He even refers to the popularity of Sushi as the “new gefilte fish.” Although he refers to himself as being semi-retired, he is a consultant to the Liberty Science Center in planning a permanent cooking exhibit (with satellite exhibits around the country) and busy with many other projects, but the tours are “simply fun.” He is planning a kosher shopping tour for donors of the UJA of Central Jersey and is anxious to talk up a storm about the new world of kosher for any group that is interested in retaining him. Shopping tours have become increasingly popular in many parts of the country. It is an effective program for Chabad in interesting Jews in kosher. But as Schwartz’s participants will tell you there is nothing like a tour with the Food Maven himself.

Some Supermarkets Still Confuse Kosher for Passover with Kosher
New York…A blogger in Santa Cruz found regular matzoh on a Kosher for Passover shelf but “not a single box of Passover matzoh.” An inspector for the New York State Kosher Law Enforcement Bureau found many Passover shelves with kosher products that are not kosher for Passover. In New Jersey, a Kosher for Passover aisle featured non-Passover croutons. In Queens, there was confusion about cans of mushrooms on the shelves, some with the P designation and others without. Sources blamed the turnover of store personnel as a primary reason, particularly those stores that do not rely on distributors to set up the Passover shelves. “It’s really a case of the blind leading the blind,” said one distributor who described a store where a new manager with little experience in kosher giving instructions to a worker about stocking the shelves. In the New Jersey case, the daughter of a local rabbi complained to the manager who then asked her to go through all the products on the shelf to find any items that were not kosher for Passover. Distributors found it ironic that the stores would invest into a Passover program but then not go to the trouble of setting it up properly.

Veteran Kosher Wine “Educator” Predicts a More Upscale Movement
Bayonne, NJ…by Staff Reporters…Jay Buchsbaum spent his Pesach with the Chevra (an upscale Passover program) at the Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa in Litchfield Park, Arizona, educating Jews about fine kosher wines. He was taken aback when one of the participants wagged his finger in an apparent gesture of J’accuse: “You cost me $10,000!” When Jay recovered, he realized that the man had learned to appreciate an assortment of some of the most expensive wines which he skillfully mixed in with the haute Pesach cuisine at the resort and that the whole incident was rather a striking compliment to someone who has emerged as an iconic kosher wine educator. Jay predicts that this new appreciation for a maturing kosher wine industry whose products compare favorably with non-kosher wines will not only gain it acceptance amongst kosher consumers but will extend to the general population as well. When he first began his impressive career at Royal Wine Corp. (Kedem), a wine tasting meant responding to such basic questions as to what makes a wine kosher. Today he is preaching to a younger generation that is not only knowledgeable but is increasingly associating fine kosher wines with upscale dining or as Jay puts it “alongside the Sushi bar.”

When Jay turns back the clock to his early years at Kedem, he reminisces about trying to convert Jews who were used to the sweet sacramental wines. The two best known wines in those days, he points out, were Concord and Malaga. Today, Bartenura Mascato is a basic staple in most kosher households, so much so that the kosher version is the best-selling Mascato wine imported from Italy and that includes many non-traditional kosher consumers. Compared to the newer exotic kosher wines that are available today, even Mascato seems to be dated. To prove his point of just how far kosher wine has come in these last two decades, Mr. Buchsbaum mentions the Baron Herzog line which has received high praise from formidable wine critics as being of equal or better quality to comparable non-kosher wines. The addition of the attractive and luxurious Herzog Winery in Oxnard, CA was yet another turning point in what Jay routinely refers to as “the evolution of kosher wine.” Israel’s emergence as a relatively new center of some of the best wines in the world is another major development in that evolution. In fact, wine producing countries now consider Israel a formidable competitor. “Kosher wines have been a centerpiece of lifestyle changes amongst young Orthodox Jews,” Jay emphasizes. “It is no longer a case of just having a good bottle of wine at the Shabbat dinner or at an upscale kosher restaurant; it’s having good wine every night for dinner.” Despite these obvious changes, Jews are still well behind the general population in per capita wine consumption. And he is very careful to point out that having a great kosher wine experience is not synonymous with consuming an excessive amount of alcohol. Even when Jay’s wine demonstration at the Chevra included pairing great dishes with fine wines including champagne, lighter wine, richer red, and sweet dessert wine, “it still need not add up to excessive consumption of alcohol.” Jay recently lectured a group of restaurateurs on how to effectively promote their wine program, beginning with a cocktail while waiting for a table. For Jay no matter how sophisticated his market becomes, when it comes to kosher wines, he will always be the consummate educator.

Gatorade New OU Certification Seeks to take Advantage of Lifestyle Changes in Kosher Market
New York…The decision by Gatorade to secure the kosher certification of the Orthodox Union (OU) was due to the brand’s recognition of new opportunities with younger kosher consumers. Nearly six months after KosherToday (October 13, 2009) broke the story that both Gatorade and Tootsie Roll would soon add kosher certification, Gatorade itself broke the news in full page ads and press releases in Jewish publications. In fact, in its ad, Gatorade addresses the emergence of a younger more health conscious kosher consumer. Gatorade noted that its new OU symbol on the label “means the athletes in your family can now have the same advantage the pros have had since 1965.” Gatorade’s kosher certification also puts its parent company PepsiCo on a more level playing field with Coca Cola whose PowerAde brand has had OU certification for years. Gatorade has for years dominated the energy beverage category which it hopes to retain with its new kosher certification. Carbonated soft drinks have in recent years lost ground to the energy drinks. The retail dollar value of U.S. carbonated soft drink sales was up about 2.7 percent to $72 billion due to the popularity of higher-priced energy drinks and price increases of traditional soft drinks. The kosher beverage market is estimated at $1.5 billion, about 10% of the overall kosher market.

New Device to Help Kosher Consumers Locate Kosher Products
New York…by Zechariah Mehler…Thanks to MyGroceryMaster.com kosher consumers now have a new way to find kosher products using their iPhone or iPad. By downloading the My Grocery Master application from the Apple app store, kosher foodies will be able to search a database of over 100,000 specialty food products and 360 name brands. All they will have to do is to type in their zip code and My Grocery Master will search a database of over 100 grocery store chains for kosher products. The application will also search for specific products that are gluten free, vegan, organic and even free of lactose. Once the kosher product is found, My Grocery Master has a GPS function that will locate participating stores near the user. The App’s database of stores includes; Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, Wegman’s, Wal-Mart, Giant Food and Stop & Shop to name a few. “We’re delighted to save people time and energy looking for the products they need by making them available at the convenient touch of a button,” says Steven M. Friedman, President of Nosh Maven LLC. “We will continually be updating our database with new products and tailoring the application for more diet types.” The app is available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch at an annual fee of $4.99.

March 22nd KosherToday News Headlines

Record US Matzoh Sales for Passover Approaches $90 Million
New York…Matzoh sales in the US may hit $90 million this Passover, which begins on March 29th, a survey by KosherToday revealed, but it also highlighted some dramatic changes in the Matzoh market. Sales of the hand-made shmurah (guarded) matzohs represented nearly a third of the sales, largely as a result of their sharply higher prices per pound, but may be closer to 15% of individual matzohs sold. Shmurah matzoh sales are said to have risen nearly 18% over 2009. Matzos imported from Israel have significantly cut into the sales of US machine matzoh manufacturers by as much as 25%. Some industry sources reported that several stores only carried the Israeli matzoh. US manufacturers have long maintained that the Israelis were undercutting the US manufactured matzohs largely because they were subsidized by the Israeli government. However, officials of the Israel Export Institute say that it is no longer the case. Jewish community leaders say that many Jews prefer the Israeli matzohs as a sign of solidarity with Israel during Passover, a holiday observed by more than 80% of US Jews, according to the 2001-2002 Jewish Population Study of the United Jewish Communities.

The good news for the US manufacturers is that their matzoh sales rose despite the Israelis and despite matzoh being one of the designated loss leaders in dozens of supermarkets around the country. In some stores under SuperValu, a purchase of as little as $25 of Passover foods yielded a free 5 lb. box of matzohs. The price of the hand-made matzoh averaged around $20 lb., up from approximately $19 last year. Special matzohs like gluten free and spelt went for as high as $25.99 lb. Israeli shmurah was available for under $15 lb., but the Israelis have not been able to dislodge the Americans from major market share.

Some retailers complained that to satisfy customers, they had to carry as many as 12 brands with one store showing 14 brands on the shelf. KosherToday staff working on the survey in some cases could only calculate the value of the Matzoh rather than sales because they were part of a promotion and were technically not sold. But one retailer said: “Like all loss leaders, while we do not make money on the Matzoh, rest assured that we make it up elsewhere.” For the squeezed American manufacturers this was little consolation.

Israeli Technology Spurs Impressive Increase in Export of Passover Foods
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…Israeli food manufacturers are benefiting from an unprecedented increase in demand for their Passover products from Jewish communities in the US and Europe. The manufacturers introduced many new products this year largely due to advances in technology, which allows them to use ingredients to mimic tastes and flavors of year-round products without using leavening agents. Demand for foods which carry the stricter Mehadrin kashrus certification is also rising from Brazil to Australia and from Canada to Austria. Israel is considered the second largest exporter of these goods after the United States. The Israel Export Institute reports that matzoh exports in the past few years averaged $9 million a year while wine sales totaled $7.75 million, but industry sources are predicting a 15% increase this year.

Taaman, Israel's leading exporter of Mehadrin products, is reporting a 23.5% growth in sales primarily to the east coast of the US, the UK, and France. CEO Shalom Haim said sales are expected to continue the upward trend due to increased demand from the Orthodox Jews with significantly larger families. Taaman is exporting everything from basic foodstuffs to snack foods and sweets, all kosher for Passover. Of Tov has increased its export capabilities to cope with an increasing demand from abroad. Some 200 tons of poultry products were sent to supermarkets in the US and Western Europe. Despite the political tensions with Turkey, it's business as usual for kosher tourism to Antalia this Passover. Aaron Lipner of Club Kosher told Maariv that this is the sixth year he is arranging strictly kosher for Passover vacations in Antalia. He told Maariv that the Turkish Tourism Ministry is helping with the logistics so that 1,500 Israelis can celebrate Passover at a resort on the coast of Antalia. He has dispatched a team including kashrus supervisors, ritual slaughters for meat, chefs and bakers as well as Hebrew speaking baby sitters. All foods are being air-lifted from Israel including sugar which has a Badatz certification for Passover.

Turkish coffee from Landver was sent to the US ahead of the holiday. Some nine tons of kosher for Passover coffee has been specially prepared for export. The deal is said to be worth more than $100,000. The company said the distribution is being handled by Osem-US. Amongst the new and innovative products developed by Israeli manufacturers was Mama Ofe’s 'breaded' chicken breasts and chicken stars for children. People who eat kitniot (legumes) on Passover can still enjoy their salty snacks as both Bisli and Bamba are out with Passover versions. Then there is the rich selection of sweets which this year includes the usual cakes and macaroons but many bakeries offer unique delicacies such as Florentines, Hazelnut meringues and pies.

Asian Home Gourmet has launched a line of kosher for Passover sauces and marinades for beef and chicken. Green and Red curry sauce is also available as is garlic, chili-ginger and lemon grass marinades.

Discount Chains Edge Closer to Passover Sections, but the Largest is Said to Lag
Miami…The Costco store which serves Jewish residents of Miami Beach, Ventura and other Jewish communities in South Florida featured a pallet of kosher for Passover cakes from Schick’s Bakery in Brooklyn, part of several such displays in the store which naturally included the obligatory Kedem Grape Juice. Chaim Braunfeld of Schick’s said that his Passover cakes were displayed in 22 Costco stores. Other discounters like Trader Joe’s and Target are also displaying many Kosher for Passover items. The Passover effort is part of an aggressive move by the discount chains to court kosher consumers. Trader Joe’s is even marketing its own private label kosher items, including meat (albeit not glatt). One distributor said that the discount stores “are just beginning to appreciate the significance of Passover.” He said: “They are still learning the ropes and it may take time for them to understand the value of a kosher set.” One chain that has come in for recent criticism over its handling of kosher is the Wal-Mart chain, which leaves many distributors with questions on the chain’s commitment to a kosher program.” One kosher manufacturer told KosherToday that Wal-Mart “had completely dropped the ball” in its Upstate Monticello store and it was not uncommon to see half stocked kosher shelves in other areas as well, including those serving significant Jewish communities in the Miami and Lakewood areas. A supermarket executive with many stores in Jewish neighborhoods said: “We are certainly grateful that Wal-Mart is not seriously competing with us for the kosher business.” Supermarket chains, however, stepped up their Passover programs with noticeable improvements from chains like Wakefern (Shoprite) and Winn-Dixie. The chain’s key executives recently traveled to Chicago to see the Passover sets at the Jewel-Osco stores. Industry sources say that Passover sales of kosher foods represent 40% of their sales, which some have estimated at nearly $2 billion. Whole Foods also stepped up its Passover program with many natural and organic Passover items, including chicken from Kosher Valley.

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder for the Returning Bartons
Baltimore…Eighteen months after it had produced its last batch of the popular Chocolate Almond Kisses, Bartons has made a dramatic return to store shelves in time for Passover 2010. According to a source that has been involved with Bartons for many years, with the exception of less than a handful of previous customers, most stores gladly placed their orders for the coveted chocolates. The luxury chocolate products were not available in 2009 after owners Cherrydale Farms of Allentown, PA failed. With the exception of marshmallows, Bartons produced the full line of its OU certified Kosher for Passover products. The Bartons brand is currently owned by Bronx based Bazzini Nuts, a 119-yearold family business that had also acquired the Barricini brand, once Bartons key competitor. Bazzini is said to have acquired the plant and is in fact rumored to be moving its own operations to the large Allentown facility. KosherToday has learned that Bazzini intends to continue to produce Bartons year-round and to continue its successful corporate and gift programs. Bartons was founded in 1938 by Viennese chocolatier Stephen Klein.

Manischewitz Resorts to Promotions to Highlight its Growing Line of Foods
New York…by Zechariah Mehler and Staff Reporters…With less than two weeks to Passover, the ageless Manischewitz company was promoting good Jewish food and not necessarily Matzoh. The occasion was the 4th Annual Man-O-Manischewitz cook off held on March 18th at the Manhattan Jewish Community Council on the West Side. With a prestigious panel of judges, lead by world renowned French chef Jacques Pepin, the cook off was conducted much in the same way that the popular Iron Chef is. Competitors were given an hour to cook their dishes and were graded on taste, ease of preparation, creativity and originality. The recipes required the use of Manischewitz's new all natural broth and allowed up to 7 more ingredients. One contestant Harold Cohen, a seventy-eight year old legally blind reconstructive surgeon from Miami, was no stranger to cooking competitions. He has brought his recipes into a number of cook offs such as the Food Network's Ultimate Recipe Challenge. Ultimately the winner was Sarah Freedman-Izquierdo from Miami Beach for her Mandarin Dumpling Soup. With the title and trophy Sarah also received a $25,000 grand prize.

Ever since being acquired by the Harbinger Group in 2007, the company has moved to restore the 120-year legacy of Manischewitz with improved graphics and many new products. At a press conference prior to the event, David Yale, President and CEO of the Manischewitz company mentioned the company’s expanding product line: “As the leader in the kosher market, we take pride in our wide range of specialty products that inspire cooks of all types to create exciting kosher recipes”. Mr. Yale, a seasoned food executive, assumed leadership of the company a little more than a year ago and is credited with improving the company’s lagging sales. One distributor told KosherToday: “Manischewitz has truly reconnected with their core base and this promotion is just one example.”

Osem/Nestle to Expand into Vegetarian Meat-Substitution
Tel Aviv…In a bold move, Osem is set to acquire the remaining shares in Tivall, Israel’s leading vegetarian meat-substitute producer at a total value of $300 million. Osem plans to run Tivall as a wholly-owned subsidiary. The company is owned by Kibbutz Lohamei Hageta'ot (fighters of the ghetto, survivors of the Jewish resistance) in the north of the country, near the coast between Acre and Nahariya. According to Globes, each kibbutz member will be making about $500,000 from the sale. Osem CEO Aviezer (Gezi) Kaplan is a member of the kibbutz and one of the founders of Tivall, and will also be getting a share of the sale. However, Kaplan, speaking on behalf of Osem, said the kibbutz had yet to make a final decision. Tivall was established in 1985 and Osem bought 50% of the company in 1995. In 2005 Osem received an option to buy out the kibbutz and purchased another 7% of Tivall for $20 million in March 2006. In addition to its factory on Lohamei Hageta'ot, Tivall has manufacturing facilities in the Czech Republic and in the United States. Tivall also owns Sabra Salads.

In August 2008 Tivall expanded into the American market with its purchase of Tribe Mediterranean Foods Company for $57 million. It spent another $20 million three months later to buy Foodtech International, which also makes frozen and chilled meat-substitute products. Tivall has about $200 million in annual revenues all told, including its foreign operations.

Dramatic Increase in Sales of Kosher Cookbooks for Passover
New York…by Zechariah Mehler and Staff Reporters…While an estimated 20,000 American Jews head to hotels all over the world to celebrate Passover, which begins on the eve of April 29th, tens of thousands of people will be celebrating at home with relatives and friends. A survey by KosherToday shows unprecedented sales of kosher cookbooks for the holiday, a trend stimulated by Susie Fishbein, whose Kosher by Design series opened the doors to dozens of other cookbooks, an increased number of web sites that feature kosher recipes, and even blogs, and twitter cooks. A new generation of cook books serves as a way to accommodate both the old word roots of kosher cooking and the new more experimental palate of modern day foodies. No cook book on the market merges these two worlds better then the recently published Passover - a Kosher Collection, by Pam Reiss, a Winnipeg chef. She originally started working in her parents catering company, Desserts Plus, which also serves as Winnipeg’s only kosher grocery store.

Pam always loved interpreting traditional kosher recipes using her singular creativity. She started her career as an author with Soup - a Kosher Collection. Her new Passover book offers sample menus that include everything from the traditional gefilte fish and chicken soup to the more modern cod fish cakes and black currant ribs. She strives to help her readers create a truly distinctive Seder experience.

Wine Sales Soar With Perhaps One Exception, Expensive Wines
New York…Wine sales are definitely up this Passover, but several wine and spirit stores said that there was “somewhat of a drop in the more expensive wines,” something that they blamed on the recession. There were wine tastings in many synagogues and even at Tribeca’s City Winery, a wine bar, restaurant and interactive event space, a project of Michael Dorf. The wine tasting on March 14th was held in conjunction with the The Jewish Week . Some of the new wines promoted by the Kedem Group / Royal Wine Corp. were on display. They included wines from Spain, Chile, New Zealand, Israel and California. Some of the new wines promoted by Kedem include Goose Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (New Zealand), Elvi Clásico 2008 (Spain), Carmel PC Merlot 2007 (Israel), Psagot Edom 2007(Israel), Barkan Classic Pinot Noir 2009 (Israel), Baron Herzog Jeunesse Chardonnay 2009 (California), Alfasi Reserve Malbec Syrah 2009 (Chile), Baron Herzog Old Vine Red Zin 2007 (California), Weinstock “Cellar Select” Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (California), and Capcanes Peraj Petita 2007 (Spain).Certain spirits are now, kosher for Passover, including a Zachlawi, Mojito Vodka and even a Casa Vieja Anelo Tequila. Mixers range from a Moses Mojito to an Egyptian Sunrise or 10th plague Tequila. In Israel, sales of wines and spirits for the holidays are at least 10% ahead of 2009, with the Israeli wineries turning out many new wines. In France, wine sales were also said to be about 10% ahead of last year.

$400,000 Raised at Met Council Food for Life Event
New York…A festive dinner attended by 250 New Yorkers raised $400,000 to support the expansion of Met Council’s Kosher Food Network, distribution program and services. Held at the Museum of Jewish Heritage on March 11th, the emcee was Arthur Schwartz, Brooklyn’s own internationally acclaimed food critic, television and radio personality, award winning author and guest lecturer. He is better known as The Food Maven. In total, the evening ticket sales, raffle, silent auction and live auction raised more than $400,000 which will support the expansion of Met Council’s existing food distribution program, kosher food pantry, food vouchers, weekend and holiday meals for the homebound elderly and the creation of three new soup kitchens. There are currently three Met Council-Masbia kitchens (Boro Park, Flatbush and Williamsburg). Awards were presented to Kenneth Chenault, Chairman and CEO of American Express, by New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; John Doherty, Principal of Wolfpack Hospitality and Former Executive Chef of the Waldorf Astoria, by Menachem Lubinsky; Pomegranate, the successful gourmet Brooklyn kosher supermarket owned by Abraham Banda; and Central Synagogue, accepted by Kenneth Heitner.

March 8th KosherToday News Headlines

Record Sales for Passover Expected Despite Ongoing Recession
New York…”Passover is definitely in the air,” a Brooklyn food distributor said as he surveyed the aisles of one of his customers. He and two workers were stocking two aisles with Pesach groceries as the manager was covering one register for customers already buying foods to get a head start on cooking for Passover. Most retailers throughout the country are by now into the Passover season. In Cedarhurst LI, Gourmet Glatt has opened a special Passover store directly across from their year-round store. In recent years, a number of stores opened the separate stores. The Orthodox Union opened its annual special Web site, www.oupassover.com, featuring laws of Passover, holiday recipes, cleaning tips, and informative articles. The site compliments the OU’s popular Passover guide. Most of the other major kashrus agencies also publish special guides for the holiday as well as special features on their Web sites. The cRc in Chicago this year published a 56-page guide that was available in both a hard copy and in a downloadable version. A KosherToday reader wrote: “I cannot believe the number of recipes that are available this year on-line.” As an example, she cited food writer Eileen Goltz who is out with many recipes for the holiday, including one for pizza.

While most industry sources are predicting a record year for sales of Passover foods, the number of people relying on assistance from Jewish charity has grown significantly, according to the Metropolitan Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty. SuperValu (with stores like Jewel’s, Albertson’s and Acme) have teamed up with Manischewitz (Rokeach and Mother’s products are included) in a charity drive to help the United Soup Kitchens in Israel, according to Yakov Yarmove. Manischewitz now has OU-P whole wheat matzah meal and whole wheat matzah farfel, both made from Manischewitz OU-P whole wheat matzah. In fact, the SuperValu stores are offering a free 5lb. box of matzoh with the purchase of $50 or more of Passover products. The OU now certifies Aviv, Osem, Yehuda, and Rishon matzah products from Israel as well as the Yanovsky bakery in Argentina. The Matzah can be washed down with OU-P Coca Cola which will again be available in 2 liter bottles with its distinctive yellow caps. And for those who may be wondering, Barton’s is back this year after a one-year hiatus.

Mashgichim (Kosher Supervisors) Get New Respect from Kashrus Authorities
Dallas…An impressive gathering last month of kashrus committees from all over the US and Canada as well as Mexico was the setting for an important discussion on the status of thousands of mashgichim (kosher supervisors). Sponsored by the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO), the conference heard Rabbi Nissin Davidi of the RCC in Los Angeles urge the attendees to officially adopt minimum standards for accepting a mashgiach into any of the AKO members Vaadim. The agreed upon items ranged from assuring the correct legal status of mashgichim to their proper dress code. After much debate the minimum standards were approved. The important role of the mashgiach in a kashrus organization was underscored by Mr. Bill Finkelstein, one of the founders of Dallas Kosher, who now serves as their attorney. Mr. Finkelstein pointed to the different ways a kashrus certification agency can be liable for a mashgiach’s mistakes. Mr. David Scharf, formerly of Scharf and Ram Caterers, shared some of the “tricks” that caterers and restaurant owners play on mashgichim. Even the most experienced rabbis in the group were amazed at Mr. Scharf’s words as well as his recipe for a successful relationship with the most seasoned owners. There was a recognition that the mashgiach is an important component of elevating the standards of kashrus. Rabbi Reuven Stein of the Vaad of Atlanta proposed “the Mashgiach’s Bill of Rights”. This was a result of a year’s work for Rabbi Stein. The AKO members unanimously voted to introduce these conditions into their contracts. The articles in the document include proper working conditions for a Mashgiach, as well as what jobs a mashgiach may or may not be allowed to perform on the job. It also addresses the proper method for a mashgiach to address any grievances.

New Kosher Wines for Passover Appeal to Every Taste
New York…by Eda Kram…Wine connoisseurs as well as ordinary Jews participating in a Seder this Passover already have an unprecedented number of wines to choose from. But Passover 2010 will have some interesting additions. This year Kedem, which traditionally adds many new wines each Passover, is adding Baron Herzog Pinot Grigio, Kedem Estates reduced Carb Wines, Baron Herzog Jeunesse White (Chardonnay) Alfasi Mistico, Binyamina Reserve Shiraz and Segal's Argaman. Allied Importers U.S.A has several new wines available for Passover including Dalton Matatia 2006, which is several years in the making. The wine was named after Mat Haruni, the founder of Dalton Winery. Other new Dalton wines include Moscato 2009 and Un-oaked Chardonnay 2009. Beckett’s Flat ‘Five Stone’ Methode Champenoise is yet another new wine. Many Israeli wineries have also introduced new wines. Some of these wines will be on display at a wine tasting sponsored by the Jewish Week on March 14th at City Winery in Tribeca in New York City. The City Winery produces more than 250 barrels of wine a year, over 35 of them kosher. The weekly is also featuring a first-ever Kosher Wine Guide, which appears as a glossy-covered supplement in its March 5th issue. The magazine-style Kosher Wine Guide will feature articles about an up-and-coming Israeli winemaker, a three-hour scramble to taste 170 wines, how to match the right wine to the meal and more. The Guide will publish the names of the new winners of The Jewish Week’s Top 18 Kosher Wine Competition.

Loss of 1,500 Rooms Not Necessarily Bad News for Pesach Programs
New York…With three weeks to the start of Pesach (eve of March 29th), Jewish newspapers still featured advertising for one of the many programs all over the US. Sources say that an estimated 20,000 vacationers will spend the holidays in major hotels. But they also point out that there will be 1,500 fewer rooms than last year, namely as a result of the shutdown of five programs, three by the Smilow family. Guests who booked at some of these programs have scrambled to re-book in other programs. One food distributor said that he believed that the programs were 20% ahead of last year when the recession first impacted the programs. “It is really a consolidation that will in the end have more guests and less empty rooms,” he said. In other words, he points out, the operators will have less empty rooms. There appeared to be some last minute bargains as several of the programs dropped prices in an attempt to fill their remaining rooms. The program operators had become accustomed to the last-minute bargain hunters who trade in the lower prices for some of the less desirable rooms. Yitzchok Neger who operates a major program in Lancaster PA will have more than 1,100 guests in what he calls the “Wal-Mart model,” offering prices at around $1600 per person. He and several other operators who are also in that price range hope that volume will allow them to turn a profit even at the lower prices. Even some of the most successful programs still have 30-35 rooms to fill.

"Alef" a New Premium Vodka is Also Kosher for Passover
New York…by Zechariah Mehler…Vodka on Passover? This year Alef, a new vodka made from grapes rather than from grain, will be available for the holiday, thanks to Avi Petrov of LeChaim Enterprises. "There’s still room on liquor store shelves for a high-end vodka." says Avi, who immigrated to the US from the Ukraine in 1991. His LeChaim Enterprises was an effort to introduce products that were so much a part of his life and culture in his old homeland. After trying many of the leading brands of high end vodka, Avi concluded that there was a need for a new brand of premium vodka that was not at all similar to those that were already on the market, but with a twist. "We knew that only an authentic drink with a distinct identity would survive," he says. This led to his creating a premium vodka made from grapes. The spirit market in general featured only a limited number of grape vodka, mostly French, such as Cîroc and Idôl, but none of them have kosher certification. Being the first kosher grape vodka, Alef is hitting the shelves just in time for Passover. Avi has received an enthusiastic response to his new vodka with its distinctive Hebrew Aleph letter on beautiful blue as well as clear bottles.

Canada in Major Push to Export Products to US Kosher Market
New York…by Zechariah Mehler…While Vancouver was hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, the Consul General of Canada hosted a collection of kosher food brands from the neighbors to the North. With the Canadian and US dollars on a more level playing field, the Canadians feel that the time is rife for a major push into the US kosher market. Attracting a who's who of personalities from the world of kosher, the event featured everything from fresh fish from Lake Saskatchewan to premium Canadian beer and even microwaveable bagel bites filled with cream cheese. It isn’t only the dollar exchange that makes the timing so ideal. The Canadians are producing many new and innovative kosher products, many of them certified by the COR, the Kashrus Council of Canada, a major participant in the event. Based in Toronto, the COR represents 900 retail facilities and over 45,000 different products. The Vaad of Montreal has long been an exhibitor at the annual Kosherfest, which takes place this year on October 26-27. As a result of the success of their event at the Consulate, the Canadians are looking to host a major pavilion at this year’s Kosherfest.

February 22nd KosherToday News Headlines

Record Number of New and Improved Passover 2010 Products to Hit Supermarket Shelves
New York…by Eda Kram…As supermarkets around the country open their Passover 2010 sets, consumers will find an unprecedented array of new foods and wines that will make this holiday “more interesting than in recent years,” according to one source. Many of the new products are designed to bring the Passover taste closer to that of year-round items while others are simply meant to add the broad array of items already available for Pesach. There is also an emphasis on healthier products. In its exclusive annual review, KosherToday looks at an impressive list (that is far from complete) designed to preview what is being described as “one of the most exciting groups of new products in a long time.”

This year’s list of new products includes many new sauces, condiments and oils for Passover. They include Leiber's Macadamia Oil, Taanug Olive Oil Spray (Lantev Distribution Corp.), Gefen Sauerkraut and Chrayonnaise, Chili Sauce, Mustard, and Spicy Ketchup from Blanchard; 100% Fruit Spreads (no sugar added and in a variety of flavors—from Beit Yitzhak, Israel), Ein Harod’s Pure Honeys in 5 varieties, and Tishbi Wine Jellies and Preserves (upscale line of wine jellies and preserves by Oshra Tishbi, available in such varieties as: Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet; as well as Fruit and Wine Preserves combinations such as Strawberry Merlot, Apple Cabernet, and Passion Fruit).

In the category of drinks, juices and sauces are such new items as Chamomile Peppermint and Senna Leaf Tea (Taanug), Lemon Juice and Apple Sauce (Mishpacha), Clover Honey Squeeze Bear (Manischewitz), Gift set of Wissotzky line of teas (now distributed by Kedem), and Kedem’s new Peach and Blush Grape Juice flavors. There are many new soup related items on the shelves this year, including Osem Mini Crouton Soup Mandel, Telma Reduced Sodium Chicken Consomme Mix, and Telma Reduced Sodium Chicken Consomme Cube, and Halperin Jerusalem Matzah Ball Mix, and Kneidle Mix. In prepared foods, Osem introduces its Mashed Potatoes N Onion, Streits is out with its Quinoa Original and with Garlic, and Sugat (one of its many interesting products which are distributed by Osem) introduces its White Quinoa Royal, and Savion Falafel Mix.

While more and more supermarkets sell Shmura Matzohs, the shelves will be decked with all kinds of new Matzah and Matzah related products, including Holyland Handmade Shmura Matzah, Halperin Jerusalem Egg and Whole Wheat Matzah, Yehuda Mini Matzah, Streits Oat Matzah, Osem Whole Wheat Israeli Matzah, Negev Matzah, Aviv’s Whole Wheat Original, Mini Egg, Mini Egg N Garlic, Mini Egg N Onion, Egg, Egg N Onion, Egg N Garlic, Honey, and Wheat Bran and Rye Matzos, Halperin’s 18-Minute Matzah Farfel, Halperin Jerusalem Cake Meal, Streits Spelt (part of an increased number of spelt Passover items), Matzo Meal, Whole Wheat, Original and Cake Meal, Manischewitz Matzo Farfel . Yehuda Matzo Crackers and Yehuda Mini Matzo. Streit and Gefen are out with Chow Mein Noodles, as well as a thin and medium version of all-natural, Gluten Free and Chow Mein Noodles.

There are many additions for breakfast and dessert, including Gefen’s Honey & Fruity Flavored Cheerios, Frosted Flakes, and Chocolate Flavored Cheerios, Savion’s Crispy-O's Fat-Free Frosted, Sugat’s line of baking products include Baking Powder, Imitation Vanilla Extract Sugar, Sesame Seeds Hulled, Coconut Flakes Sweetened, Glick's Chocolate and Vanilla Cookies and Glick's Chocolate Brownie Cookie, Klein’s new Viennese Ice Cream Cake, Zelda’s Sweet Shoppe’s Chocolate Chip Mandel breit, Cinnamon Almond mandel breit, Chocolate dipped vanilla meringues ,Vanilla meringues Raspberry Jelly slice, Apricot Jelly slice, Chocolate Dipped macaroons and Chocolate Chiffon cakes

In the meat and fish category, Abeles & Heymann (now of Super Bowl fame) is introducing a Premium Sliced Turkey line and Smoked Turkey Mini Sausages. Remember Season? They’re back with their 100% Premium Quality Solid White Albacore Tuna, available in both water and olive oil. Also back are many new items from Haddar, a brand that used to be a basic staple on Passover and was recently reintroduced by new ownership.

In the sweets department for both adults and kids are a number of new products from Mishpacha, including a new line of macaroons (Coconut, Chocolate and Chocolate Chip), Grab n’ go all-natural apple sauces, lemon juice, and delicious pineapple products, Magic Max Cotton CandySoft and Fluffy, Magic Max Pink Cotton Candy, Manischewitz Dark Chocolate Almond Bark, BBM’s Swiss Selection Premium Chocolate, and from Streit’s- Lollypops in Assorted Flavors, Peach Yogurt Hard Candy, Strawberry Hard Candy, Butterscotch Hard Candy and Cappuccino Hard Candy, Chocolate & Coconut Macaroon in Travel Pack, Streit’s Raspberry Jelly Rings, Savion Marshmallow Cream, Elite’s variety of flavored Lentils, Mini Chocolate Mixes and a Milk Mekupelet Bar, Carmit has new Chocolate Balls in Dairy, Pareve and White Chocolate, Gedilla Ice Cream Cups - gluten-free alternative to the traditional ice cream cone and Klein’s Premium Sorbet Lemon in a Quart and Pint size.

In addition to foods, many new novelty items will be on sale in time for the holiday. They include Kar-Ben’s three new Passover Haggadahs for families, Sammy Spider’s First Haggadah; Sammy Spider leads the Passover Seder, Rite Lite’s Passover Pleasers (child friendly cookbook), My Passover Haggadah (for the youngest of children), and Melamine Childrens Plate.

(Please note that the Passover Wine Review will be in our March 8th edition)

Flatbush Food Establishments Contest “Book” Theory of Store Closure
Brooklyn…A KosherToday story that the closure of Fruit Palace on Avenue J was due to the mounting debt of credit extended to customers in what is known as the “book,” was immediately challenged by local merchants, investors, and at least one distributor. The culprit, say the food officials, is Pomegranate, which has sharply curtailed traffic on the Flatbush commercial strip. One source told KosherToday that most of the food stores “on the Avenue” were down between 30% - 40% since the large gourmet upscale supermarket opened only several blocks away in August 2008. An investor with Food Palace told KosherToday that “orders on a typical Friday were down by nearly 40% in most of the food stores on Avenue J.” Yet, one source also noted that the book may have been a factor, noting that one account at Fruit Palace owed the store more than $70,000. A source close to nearby Blue Ribbon said that his book totaled more than $200,000. Another Flatbush store put his number at “somewhere between $140,000 - $160,000. But the food sources say that the book is not the reason for the doldrums at some of the stores as those payables have always existed. “It is clearly Pomegranate that has simply cut traffic on the avenue significantly,” said one source that has been on the avenue for over a quarter of a century. He added: “Look, we are trying to help our customers and when you wrote about the book, you neglected to mention how much free food we all give away. That’s what hurts so much. We’ve done so much for this community and suddenly many of them are gone, just like that.”

Psagot Wines Proves Israel Competing Favorably with World Class Wines
New York…by Zechariah Mehler…Quality wines are so much a part of the culture and history of France that it is automatically given the edge when it comes to winemaking. Yet, of late Israeli wineries have fared extremely well in international competitions even against the best French wines, and yes Israel with its rich tradition in general has a long history in winemaking. A good example is the Psagot Winery, which is located in the Judean Hills just north of Jerusalem overlooking the Edom Mountains to the east. This area was once the home of hundreds of ancient wineries whose remnant can still be seen today. Psagot's wine cellar is an ancient cave used for winemaking that dates back to the time of the second temple. In this wine cellar Psagot ages enough wine to produce about 80,000 bottles a year. Their signature wine is called Edom and it is made from a collection of the various grapes at the wineries. Smooth and rewarding Edom is rich with the flavor of berries, vanilla and oriental spices. "The flavor comes from the mountains surrounding Jerusalem”, says Yaakov Berg, one of Psagot’s owners. "The soil is very rocky and in order to plant we need to drill into the rocks. Because of this the grapes receive a lot of minerals from the soil that add to the overall taste of the wine". With eight different wines, Psagot Winery is primed to become one of the premier labels in Kosher wine.

Kosher Food Purveyors Rush to Imitate Pomegranate Success With Full Page Ads
New York…Jewish newspapers are suddenly flush with full-page image ads by kosher supermarkets, health food stores, and even poultry manufacturers as many seek to imitate the extraordinary marketing success of Pomegranate, the upscale Flatbush kosher supermarket. This has almost overnight created a bonanza for cash starved Jewish weeklies who are the direct beneficiaries of the “full-page war,” as one advertising executive termed it. “They believe that the colorful ads with those gorgeous food shots have helped make the store (Pomegranate) a real success,” he said. He added that in the past just to get some of these stores to advertise at all was like “pulling teeth.” Many of the stores now stress their wide aisles, parking, and fresh meats as part of an image campaign that is vintage Pomegranate. There are photos of owners and butchers, all in an effort to project an image of upscale as opposed to price sensitive. Many of the stores and purveyors who are now part of this media war admit that they may not be able to sustain this effort long-term. In fact, marketing experts predict that even Pomegranate will at one point “tone down” its advertising, out a conviction that it has already won the market share that it could have hoped for. In the on-going poultry war, the winner is clearly the consumer, but in the end the consumer may win the retail war as well.

Change in Hashgochos can be Costly in More Ways Than One
Postville, IA…The owners of Agri Star, the successors of Agriprocessing, may have learned a valuable lesson last week when one of its main hechsherim pulled its certification. The departure of Rabbi Menachem M. Weissmnadl caused an immediate uproar, prompting the owners to threaten legal action and recourse in a rabbinical court. Sources say that friction between the team of Rabbi Weissmandl and the ownership of Mr. Heshi Friedman had been going on for weeks. In his brief announcement, Rabbi Weissmandl noted that he was removing his kosher certification from all the various brands of AgriStar. Sources say that the loss of the hechsher to Agri could further complicate the company’s recovery efforts. One source familiar with similar changes in kosher certifications said: “The cost of changing the labels alone is enough to cause someone to think twice, let alone of the fallout from a dropped hechsher.” In addition to Rabbi Weissmandl’s hechsher, Agri Star products are also certified by the Orthodox Union (OU). Although Rabbi Weissmandl was careful not to cast aspersions on the kashrus, many of his followers and others are questioning the motives behind his departure. A source close to the controversy said: “Let us just say that the cultures were not compatible.” Agri Star continues to be a major producer of kosher poultry and to date has not yet resumed the slaughter of cattle since its predecessor Agriprocessing declared bankruptcy. A source close to the Friedmans told KosherToday that the resumption of the schechita of cattle was imminent. Many questions loomed in the wake of the developments at Agri Star, including the fate of some of the shochtim who are part of the operation of Agri Star. A spokesman for the Orthodox Union said that the OU would continue to certify Agri just as it has for many years. They emphasized that the integrity of the kashrus was not compromised by the change.

The Hammentaschen from Zadies Score Big
Fairlawn, NJ…by Zechariah Mehler…The great Hammantashen debate? It was a debate raging amongst Israelis last year on whether the triangular shaped frequently prune filled pastries for Purim (February 28th) could ever compete with the sufganiyot (donuts) on Chanukah. In the US, at least at Zadies Bakery in Fair Lawn, NJ, the clear winner is hammantaschen (named for the evil Haman who sought to destroy the Jews in ancient Persia). Zadies is popular for Purim celebrants because they do not only fill their dough with prune. Apricot, sesame and strawberry are crowd favorites but it’s the truly unique creations that keep them coming back. Among the standard flavors are Hammentaschen that are filled with brownie and pudding. These wonderful cookies are the creation of Josh Steinberg, one of Zadies owners. "We like to experiment with new ideas as much as possible" Josh said. "We are working at something new for this year too. Maybe apple. We'll see". As one of New Jersey’s biggest distributors of baked goods, the pressure of keeping up with demand can take its toll. "Unlike a lot of places, all of our hammentaschen are hand made and not by machine. Some days demand is so great that all I do is make hammentaschen."

Charedi Shoppers in Israel Prefer Brand Names
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KoserToday Israel Bureau Chief…Tnuva, Osem and the Shupersol (Supersol) 'Yesh' supermarket chain are the most identifiable brand names among Charedi orthodox households. There are some 125,000 of these households in Israel and the community is growing at a rate of 6.7% a year making it a very desirable market for food manufacturers. The Hebrew language Globes business news website reports on marketing research carried out by the ‘Hamevaser’. A senior advertising executive whose agency caters to the observant community said that most of Israel's major manufacturers understand that the Orthodox sector is the country's fastest growing community and will continue that way for the next ten years. The independent study carried out among 538 respondents found that the most recognizable brand in the community is Tnuva dairies, followed by Osem and in third place 'Yesh' a subsidiary of Supersol. The authors of the study attributed Tnuva and Osem's familiarity to their many years in the food industry. The 'Yesh' chain, a relative newcomer, they said, has outlets in most Charedi communities. Also in the findings is the fact that the Hared consumer is loyal to the known brands and trusts their stricter mehadrin kashrus even if products are more expensive. For example, Coca Cola is a favorite soft drink among those who were asked. Some 36 percent expressed their preference for Coke over other soft drink bands which are less expensive.

Sociologist Professor Oz Almog, who studies the consumer behavior of the religious community, said that their shopping habits and their image have changed. They no longer buy the least expensive brands. He said that they prefer the brand names even for basic foodstuffs like dairy products and breakfast cereals. Almog added that the Hared newspapers in Israel are full of ads for quality goods. He found a 25 percent increase in sales of high end wines and a 35 percent increase in the sales of beer indicting a growing middle class amongst the Charedi community.

Simply Devine Foremost Merger Makes Sense in Recession
New York…by Zechariah Mehler…Two well-known kosher caterers joined forces recently in a merger that sources say should help both well known kosher caterers. Simply Divine, a premier New York kosher caterer and event planner, has become a division of Foremost Caterers. The combination of Foremost and Simply Divine caterers gives both companies the ability and resources to create an expanded boutique catering and event planning experience. Also expanding is Simply Divine’s line of prepared foods which is sold at Zabars. Judy Marlow, the creator of Simply Divine describes her company as "the Calvin Klein of Kosher Caterers". She says that Simply Divine excels at providing food which is simple but exceptional. Officially Simply Divine will be acting as a division of Foremost. This will allow them to retain the unique style Executive Chef Brian Sutor has created for them. Trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, Sutor spent 13 years as Sous Chef at the 5-Star Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia and the last 5 years at Simply Divine. The merger will also allow regular customers of Foremost to have a greater number of options for their events. One source familiar with the deal said that such mergers are designed to share in overhead while increasing business, particularly in a recession environment.

February 8 th KosherToday News Headlines

Israel’s Kosher Market Approaches $11 Billion
Tel Aviv…With nearly 70% of Israelis (including non-Jews) preferring kosher products, sales of kosher certified products are approaching $11 billion. A new report by the Foreign Agriculture Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, notes that Israelis also prefer imported kosher foods, which in 2009 was valued at $1.8 billion out of $14.4 billion in overall food sales. The report, prepared by the FAS offices in Tel Aviv and Cairo, notes that private label is still very much on the ground floor in Israel. It estimates that only 5% of products sold in Israel are private label products with the Shufersal supermarket marketing 1,100 such products. The Israel food industry continues to be known for its innovation, introducing 3,000 new products annually. Approximately 6,500 grocery stores serve Israel’s 7.4 million people who on average spend about $7,100 for food annually. While 56% of Israelis shop in supermarkets, the country also has 470 convenient stores. Israelis are eating out more than ever, to the tune of $2.7 billion. Despite being technologically advanced, only 1% of Israelis shop on the Internet for food. FAS says that the appetite of Israelis for imported foods is an opportunity for kosher food manufacturers and distributors from abroad, particularly the US. Amongst the foods Israelis could use more of, says FAS, are dried fruits, fresh apples and pears, cereals, powdered milk, and frozen vegetables. It also took note of the country’s growing interest in organic foods.

A Store Closes in Brooklyn Because of a Book, Not Pomegranate
Brooklyn NY…A small mart that was known for its creativity in fruit baskets suddenly closed its doors last week, but the culprit, say food sources, was not the highly successful upscale Pomegranate kosher supermarket, only blocks away, but the mounting “crush of the book.” Fruit Palace on Avenue J was one of those small convenience kosher produce and grocery stores that competed with the larger establishments by extending credit to the hard-pressed middle class. Many stores in the area and especially in communities like Boro Park and Williamsburg keep such black ruled school notebooks with pages of family names where groceries are routinely charged. Sources say Fruit Palace’s book included “a crushing debt of thousands of dollars” that had resulted in a growing accounts payable by the store’s owner. One Boro Park store told a source close to KosherToday that his book was “worth over $26,000.” A worker at Fruit Palace said that customers would frequently drop of checks of a fraction of the debt, “say $100 on a $400 bill.” Still many customers blamed Pomegranate as severely impacting business of local retailers, although distributors and other food sources say that most of the stores “while hurting are pretty much holding their own.” One source said that a well-known kosher grocer told him: “I’m taking home a lot less nowadays but it is still a parnassah (livelihood).”

The families who put charges on the books are not necessarily from the ranks of the poor, say the sources. Many of the poor use food stamps and other assistance. The group that seems most affected by the recession and by the increased costs of living is lower middle class working people, many with larger families. One store owner said: “I always think that they are in a temporary bind, but somehow the temporary never ends.”

A Kosher Boycott in Israel that Has Nothing to do With Kashrus
Jerusalem…The ongoing boycott by many Orthodox Jews of Strauss Dairies has nothing to do with the kashrus of the products of one of the Israeli food giants. According to Idele Ross, the Bureau Chief of KosherToday in Israel, the boycott came after Strauss Dairies changed its stricter mehadrin kashrus supervision from that of Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Leib Landau, Chief Rabbi of Bnai Brak and respected authority on kashrus supervision to that of Rabbi Avraham Rubin whose 'Badatz Mehadrin' is said to be particularly prestigious. Charedi media, says Ross, are reporting that many groups believe the new arrangement is a serious affront to the stature and reputation of Rabbi Landau. Strauss Dairies said in a statement that the changes are being made because Rubin's certification is more convenient for them. Rabbi Rubin was the former kashrus administrator for the OU in Israel. The new supervision pertains to Strauss's new line of soft white cheeses being produced specifically to the stricter requirements of the mehadrin community, precisely the group that is now calling for a boycott of Strauss products. Apparently, says Idele Ross, many rabbis affiliated with the Gur and Chabad Chasidic movements were employed by Rabbi Landau. The religious daily Hamodia, associated with the Agudas Yisroel organization, published a statement from Rabbi Landau notifying the public of the Strauss decision. Strauss defended its new arrangement as something that was done with Rabbi Landau's consent.

AKO Establish Liquor Committee to Confront Changing Kashrus Status
Chicago…A bottle of Scotch at a Kiddush in Monsey is quickly removed by the local rabbi after he had received word that the kashrus of the brand was in question. This scene has been repeating itself with increasing frequency, prompting the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) to establish a Liquor Committee. According to Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, the executive director of AKO, the purpose of the committee will be “to keep up with the latest fast developing changes in the liquor world and how it affects its kashrus status.” Three sub-committees were formed to focus on Scotch, Beer, and American and Canadian whiskeys. AKO is preparing to host a Vaadim (local kashrus committees) Convention in Dallas on February 22nd and 23rd. Over 60 representatives from the local kashrus committees will be meeting to discuss standards that affect their respective jurisdictions including; Savannah, Oregon, San Antonia, Nova Scotia, Florida, Houston, Detroit, Kansas, Waterbury, Minnesota, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York.

Kedem’s Kosher Restaurant & Wine Experience a Highly Successful Marketing Event
New York…by Zechariah Mehler…For the fourth year, the Kedem Group, based in Bayonne NJ, hosted a kosher food and wine event on February 1st that was designed to position the company as the leader in fine kosher foods and wines. Unlike in the past, this year, Kedem gathered 17 of the city’s better kosher restaurants as its food component. On display was an unprecedented array of wines from around the world, but for many of the press and VIP’s as well as several hundred people that paid as much as $100 for the experience (and a $30 parking fee at Pier 60 of Chelsea Piers), the amount of food on display was simply staggering. At Le Marais visitors smacked their lips to the taste of lamb chili with an avocado relish. At Colbeh, a Persian restaurant, it was grilled skewers of chicken and beef called Koobideh served with a lentil stew and rice. Dougie's Bar-B-Q served dishes like sliders and popcorn chicken. Pomegranate Supermarket in Brooklyn had three tables set up with carving stations. At the back of the room Nesher Caterers had set up a smorgasbord of various foods that they specialized in making. Nesher's food ran the gamut ranging from simple fruit platters to much more complex dishes like chicken marsala. Their fried cauliflower was a particular favorite of mine.

Amongst all of these well known restaurants serving the very peak of their culinary abilities it would have been easy for smaller, newer restaurants to simply fade into the background but for Basil, a soon to open dairy restaurant in Crown Heights, it was their opportunity to shine. Basil served a tuna tartar with smoked paprika oil and green olive reduction as well as a chocolate truffle with coco nibs and sweet cream sauce that was meant to be squeezed as you ate it from the stem the dessert was served on.” We took the idea from a French style meat ball. We call it the star burst experience," said Ouri Ivry, the manager. Ouri went on to say that they had told the chefs preparing dishes for the event that "we want to go high end and quality. We don't want to cut any corners with what we are presenting". What was all the more impressive is the fact that these foods were made pareve by a restaurant specializing in dairy. Overall the Kosher Restaurant and Wine Experience was a marketing coup for Kedem which managed to position itself as the leader of a new generation of upscale foods and wines, a fact that was not lost on a large group of young middle class kosher consumers who sipped the excellent wines and filled plates of the upscale kosher foods.

Slumping French Wines Look to Kosher for Resurgence; Spain Makes Move to Kosher
New York…Visitors to the recent Kosher Restaurant & Wine Experience (sponsored by the Kedem Group) on February 1st at Pier 60 (Chelsea Piers) were struck by the large presence of French kosher wineries as well as the unprecedented presence of Spain. The two countries have faced stiff competition from Israel wineries, including Barkan, Binyamina, Gamla and Psagot, many of whose wines have in recent years been receiving high grades at international competitions. It is no secret that export demand for French wine in general is at its lowest since 2000, according to official figures for the 12 months to June 2009. The volume of exports to the EU is particularly low, at 2.8 million hl, and sales to the UK have fallen by a massive 27% to 0.8 million hl. France showcased some of its best, including wines from Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Laguedoc-Roussilon, Rhone Valley, and the Southwest region of France. Also on display were Champagne and Cognac. Through a special booklet, the French sought to provide the Jewish links to the region and in some case cited popular folklore associated with the region. Spain too showcased some of its better wines in an attempt to compete with Israel, which has emerged from almost obscurity to become a world-class winemaker. Both France and Spain are trying to gain a foothold in the growing kosher wine and spirits market. According to Nathan Herzog of Kedem: “The reality of the emerging popularity of Israeli wines has put these countries on notice that they will need to aggressively reposition themselves in the kosher market.”

New Barcode Warning for Chametz Products
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…Israel's supermarkets will find keeping their stores free of chametz a little easier this year. Rabbi Yona Metzger, Israel’s Chief Rabbi, announced the introduction of a digital barcode system which indicates that a product is chametz at the checkout counter and is thus prohibited from being sold during the Passover holiday. The new technology was introduced at a world conference of rabbis and community leaders held last month in Jerusalem. The Chief Rabbi also instructed kosher for Passover hotels to use disposable dishes for room service during the week long holiday. Rabbi Metzger is urging hotels to start using disposable plates and flatware for room service as much as a week before the holiday begins.

Israel’s Largest Private Label Heads to the UK’s Tesco
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…HaKoshmotag, literally 'the brand name' in Hebrew, is a familiar red, yellow and white logo to Israeli shoppers. The line of hundreds of products marketed by Brand for You is considered the private label brand of many supermarket chains in Israel and is now being exported. Brand for You is conducting negotiations with a British company interested in placing kosher food products in Tesco's 3,600 supermarkets. The exports will include Hamotag's canned fruits and vegetables, pastas, bakery goods and more. Up to now the company has been exporting the label to several European kosher markets. Mazon, the Hebrew food industry website, reports that Rafi Shefer, CEO of Brand for You said that if a deal is struck then Hamotag products will be in Tesco stores by the second half of 2010.

Wasserman & Lemberger Named Best Store in Baltimore Area
Baltimore, MD…Baltimore area kosher consumers voted Wasserman & Lemberger, the area’s leading kosher retailer, as part of the 2009 Baltimore area kosher survey conducted by Kosher Community Surveys. David Chu’s China Bistro was tapped as the best kosher restaurant while Goldman’s Kosher Bakery took the honors for the area’s best kosher bakery. These 2009 winners were also voted the leading kosher establishments in 2008. Other establishments with strong showings include: Pariser’s Bakery, Umami Bistro, and Shlomo’s Kosher Meat Market. Neil Rosenbaum, President of Kosher Community Surveys said: "Baltimore kosher consumers continue to demonstrate greater interest in providing feedback to the area’s kosher establishments. Approximately 430 people participated in this year’s survey—an increase of over 100 surveys.” Kosher Community Surveys LLC conducts consumer surveys of kosher restaurants, bakeries and stores across the country including Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, and Cleveland.

Costco Embraces New Kosher Organic Product
New York, NY…by Elie Appleson…Wholesale suppliers such as Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s have attained market popularity by providing consumers with discounted prices in exchange for buying in bulk. Recently, Costco has been carrying new products which are creating a new convenient and more current image for this mass retailer. With its vast and expanding kosher availability, Costco has recognized its loyal customer base, and in addition they have begun carrying kosher organic products. As of December 1st, 2009, Costco became a buyer of “Truly Organic Baking,” a company that produces affordable and convenient organic baking products. Some of their most popular merchandise includes organic banana bread mix, muffin mix, pancake mix, and pizza dough mix. All the products are certified organic by the CCOF and USDA and the Organic Trade Association and certified kosher by the Star K Kosher Certification, based in Baltimore Md.

More Poultry on the Way as Agri Star to Double Shift
Postville, Iowa…There is word that the new owners of Agri, now known as Agri Star Meat and Poultry, are planning to hire as many as 150 new workers to add another shift for its poultry production and perhaps to finally restart beef production. The new company says the new jobs could pay $9.50 to $12.50 an hour. The addition of more poultry is expected to further crowd an already crowded kosher poultry field. Competition has become so keen that several of the poultry purveyors are placing full page ads in Jewish media and touting their quality and kashrus differences. The poultry war is especially intense in the Orthodox market where several of the brands are competing for increased market share. KJ Poultry, based in Kiryas Joel in Upstate New York, featured photos of visits by such prominent rabbis as the Rabbi of Satmar. Other companies like Mehadrin addressed the quality of their chickens. Conspicuously absent from this media war has been the national kosher brands.

January 25th KosherToday News Headlines

SuperValu Food Reduction May Affect Kosher
CHICAGO, IL…It is becoming the latest attempt by supermarkets to restore their chains to pre-recession profitability. SuperValu, the nation’s fourth largest grocer, will be reducing inventory in stores by as much as 25%. The chain calls it more of a correction, eliminating repetition, particularly on sizes of various items. There was some speculation whether the reduction would have an impact on the supply of kosher foods, whose presence on supermarket shelves have increased dramatically in recent years. Yakov Yarmove of SuperValu says the inventory reduction will not affect the chain’s "A" stores but it may have some impact on the 4-8 ft sets in stores with lower sales of kosher foods. Some distributors and even retailers like Yarmove believe that “SKU rationalization,” particularly in smaller kosher sets is not necessarily a drawback. Instead of "jamming" a small set with too much variety, it would allow grocers to build a focus on the core items. Some retailers have in recent years made note of the repetition of kosher items, particularly on Passover. They say that offering the consumer “too much of a choice” simply means that other more creative and newer items never make it to the shelf. Jason, a Long Island retailer said: “Instead of three different brands of Passover mayonnaise, I’d rather feature a good new barbecue sauce.”

Nail-biting time for Organizers of Passover Programs
New York…With just about nine weeks to go, organizers of Passover programs throughout the world are betting that the slight boost in the economy will help them fill rooms quicker this year. Last year, say the organizers, it pretty much came down to a last-minute surge. For some it meant renegotiating room blocks and downsizing their programs in general. Israeli hotels are hoping that the mid-week Passover (eve of March 29th – April 6th) will drive more tourist traffic to the Jewish state. Last year, the hotels filled rooms with Israelis instead of the coveted tourists from overseas. Several program organizers told KosherToday that they were courted by major hotels throughout the country in what they explained is an effort by the hotels to “drum-up business during the recession.” Some of the hotels had turned down the business in previous years. Florida programs, say the organizers, are expected to do well with the relatively early Passover. More than 30 programs were advertised in some of the weeklies with each claiming to feature notables and Jewish music stars. The Passover hotel business has been estimated to be worth nearly $100 million with at least another $25 million accounting for travel. An estimated 20,000 Americans and Canadians are expected to spend Passover at one of the hotels. One travel expert predicted that “this would be more of a stay-at-home Passover,” meaning that programs in Europe and perhaps Israel would not fare as well as the domestic programs. One program operator thought that some of the people that stayed away last year would return this year, “particularly those that did somewhat better in the (stock) market.” He was worried that there may not be enough time to “really fill up my place,” but he predicted that he would pass the “threshold” which he described as being just barely profitable.

Not all Discounters are Created Equal, Kosher Distributors Say
New York…Shoppers of kosher foods can fill a basket of both essential and different products at the growing grocery presence of the large discount chains. In recent years, chains like Costco, Wal-Mart, Trader Joe’s and Target have dramatically increased their grocery sections and in many locations a growing number of kosher foods. Just last week, Target announced that its future expansion plans are not so much in new stores but in its grocery offerings. Trader Joe’s has also developed many private label kosher items, including kosher (not glatt kosher) meats produced under the supervision of Rabbi Aryeh Ralbag of the Triangle K Kashruth Agency. The agency also certifies Hebrew National products and claims it has introduced many upgrades in the “kosher” certification. But manufacturers and distributors say that not all the discounters have put an emphasis on their kosher programs. For example, while COSTCO appears to be involved in the kosher program from its corporate and regional offices, the decisions in Wal-Mart are still pretty much left to individual store managers, which have often put them at loggerheads with distributors and manufacturers. The distributors say that the kosher programs at the discount stores, primarily those in heavily Jewish populated areas, are still evolving and in many cases it is on a store by store basis. COSTCO’s new Manhattan store has become a model for many discounters with separate sections in dry grocery, refrigerated, bakery and frozen. Despite prophesies that this growing involvement by the discounters will cut into the sales of the conventional retail chains and even independents; thus far there is no evidence of a dramatic shift. The distributors say that customers have not abandoned the grocery chains in favor of the discounters but are increasingly being selective in the items they shop at the stores.

More Nations Look At Opportunities in Kosher
New York…The number of international exhibitors that showcased kosher certified products at the recent Fancy Food Show in San Francisco was significantly higher than just a year ago, signifying a growing interest by countries that have not traditionally paid much attention to kosher. The trend seems to be taking hold in South American and Europe, as nations look to increase their exports to the US but recognize the importance of kosher. Several are also looking at the $18 billion kosher market in Israel as part of their move into kosher as well as the large cross-over market of such groups as Muslims. The interest by the Europeans and South Americans has been a major factor in the growing international flavor of the annual Kosherfest. Officials of the international kosher food trade show predict that at least two or three new national exhibitors will be at Kosherfest in October. Despite a relatively small kosher market in Europe, there has been increased demand in several growing Jewish communities, particularly in countries of the former Soviet Union. This Passover, Israel and American exporters expect record sales of Passover items to those countries.

Kosher Consumers Look for “Comfort Foods” to Survive the Recession
New York, NY… by Elie Appleson, KosherToday Features Editor…A business newspaper for the gourmet industry recently reported that the “stressful economy [has driven] a nostalgic flavor trend.” The trendologist expert, Kara Nielsen, speculated that these nostalgic flavors may remind consumers of a “seemingly simpler” time. For your average American this trend can be reflected in baked goods, beverages, and candy such as butterscotch, caramel, licorice, and toffee. For a kosher consumer this may mean a draw towards chicken soup with kneidlach, yerushalmi kugel, peanut chews, and chocolate babka.

Currently, one of the newest and biggest trends with regard to the food industry is the gluten-free diet. Consumers are discovering that when excluding gluten from their diet they feel better and healthier, but Nielson questions whether the gluten-free lifestyle will stick since it is not only difficult, but expensive, especially for the kosher consumer. It is likely that those who are opting for the gluten-free lifestyle, rather than adopting it as a real health need, will go back to eating gluten in a matter of time. New fads are constantly evolving in the food market and some will be longer lasting than others, but we will always be able to find comfort in certain foods and flavors. Associating flavors with certain memories is natural and if a good batch of macaroni and cheese can remind you of being a kid in camp, or a fruit compote can take you back to good times with family, take advantage of these positive associations and enjoy! For kosher food manufacturers, there is a lesson here as well. Sure, new and exciting products help drive sales, but in a down economy many consumers are simply looking for the “blanket,” those good old foods bubbie used to make.

January 11th KosherToday News Headlines

Albertson’s Closure of Florida Stores Includes Two Key Kosher Locations
Boca Raton…Two of the eight stores that the Albertson’s chain will be closing have full kosher sections, affecting thousands of kosher consumers. The stores in Boca Raton and Delray Beach were considered amongst the nation’s busiest kosher locations, sources told KosherToday. While Albertson’s says that the closures were due to financial reasons, the sources say that Albertson’s “is more interested in the real estate than in the grocery business especially when they are not making as much money as they want.” It was in 2006 that Albertson’s was sold to a consortium of investors made up of Supervalu, CVS Corporation and an investor group led by Cerberus Capital Management. While most of the “kosher stores” reverted to Supervalu and the kosher program was directed by Yakov Yarmove, the original Albertson’s retained some of the stores, including those in Florida. Several kosher distributors said that the closures will most definitely leave a void but said that independents like Kosher Marketplace in Boca Raton and Glick’s in Delray Beach would be the beneficiaries. “For once,” said a distributor, “the shoe is on the other foot as supermarkets are closing and independents gain.” The distributor said that he had heard that the property was being sold but another source told KosherToday that he wouldn’t be surprised “if another supermarket came into at least one of the locations.” Both of the Albertson’s supermarkets were under the kosher certification of the Orthodox Union (OU) with a team of mashgichim in each.

Kehe-Tree of Life Merger Will Not Have Immediate Impact on Kosher, Sources Say
Chicago…Speculation was rife that the merger of two giant food distributors might impact the distribution of kosher foods, but sources close to both distributors indicate that it would not have any immediate impact for the upcoming Passover season. Kehe Foods has acquired Tree of Life, owned by the Wessanen, which has made the move to support growth of its European businesses. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2010. The purchase price was $190 million. Both Kehe and Tree of Life expanded their distribution of kosher foods in the ‘90’s as the industry was undergoing its major growth spurt. They took advantage of the growing involvement by supermarkets in kosher and followed the demise of several small kosher specialty distributors. It was also a period when several kosher food manufacturers and distributors joined the distribution fray, but Kehe and Tree of Life moved with the growing tide of mainstreaming kosher foods namely in the nation’s large supermarkets. Founded in 1952, Kehe supplies organic, natural, ethnic, kosher and other specialty food products. Tree of Life was founded in the early 1970's with a retail store in St. Augustine, Florida. Sources close to both distributors say that it will probably be a year before any major consolidation takes place.

Kosher Agencies Said to Focus on Training of Mashgichim and Food Service Standards
Chicago…The annual Vaadim Convention, sponsored by the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) is set to address two major concerns of the kashrus community. Scheduled to meet in Dallas February 22-23, the kashrus officials will discuss programs to train mashgichim and setting standards for kosher foodservice establishments. The Vaadim are part of a network of local and regional kashrus committees that in recent years have played a significant role in the expanding kosher food world. AKO is headed by Rabbi Sholem Fishbane of the Chicago Rabbinical Council who also serves as the executive director of the umbrella kashrus agency. Rabbi Sholey Klein of Dallas will serve as the event chairman.

Freshly Baked Goods Go Cyber
Flushing, NY… by Elie Appleson, Feature Editor…Several decades ago, every neighborhood had local milkmen who delivered milk, eggs, and other necessities right to their door. As grocery stores advanced, the convenience of having products delivered regularly seemed to have been lost… until now. Violet’s Bake Shop in Queens has expanded to the internet and brings their customers freshly baked goods to their doorstep.

Having 25 years of bakery management, Violet opened the doors to her own bakery, specializing in Hungarian desserts, just one year ago. The bake shop has quickly become a fixture in the neighborhood, as a place to pick up anything from delicious homemade tasting challah to more exotic desserts. With the help of her son and partner, Violet has made her freshly baked goods available to the entire country by launching her website last month, www.violetsbakeshop.com. All goods are baked in Queens and can be delivered from coast to coast, as early as the next day. “We are thrilled to be bringing our delicious kosher bakery into the homes of so many Jews who are looking for something extra special for their shabbos meal or special occasion,” Violet’s son, Michael said.
The kosher industry is becoming more innovative than ever. Not only are unique products available, but new and convenient services within the kosher market are being offered in a way we never could have imagined.

Albert Einstein Restaurant in Munich Returns to Community Management
Munich, Germany…by Menachem Lubinsky…The Albert Einstein kosher restaurant is part of the $105 million Jewish Center and Central Synagogue built just 5 years ago. The complex, located in downtown Munich includes a synagogue that is built like a tefilin box (phylacteries). Its rabbi, Steven Langnas, comes from a German Jewish family but was born and raised in Philadelphia. The modern architecture, high tech state-of-the-art amenities as well as advanced security makes this Jewish community center one of the most expensive and beautiful Jewish community centers anywhere in the world. With 10,000 Jews in the city (many converts and Russian immigrants), Jewish life is not very visible. The city, which was leveled by carpet bombing of the US Air Force was completely rebuilt, save for its original central synagogue destroyed in 1938, which was not fully restored until now, albeit in a different location. The restaurant faces the magnificent synagogue and after a few attempts at private ownership is now being run by the community. An Orthodox Jew on a tour of the restaurant found it rather strange that the restaurant is named Albert Einstein, who attended Catholic school and certainly did not eat kosher. He managed to give his own explanation: “Perhaps it’s just a marketing tool to get both the secular Jews and non-Jews to eat there.” Rabbi Langnas also certifies the bread in a bakery just down the street, and then there is Café Schmock. And as is common in almost every major city, the visitor can always find Chabad, which is the only synagogue in town with a guaranteed daily minyan. Oddly, the Jewish Community Center is just a short walk from the pub and social club where the Nazi braintrust planned its systematic annihilation of the Jews.

Kraft Latest US Giant to Target Israel Market
Jerusalem…Add Kraft Foods to the list of US food giants that have discovered the lucrative Israel market. Many of Kraft products have been available in Israel for years through independent distributors but now Kraft is planning to rebrand itself in Israel and to expand its line of goods that are sold there. Ynet reported that the world's second largest food conglomerate will soon introduce Planter’s to Israelis. It already sells such kosher brands as Toblerone chocolate, Oreo cookies, Jacobs coffee and Philadelphia cream cheese. The new Kraft program will brand Kraft on all of the products.

The Never-Ending Saga of the War Against Schechita in Europe Continues on the Web
London…It used to be that the battle against animal rights extremists were fought in each country, but since the founding of the European Union (EU), the battle has shifted to the EU. The organization that represents the kosher practice of slaughtering animals has lodged a complaint against a European Commission project that claims to facilitate the adoption of good religious slaughter practices. Schechita UK is accusing DIALREL, a project funded by the European Commission Directorate-General for Health and Consumers, of defaming the practice of schechita online. DIALREL aims to promote dialogue between faiths but Schechita UK chairman Henry Grunwald OBE QC said it has refused to remove defamatory information on a website affiliated with the project.
The website description says: "Schechita: Animals are slaughtered without stunning. Before slaughter, all cattle are restrained and mechanically turned on their back and all poultry shackled." Schechita UK insists that the DIALREL project has an "anti-schechita" agenda and said it would be calling on the European Union to ensure that the project is not abusing government funding "to promote its own agenda by purporting to present academic research". Grunwald said: "This matter has tainted DIALREL and Schechita UK can have no confidence in what is supposed to be an academic study.
In June 2009 the EU passed a law that safeguarded schechita by recognizing the validity of religious slaughter practices.

Tnuva USA and Strauss Face-Off on US Television as Tnuva Seeks to Grow Sales
New York…Tnuva USA is not satisfied with its modest sales in the kosher food market and is looking to emulate competitor Strauss in taking its products mainstream. The Israeli manufacturer is planning to launch a $350,000 ad campaign to expose American television viewers to the kosher cheeses the Israeli dairy giant sells in the US, where they are positioned as premium products. The ads will appear on the Food Network, Fox, Bravo, and local cable channels in states including New York and New Jersey. Tnuva is also budgeting funds for promotions in supermarkets and other points of sale. Sources told KosherToday that Tnuva officials are looking to brand Tnuva beyond the kosher market. Strauss, owned by Pepsico, last year made its debut on American TV with some good results, say observers. Tnuva officials say creative marketing efforts focused on target consumers were particularly important for the company, whose U.S. operations he said are growing at an annual rate of 10%.

December 28th KosherToday News Headlines

Subway Remains Committed but Kosher Franchise Suddenly Shrinks; Mendy’s New King
New York…by KosherToday Staff Reporters…The sign on the Avenue J site of the Subway’s restaurant chain read “Immediately Available” signifying the possible end of an experiment on one of Brooklyn’s busiest kosher commercial strips. Just a few months ago, the chain was crowned the largest kosher restaurant franchise in the country but with closures or imminent closures in such neighborhoods as Avenue J and Kings Highway in Brooklyn, Downtown NYC, New Rochelle and Livingston, NJ, the chain’s plans may be in disarray. In the Avenue J case, a spokesman for Subway’s blamed the closure on a dispute with the franchisee and said that it was looking for a replacement at a substantially less investment than the original owner because much of the equipment and set-up was in place. The company said that the Avenue J franchise was available for far less than its usual franchise fee. Although not confirmed, kosher Subway’s restaurants are said to still be operating in Cedarhurst, Flushing, Baltimore, Washington, Chicago, Kansas City and Los Angeles as well as the flagship restaurant in Cleveland which may be closed only temporarily. Elan Kornblum, "The Restaurant Guy" and President & Publisher of Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine, has always argued that “while opening a kosher Subway might be a good idea at first and will initially draw a nice crowd, what happens when the novelty wears off and it has to compete like any other kosher restaurant, where price, quality and service is the utmost importance.” On Avenue J, the restaurant was sandwiched between two other restaurants, one the highly successful Kosher Delight restaurant. Ita, a Subway’s regular at Avenue J seemed to have the answer for Subway’s shaky position: “Their menu is too limited to compete with a real kosher deli and Jews like big menus.” With the Subway closings, the new king of kosher franchises goes to Mendy’s with its seven restaurants in New York City, including several blocks from where the Avenue J Subway was.

Sunday Production of Kosher Poultry Leaves Shelves Stocked After Weekend
Monroe NY…It’s Sunday at Kiryas Joel Poultry and the plant looks every bit as it does on a Monday. It is abuzz with a full compliment of staff with a high ratio of community people, including mashgichim, shochtim, and rabbis to ordinary line workers. The Sunday slaughter of chickens, according to Joel Weiss of KJ Poultry, assures that shelves in kosher groceries will be restocked as early as Sunday afternoon. Kosher consumers have long complained of empty shelves on Sundays and even Monday mornings as stores traditionally sell out many items for the Shabbos. According to several grocers, despite the supply of several poultry brands, the Sunday slaughter is extremely important in stocking fresh poultry products early in the week. They say that items like poultry, beef and even milk are frequently in short supply come Sunday. One Boro Park store said that the delivery of KJ “chicken cutlets” and other poultry products on Sunday is extremely important. Kosher customers now have a choice of nearly 12 brands of the kosher fowl, most of which are under the Orthodox Union. KJ is also certified by Rabbi Getzel Berkowitz, the highly respected dayan (rabbinical judge) of Kiryas Joel.

Chanukah Sales Slumped Somewhat, KosherToday Survey Shows
New York…The recession not withstanding, kosher food sales this past Chanukah appeared to have increased by approximately 10%, slightly below the 12% - 13% estimate of 2008. Kosher sources blame the slight decline on the recession. They say that people cut down on the size of their gift-giving. One Monsey store that specializes in gifts said that she definitely saw many people “tone down their gifts.” She added: “If they spent $75 on a gift last year, it was closer to $50 this year”. Despite the general decline in sales, some bakeries estimated a near 20% increase in the sale of doughnuts (“sufganiyot”). The stores say that there was “a lot more partying” this year as more people stayed at home.” Some restaurants also noted a slight decline in sales “but not enough to call it a meltdown,” said one restaurateur.

Kedem Moves its 2010 Kosher Food and Wine Experience to Larger Venue
New York…It has become an evening for professional and amateur kosher food and wine connoisseurs to mingle with such notables as Daniel Rogov, noted Israeli author and wine critic. According to Philip Morson of Kedem, the sponsors, the event will take place on February 1st at Pier 60, located at West 23rd Street and West Street. He says that over 200 wines from all over the world will be on display with visitors having the opportunity to taste the wines and in many cases meet the winemakers. To accommodate the ever-growing audience, Kedem moved the event to Pier 60. Several major restaurants are participating in the food portion of the event. Jay Buchsbaum will be delivering a lecture on kosher wine.

Economy Takes Toll but Federal Dollars Bring Money Back To Kosher Marketplace
Brooklyn, New York… by Elie Appleson, KosherToday Features Editor…“Food-stamp users on the rise, with more than half a million Brooklyn citizens receiving the subsidy,” read a recent headline in the Daily News. A KosherToday analysis indicates that Brooklyn residents who have enrolled in the federally subsidized food stamp program are emerging in practically every neighborhood with an especially well represented percentage in Jewish neighborhoods. According to the Met Council on Jewish Poverty, a growing number of new poor or near poor can be found in Orthodox neighborhoods in Brooklyn, a significant number due to the recession. Kosher food establishment are taking note of the dramatic increase in food stamps used by kosher consumers in their stores. While the food stamps offer some relief to poverty stricken families, they tend to fall short due to the significantly higher prices for kosher food. To make ends meet and stick within the $25 a week allotment, some sources say, food stamp holders would have to eliminate all meat and dairy from their diets. Some community activists have called for a 50% increase in the monthly food stamp subsidy as well as in the eligibility levels to ensure everyone who needs help will receive assistance. The government has already slowly begun increasing allocations for food stamps throughout the past couple of years and will be continuing with additional considerations.

Many bakeries, grocers, and other food establishments told KosherToday that since the skyrocketing of food stamp enrollment, their traffic has greatly increased and ultimately, so has cash flow. This leads one to believe that consumer dollars aren’t necessarily being exchanged for federal dollars, but families are able to purchase more of the kosher food that they need. “We thought the bakery would feel a hit with the economy hitting an all time low,” shared a bakery owner from Flatbush, “but recently it seems that federal dollars are finding their way into the local kosher establishments.” It appears that while the food stamps are having their desired effect on poverty-stricken consumers, they are also a boon for kosher food purveyors and retailers.

Osem’s Gad to Bring Kosher Dairy to Britain
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…Gad Dairy, known in Israel for its Bulgarian and boutique cheeses as well as yogurts and other cheese delicacies, will appear soon on grocery shelves in the UK. Osem International is entering the dairy category for the first time with the export launch of Gad products. Ezra Cohen CEO of the dairy. which is Israel's fourth largest, said that the objective is to expand beyond the kosher market and break into the ethnic food market in Britain. Ynet reports that according to Cohen, the salty cheeses have a long shelf life, making them a prime choice for the company's initial introduction into the British market. They will be sold at large retail chains such as Sainsbury. Exports represent about 10 percent of Gad Dairy's production. Sales for 2009 are expected to reach some $70.9 million including exports to Europe and the US. Gad Dairies will join Osem's Tsabar Salads which are already sold in major retail chains in Western Europe. Most popular are the humus spreads which the British are reported to prefer on crackers while the French spread it on a baguette and the Dutch fold it into a sandwich.

Knesset Set to Adopt Reforms in Kashrus Certification
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief and Staff Reporters…Rising abuses of kashrus in Israel are being addressed by the Knesset Comptroller’s Committee. It is determined to introduce new guidelines to assure that eating establishments that claim to be kosher are indeed certified kosher. A blistering report from State Comptroller retired Judge Micha Lindenstrauss found many instances of forged kashrus certificates with the owners claiming that they are genuine. Ynet reports that Knesset Member Otniel Shneller of Kadima, himself an observant Jew, is heading up the team which will set up a government authority to regulate Kashrus supervision. It will be responsible for setting the fees eating establishments will pay for certification, the hiring of the kashrus supervisors and their salaries. Shneller said that large sums of money are involved in the kashrus certification process. "And I am not certain that a kosher diner can be 100 percent sure an establishment is kosher just because there is what seems to be a valid certificate displayed in the window." Many of the kashrus supervisors are officially employed by local religious councils but are paid by owners of the food establishments. "The system is flawed," Shneller admitted, "because many times family members are hired causing many problems." The new authority will base its operations on new laws which Shneller said will eliminate the need for the food establishments to pay the kashrus supervisor directly. The local religious councils will retain the responsibility for choosing the supervisors, training them and monitoring their work. The reform will enable the acquiring of two different standards of kashrus supervision—that of the rabbinate and that of a more stringent private rabbinical authority. Sheneller believes that it will take several months for the legislation to wind its way through the Knesset.

Israel’s Super-Sol to Aggressively Pursue Stocking Fees and Perhaps its Private Label Positioning
Tel Aviv…Stocking shelves in an Israeli supermarket will henceforth cost manufacturers and distributors money, it was announced by the mega Super-Sol chain, according to Globes, Israel’s leading business publication. In fact, Supersol’s announcement said that while it plans to take back its power from suppliers—or impose it on them unfairly, depending on how you look at it—by stocking products in its stores itself, it will permit food wholesalers to continue to arrange the shelves using their own workers for six months, as long as they pay Super-Sol for the privilege during the transition period. About six weeks ago Super-Sol sent its suppliers a letter stating that beginning at the end of December the chain will begin to gradually introduce its own stockers. The Manufacturers Association of Israel said it would go to the Antitrust Authority and demand that Super-Sol be declared a monopoly.

The chain has promised to hire a significant number of the stockers now working for its suppliers, who otherwise stand to lose their jobs. Super-Sol has promised to hire 1,275 stockers, some of them from among those who are working for suppliers as well as new employees it will train. Beyond the stocking fees, what is at stake here is a critical component of retail marketing, especially in the food sector: control of product placement, from the height at which items are shelved to the amount of shelf space they take up horizontally, to the battle for the all-important "end caps" at the end of an aisle. Suppliers fear that if Super-Sol takes over shelf stocking it will give priority to its own house brand and they will lose market share.

December 14th KosherToday News Headlines

New York’s Dominance in Kosher Calls for Extra Vigilance, Kosher Sources Say
New York…A team of approximately ten inspectors continue to crisscross the state to monitor compliance with New York’s kosher laws, albeit with a far different mission than the original laws which were on the books for more than a century. According to Rabbi Luzer Weiss, director of the New York State Department of Agriculture's Kosher Law Enforcement division, the inspectors seek to assure that manufacturers and other kosher institutions comply with disclosure laws that provide consumers with the information they need to make decisions as to whether the products meet their kosher standards. The requirement to disclose who certifies a kosher product or establishment is becoming the norm in many states throughout the country, even as new challenges are being mounted by the Commack butchers who succeeded in bringing down the original kosher food laws. Kosher sources say that the sheer number of manufacturers, food establishments, and other kosher food vendors in the state makes New York a vital area for strict enforcement of the kosher food laws. Kosher supervision rabbis say that “self-policing of kashrus will not work in this state as the number of abuses continues to mount.” Kashrus agencies and various web sites that issue kashrus alerts say New York, because of its size and large kosher consumer base (previously estimated at as many as 1.2 million consumers), is rife for kashrus abuses.” Some argue that the kashrus standards would benefit from an even larger force of kashrus inspectors and many point out that the disclosure model frequently fails to protect unsuspecting consumers. They point to the many elderly Jews who are often victim of “kosher” products and establishments that don’t meet the lifetime standards of the consumers.

Brooklyn Fish Company Teams Up With Alaskans for Upscale Kosher Smoked Fish
New York…The launch on December 9th was at E.A.T., the casually stylish gourmet deli and restaurant on Madison Avenue, but for kosher consumers it was a story of Brooklyn and the Yukon River Delta in Alaska teaming up for a unique brand of fish. The product was a smoked whitefish which is large enough to remind older consumers of the wholesome looking whitefish that were often the centerpiece of a good meal. Called Bering Cisco, the whitefish comes from the Bering Sea and is harvested by the Yup'ik Eskimo fishing families of Alaska’s Yukon River Delta. It is brought to market by Kwik’pak Fisheries, after which it is specially smoked and distributed by Acme Smoked Fish. Robert Caslow and his son Eric were proudly talking about the unique quality of the fish, which is under the certification of the Kof-K Kosher Certification of Teaneck, NJ. They are the third and fourth generation members of a family that go back to the early 1900’s when Harry Brownstein arrived in New York after emigrating from Russia. After several years as a “wagon jobber,” picking up fresh, hot fish from smokehouses with his horse-drawn wagon and hand-delivering them to small grocery and appetizing stores, he founded his own smokehouse in Brooklyn. Located in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, it is now one of the largest processors of smoked fish and herring in the United States, and is still family-owned and operated.

Glatt Kosher Fare Comes to Football in Super Form
Englewood, New Jersey… Add Football’s biggest games of the year to the list of sports that now routinely offer glatt kosher food to fans. Kosher Sports has been granted the right to serve the kosher fare at this year’s Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl games at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. “This is the first time there will be a glatt kosher food offering at the Pro Bowl or Super Bowl,” says Jonathan Katz, president of Kosher Sports. KSI will be grilling Abeles & Heymann Frankfurters, Italian Sausages, and featuring their Knoblewurst and Grilled Salami Sliders. Serving glatt kosher food to professional sports and entertainment venues since 2003, KSI is the exclusive kosher caterers at Citi Field, US Open Tennis Championships, M&T Bank Stadium, Lincoln Financial Field, Land Shark Stadium, Prudential Center, Oriole Park and others. Kosher Sports is under the kosher supervision of the Star-K Kosher Certification, based in Baltimore, MD. Sports teams across the country are being asked to provide the food, especially by some of their wealthier season ticket holders, a sports source told KosherToday. The kosher stands are often the place for organizing a minyan or setting up a business appointment. Observers note that many non-Jews frequently buy the food despite the broad food choices available to them at sporting events.

Mendelson’s and Marketrend Team to Expand Distribution of Frozen Pizzas and Entrees
Mendelsohn’s Pizza, a Boro Park institution, has broadened distribution of their brand of kosher frozen pizzas and Italian meals into both C&S and White Rose, two of the countries’ largest food distributors. J.R. Mendelsohn, president of Mendelsohn’s Foods, worked with Marketrend Ltd. to develop programs that fit with how the distributors do business.   Mr. Mendelsohn told a writer that “Marketrend and Meyer Futersak were instrumental in scheduling meetings with key buyers, and they also provided assistance with pricing and logistics issues.  He had our best interests in mind throughout this process.”   Meyer Futersak, CEO of Marketrend says, “Mendelsohn’s products are the type of product driving the burgeoning mainstream acceptance of kosher food products, and we are happy to help them achieve their goals.”

Mendelsohn’s, founded in 1969 by Rabbi Mayer Mendelsohn, began as a storefront shop with no seats, and grew to become one of New York’s largest pizzerias, with a seating capacity of 175. Today, lines regularly stretch out the door. They are well known in the NY metropolitan area, but were not breaking through to regional or national success.  With their new move into mainstream distribution, and with the hard work from the people at Marketrend, the table is set for significant growth in 2010.

The Chanukah Doughnut is Filled With…Whatever
Brooklyn, NY…by Elie Appleson…One of the two foods commonly associated with Chanukah, which ends on Saturday, is the doughnut. Holiday purist would tend to argue that the doughnuts should be filled only with jelly, but as kosher customers found out this year, jelly is only one of many fillings used to fill the doughnuts. The purists might also blame Israel for starting the trend to tamper with the fillings, especially the caramel and chocolate flavored ones that have become the leading sellers in Israel. Some families have taken to fruit filled donuts, either cooking up their own filling or opting for raspberry preserves, applesauce, or other fruity jams. Many recipes for donuts include fillings like poppy seed, which may cause some confusion for those who associate poppy seed filling with hamantaschen, and therefore should not surface for another few months. The upscale Brooklyn kosher supermarket Pomegranate this year introduced a cheese filled doughnut, which could arguably be better suited for Shavuous. It, of course, also sells the traditional jelly filled doughnuts as well as the caramel and chocolate filled pastries. One Flatbush baker summed it up this way: “The days of the jelly-only doughnuts are over. Now, I’ll be trying to figure out all year how to beat the competition next year with a filling that can’t be topped.”

The Latke is Latest Symbol of Assimilation in US
New York, NY…by Elie Appleson and Staff Reporters… The New York Times recently published an article titled “Non-Jewish Chefs Adapt Family Hanukkah Rites,” in which readers were told of a Jewish and Non-Jewish couple who managed to bond over traditional food in their various gourmet styles. It appears that you can now add the latke to such Jewish favorites as matzoh ball soup, flanken, chopped liver and gefilte fish. All of these foods appear on menus in many non-kosher establishments seeking to curry favor with “kosher style” consumers, a trend that also sends shivers own the spines of rabbis who are concerned about the potential confusion. Several rabbis pointed out that Balducci’s traditionally promotes a Passover menu without the food being kosher. They are particularly concerned that Yiddish sounding names for items like latkes might cause an unsuspecting customer to assume the product was kosher. The New York Times article revealed that upscale establishments, including a Paris bistro, are featuring latkes on their menus. One such restaurant, Chez Henri in Cambridge, MA, has created a potato pancake that includes beets and celery root and has a lacey appeal. Tom Colicchio of “Top Chef” has a Roman Catholic background, but he has created his own recipe for both regular and sweet potato latkes which he serves with toppings like sautéed mushrooms, caviar, braised short ribs, smoked salmon, sturgeon and, of course, sour cream and applesauce.

Boston’s Top Kosher Establishments Include Milk Street Café and Rosenfeld’s Bales
Boston, MA…Kosher visitors to Downtown Boston already know that Milk Street Café is an excellent kosher eatery. The restaurant was recently named one of the state’s best kosher food establishments as part of the 2009 Massachusetts area kosher survey conducted by Kosher Community Surveys. While Milk Street Café was named the best restaurant, Rosenfeld’s Bagels was rated the state’s best kosher bakery. Other establishments with strong showings included Taam China (Newton), Cheryl Ann’s, and Stop & Shop. Neil Rosenbaum, President of Kosher Community Surveys LLC, commented, “Armed with these survey results, kosher consumers should congratulate those establishments that did well, and ask all owners and managers what they plan to do to improve in the coming year.” Over 350 people participated in this year’s survey. The results of the survey are compiled and published in the final report that can be found on the company's website (www.kosher-community-surveys.com). Kosher Community Surveys has conducted similar surveys in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, Chicago, Atlanta, and Cleveland.

Once in a Costco Kosher Store a Product Can Turn Up at Any Costco
Detroit, MI…Bernie Cohen of Southfield is jealous. He read about the new Manhattan "kosher" Costco and perhaps a dozen other Costcos that carry kosher fare, but could only hope that his area would one day offer the same. That may take a while but Bernie already noticed a change at his local Costco store. He writes: “I was in the local Costco yesterday and did note that for the first time, I could and did buy a package of Meal Mart corned beef. The price was outstanding and I assumed that this product was now available because of the new store in Manhattan… It would be wonderful if Costco could be the first company to bring discounted kosher to Detroit and show that it could be economically done in the hinterlands.” Kosher purveyors say that their products often appear in smaller kosher markets on a random basis. They say that these “hit and miss” appearances by a kosher brand may be the forerunner of a larger effort or may be just a one time appearance. Mr. Cohen certainly hopes that Meal Mart and other kosher brands will be here to stay in this Midwest community.

Godiva Liqueur Lovers Warned of Potential Mix-Ups
Brooklyn NY…A bottle of Godiva Liqueur was the object of commotion this past Shabbat in a catering hall as several participants in a Chanukah “kiddush” noticed that the bottle featured an OU-D. This was problematic since several of the dishes at the event were made with or included meat and the liqueur included dairy as an ingredient. The fact is that Godiva has discontinued the pareve Godiva Liqueur or the Godiva Liqueur Original and replaced it with Godiva Chocolate Liqueur, which bears the OU-D. The old product still in circulation remains pareve. Kashrus agencies and Web sites that post kashrus alerts have made note of the change but the new version will be missing at many a kosher table, including many catering establishments that used to offer the pareve version. Consumers are advised to check the label names very carefully. Godiva Caramel Liqueur, Mocha Liqueur, and White Chocolate Liqueur are certified kosher, but also contain dairy. Kashrus observers note that the dairy is not Cholov Yisroel and thus should be off limits to those who drink only Cholov Yisroel.

November 30th KosherToday News Headlines

Record 1,033 Kosher Certifications More Evidence of Industry’s Growth May Also Leave Customers More Confused Than Ever
Brooklyn NY….The Kagans (not their real name) traveling through the Midwest encountered what is no doubt becoming a growing dilemma for kosher consumers. Trying to pacify their three young children, they found candy at a rest stop with a kosher symbol they had never seen before. Husband and wife debated whether the symbol “was reliable” and at two in the morning “who would you call anyway?” asks Mrs. Kagan. With a record 1,033 kosher certifications listed in the latest survey by Kashrus Magazine, published by Rabbi Yosef Wikler, it is no wonder that the Kagans were confused. Some industry officials see this dramatic increase of kosher certifications and symbols as further proof of an industry that continues to expand. In the last seven years, says Kashrus Magazine, the number of symbols has more than doubled. In its 2002 Guide, the publication listed 409 symbols and a mere 44 in 1987 when the number of kosher certified products was believed to number about 16,000. Today, more than 125,000 products sold in the US have some form of kosher symbol.

Rabbi Wikler and other kosher certification sources say that the dramatic increase of kosher symbols may be confusing but it is also “putting the cringe on the generic k” which is even more misleading. Kashrus Magazine itself advises consumers to consult with a rabbi or agency that “you trust” to inquire about the reliability of a given hechsher. Much of the growth in the kosher symbols is by the growing number of Vaadim (committees) that certify local and regional products and companies. Most large retailers accept products with the recognized symbols of the 5 or 6 major certification agencies but that is not necessarily the case for products that are sold in a given region. For example, California grocers routinely carry products that are certified by some of the state-based agencies. Manufacturers of products that feature certifications from abroad, including Israel, will frequently find resistance by retailers despite having a reliable hechsher. Many large kosher certification agencies say that their switchboards are often inundated with questions about the reliability of the smaller symbols that are found on products with increased frequency.

Chanukah 2009 Gets a Makeover With More Health Conscious Traditional Foods
New York …by Elie Appleson and Staff Reporters… When doing a search for “low-fat sufganiyot” (doughnuts) on Google, a search that may seem paradoxical, no less than 9,970 results were found. Even the customary potato latkes (pancakes), come in low-fat versions and even gluten-free. In the past decade, hundreds of kosher gourmet, low-fat, and vegetarian cookbooks made their way onto the shelves of Judaica stores as well as Barnes and Noble, Borders, and other popular book stores. Shmaltz is becoming a passé ingredient, while Smart Beat and Pam baking spray have taken more market share. The chocolate gelt of our youth is still available, but if one has more sophisticated taste, it’s easy enough to find Belgian chocolate coins to snack on over the holiday. In its offerings for Chanukah, Jewel-Osco in Chicago, part of SuperValu, highlights both the Kineret frozen latkes and the Streit’s latke mix, appealing to the many households that will be preparing the foods for the traditional Chanukah parties. At Brooklyn’s upscale Pomegranate, an assortment of sufganiyot is available filled with jelly, or more traditional Israeli fillings like custards or chocolate. The customary potato latkes will be made fresh daily as will the specialty latkes, including such flavors as sweet potato, vegetable, and zucchini. Because it is party season, many supermarkets are offering specials on meat and deli products including Aaron’s and Alle, as is the case in Jewel-Osco. Pomegranate too will be showcasing its prime cuts of meat in addition to the Chanukah fare. Bloggers are taking note of the changes in the palette of consumers, emphasizing that a growing number of consumers want to enjoy Chanukah without the added pounds or the ingredients that are simply not good for you.

In a Sign of the Times, Upscale Restaurant is Converted into Soup Kitchen Brooklyn
NY…Coney Island Avenue (between Avenues J &K) is perhaps a good location for an upscale restaurant like Rimonim. The street on both sides includes several restaurants including Mendy’s, bagel stores, and a gourmet fruit market. But Rimonim faltered and the beneficiary was the third citywide soup kitchen operated by Masbia and funded by the Met Council on Jewish Poverty. On the eve of Thanksgiving, elected officials joined community leaders in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the location which still looks every part the upscale restaurant it was designed to be. William Rapfogel, Executive Vice President of Met Council, was expecting as many as 70 families to use the location within days. Many would be referred by the local Jewish Community Council, according to Rabbi Ezkiel Pikus, who heads the Council. Oddly, the area also includes the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts (CKCA); whose students spanning all three professional courses at CKCA (http://www.kosherculinaryarts.com) will be donating their time at the soup kitchen after they complete classes. The soup kitchen is directly across from the school. The Flatbush Masbia Community Kitchen is one of several Masbia soup kitchens to be opened in the New York area. The first Masbia soup kitchen opened in Boro Park last year, and recently another opened in Williamsburg. The next one will be located in Queens' Rego Park neighborhood. The project is under the management of Alexander Rapaport, executive director of Masbia. Met Council secured funding for the site from the Robbins family.

AFI/PFG Looks to Expand Foodservice to Kosher
Newark NJ…by Menachem Lubinsky…With the runway at Newark Airport in sight, Chuck Cuomo proudly surveys the huge 300,000 square foot warehouse that serves a huge swath of Northeast territory. Mr. Cuomo is President of AFI Foodservice, one of the nation’s largest foodservice distributors. Just a few weeks earlier, AFI sponsored a one-day show at the Embassy Suites in Secaucus, showcasing many of the national brands that AFI distributes to hospitals, restaurants, universities and other institutions. The warehouse like the show includes a large number of kosher products, enough so that PFG-AFI produces its own Kosher Guide with literally thousands of products in every category, from fresh produce to prepared foods. The guide lists the kosher certification agency as well as indicates whether the product is pareve or dairy. In touring the huge facility, it was impossible not to notice the quality of the fruits and produce amongst the thousands of products neatly lining the shelves at the warehouse. Mr. Cuomo suggests that AFI/PFG could be an enormous asset to the kosher foodservice world. His large fleet of trucks (including refrigerated and frozen) can assure delivery almost instantly. But even more importantly he challenges anyone to compete with their prices.

Led by Mr. Cuomo, the AFI/PFG team toured Kosherfest in November and were struck by the size of the industry. But Mr. Cuomo emphasizes “just how important we have been to foodservice in this economic environment. A handful of his sales staff are already scouring kosher establishments to bring the national PFG/AFI brand to the kosher community. The tour of the warehouse was certainly convincing.

How Kosher Must a Prisoner be to Receive Kosher Foods
New York….After a string of court decisions upholding a prisoner’s rights to kosher foods, a federal judge upheld the right of a New Hampshire State Prison to deny kosher food to an Orthodox prisoner because he ostensibly ate non-kosher foods. Kuperman's lawyers said that the prison’s withdrawal of kosher foods from Kuperman violated his First Amendment right to practice religion. A federal magistrate in 2007 ordered the State’s prisons to provide kosher food to prisoners that request them. While not wishing to pass judgment on Kuperman, several rabbis reached by KosherToday said they could see the prison’s point of denying kosher food to someone who also eats non-kosher. One rabbi familiar with the prison system said that many states he knows never even ask whether the prisoner also eats non-kosher food. He said that he is familiar with Jewish prisoners who ask for the kosher fare on occasion, such as on Shabbat and holidays. The rabbi also said that some prisoners will eat non-kosher fare deducing that it is “only fish or vegetables.” The debate seems moot at the moment since the prison has changed its policy.

New On-Line Site Takes Aim at Kosher Foodies
Atlanta…Add KosherEye.com, headed by Roberta Scher, to the growing cadre of on-line sites that appeal to kosher foodies. KosherEye.com says that it “connects kosher eaters to the best in kosher—linking a network of consumers, retailers, manufacturers, distributors, chefs, cooks, foodies—everyone interested in learning about kosher certified items.” The new site is part of a surging number of Websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter pages that seek to connect kosher foodies from around the world. The number of such sites has more than doubled in the past 18 months, say sources familiar with the trend. Kosher companies have of late discovered that Web concepts like Twitter can actually drive traffic to their own Web sites and may very well be a new “driver” of business.

Hotels Invest to Attract Kosher Business
New Brunswick NJ… The arrival of some 750 guests for an annual convention this past Thanksgiving Day weekend meant a great deal of preparation for one hotel here. The Hilton of East New Brunswick had installed conventional locks in all of its 400 rooms so that guests at the convention of Agudath Israel of America could bypass the electronic locks on the Shabbat. In addition they also made changes to their automatic electric system in rooms so that lights would not go off when guests left their rooms. The hotel staff was busy putting masking tape on the electronic locks so that the door lock was operational only with a key. The hotel hopes to recoup its investment with repeat business from the group next year and perhaps from many other Orthodox weekend parties and meetings. The Hilton is not alone in investing money into attracting the kosher groups. One Passover program organizer said that many hotels had offered to do the same with a multi-year commitment for Passover. He said that he had encountered similar “goodwill” from hotels in designating specific sections of the kitchen as their “kosher kitchen.” Several hotels in New Jersey, said the organizer, even offered to convert one of their elevators into a Shabbos elevator, an elevator that would make all stops and be in conformity with Jewish laws prohibiting operating elevators on Shabbos.

November 16th KosherToday News Headlines

New Manhattan COSTCO in Major Presentation of Kosher Foods
New York…The first COSTCO store in the borough of Manhattan that opened last week includes an unprecedented showcase of kosher foods. Company officials were boasting that it offered kosher consumers one of the largest selections of kosher foods in Manhattan. Kosher food officials expect the store to become a key shopping stop for kosher consumers from Manhattan and from as far away as Teaneck NJ. Jim Stafford, Vice President Food & Sundries for the Northeast, extended an open invitation to “kosher vendors small and large to present their products directly to COSTCO for consideration. “We want the kosher community to know that they can approach us directly with their products,” said Stafford, which was also echoed by Rachel Moyer, COTSCO’s Northeast Deli Buyer. Indeed a huge kosher refrigerator case included a display of prepared meals by Meal Mart, assorted cheeses, and other dairy and deli gourmet items. The desserts section was no less impressive with many items from Schick’s and David’s Cookies. In almost every section of the food department were beautifully packaged kosher foods including beef and poultry.

At the formal opening on November 12th, representatives from many of the kosher food companies were in attendance, prompting one well known purveyor to call it “a mini-Kosherfest.” Throughout the store were tables with food, including knishes from Gabilla’s and popcorn from Ike & Sam’s whose flavored popcorn was such a hit at Kosherfest. There was even a display of a kosher gift card that offered two $50 cards for dinners at Prime Grill and Solo’s for only $79.99. Kosher industry officials say that this is the 12th COSTCO store to feature a designated kosher section and a large selection of kosher foods throughout the store. COSTCO’s Manhattan store boasts more than 105,000 square feet of selling space and 3,500 products. The discount retailer posted a profit of $1.09 billion on sales of $71.4 billion in the year ended August 30th. It had 562 warehouses worldwide as of early November.

Thanksgiving Becomes a Major Kosher Holiday at Restaurants
New York…Forget Chanukah as the leading kosher dining holiday. Thanksgiving Day, say kosher restaurateurs, has emerged as one of the busiest days on the calendar. Retailers too say that turkey sales have risen steadily over the past five years. Dave, the manager of the meat department at a large Long Island kosher grocer, says that turkey sales have risen by “about 20%” in the last three years. Most kosher restaurants offer a pri fixe dinner that ranges from around $21.99 to $39.99, including the turkey and toppings. Elan Kornblum, publisher of Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine, publishes a special newsletter with the offerings of some of the major kosher restaurants in New York. Sales of kosher turkey have also dramatically increased on such on-lines sites as kosher.com. Smokey Joe's delivers kosher turkey dinners throughout New York, Westchester, Rockland Counties and New Jersey.

European Kosher Agencies Weaning Kosher Consumers off “Approved Lists”
London…by Elie Appleson and Staff Reporters…The recent conference on kashrus that took place in Brussels included many European kosher certification agencies that have in recent years dramatically increased the number of products that they certify. Kashrus officials in Europe say that they have “begin to wean consumers off of the old system of approved products that are not necessarily kosher certified.” For the past few years, the Kashruth Division of the London Beth Din, the KLBD, has exhibited at Kosherfest and each year its listing of kosher certifications in the UK and throughout Europe continues to grow. A major addition in recent years has been kosher certifications in countries of the former Soviet Union. The KLBD presence at Kosherfest, say European rabbis, is a reflection of the growth and development of kosher consumption and accessibility throughout Europe, at large. Europe’s Jewish communities have never quite matched the “kosher revolution” in the US where more than 120,000 end user items are certified kosher. But officials say that Europe is beginning to rely more and more on “homegrown” kosher items. Carrefour, a major supermarket chain in France that caters to the kosher market now features nearly half of its kosher products as homegrown, say officials. The same is true for Tesco in the UK, which has also increased its offerings of kosher certified products from the US.

For the past several decades, European kosher consumers have struggled with the supply of both kosher ingredients and on hand mashgichim to supervise production and as a result were relying on a rather primitive system to certify products. European kosher consumers would have to consult “approved lists,” lists of products accepted as kosher, developed by rabbis who visit facilities not to grant supervision, but to determine on an unofficial basis which products meet kosher criteria. This is not the most reliable method because a manufacturer can change ingredients, thereby affecting the kosher status, and go unnoticed. Now that kosher populations in Europe have established themselves, and have had time to grow and advance a new certification system for kosher products is developing. Kosher products with a hechsher displayed on the label, can now be found in Europe as they would be in the United States. Manufacturers are working with already established kosher certification agencies.

Two Large OU Snack Foods Companies Almost Merged
Hanover PA…The merger between Snyder's of Hanover and Utz Quality Foods is off. After receiving word late last week that the first and second filing had not been cleared by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Utz decided to withdraw from what would likely have been a protracted approval process. The merger of the two companies that are certified by the Orthodox Union (OU) would have created a mega kosher snack company. Sources say that both companies pay close attention to their kosher business and allow many kosher consumers to buy their snack foods all over the country. The brands are sold in supermarkets, convenience stores, and gas stations throughout the country. Many of the products are OU-D, which are not eaten by consumers who eat Cholov Yisrael. Snyder's of Hanover is a family owned company that employs 2,250 associates and operates 1,800 distribution routes nationwide. Snyder's of Hanover is headquartered in Hanover, PA, with annual revenues of $750 million. Utz Quality Foods produces a full line of snacks in its four Hanover, PA-based manufacturing facilities, employs more than 2,200 workers, and has annual sales in excess of $400 million.

Kolatin Makes Effective Use of its Kosherfest Presence as Show Becomes More of a “Selling Show”
Secaucus, NJ….Several exhibitors at Kosherfest reported that they “wrote large orders” at the recently concluded Kosherfest. It was more evidence of the show evolving as a major “selling” event, particularly for the upcoming Jewish holidays of Chanukah, Purim and Passover. One exhibitor that effectively made use of its presence at Kosherfest was Kolatin Kosher Gelatin. Award-winning kosher cookbook author Susie Fishbein was a huge success at the booth, attracting many media interviews as well as numerous inquiries from curious buyers. She articulated the case for Kolatin to every passerby: "Kolatin unflavored, it’s just so versatile, there is so much that the product can do." Visitors received a copy of the Kosher by Design recipe supplement introducing Kolatin. Mrs. Fishbein explained how "by using Kolatin, it opens up a whole new world of fast and easy recipes." The source of gelatin is of concern to kosher consumers as well as Muslims. Many Muslims call the OU hotline to make sure that the gelatin is either from kosher animals or fish.

Kolatin has in recent years made enormous inroads with food manufacturers and of late in the retail market. Koltain is expected to release a new unflavored ingredient as well as a flavored dessert gels next month. According to Chez Eider, Vice President of Business Development of Glatech Productions, “Kosherfest was an enormous boost for our company, and we certainly benefited from having Susie Fishbein in our booth.” Many exhibitors commented on how Kolatin used its presence at Kosherfest to “more effectively brand its products.”

Feature…by Elie Appleson
Kosherfest Culinary Competition Elevates the Kosher Sandwich
Secaucus NJ…Will the kosher sandwich be this year’s comeback kosher food of the year? Much like cholent and herring have in the past? If the Kosherfest 2009 Kosher Sandwich Competition is any indication, it is destined to make a major comeback. One of the best attended events at the recent Kosherfest was the competition which featured a number of chefs who prepared their creations, to be judged by a panel of industry professionals on presentation, taste, creativity, and uniqueness. The judges were blown away by the remarkable entries. “These chefs know what they’re doing,” an anonymous judge shared, “it was difficult to take just one taste from each competitor’s sandwich.” After much deliberation, the title of Best Kosher Sandwich 2009 was awarded to U-Café of Manhattan for their mouth watering lox and egg salad sandwich garnished with caviar, pickles, and olives. Being a very close competition, runner-up was Klapholz’s Kosher Catering of Philadelphia, PA. Klapholz’s sandwich, The Groise Max, included bison pastrami on sourdough pugliese loaf, layered with homemade liver, coleslaw, and potato salad. The competition was sponsored by Kosherfest, Mehadrin Poultry, Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine, and Great Kosher Weddings Directory.

Boston Case Demonstrates Government’s Responsibility to Kosher Consumer on Kosher Fraud
Boston…With increased evidence of fraud being perpetrated on kosher consumers, the need for government protection is clear, say advocates of tougher laws on kosher. Last week, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley’s Office reached an agreement with Golbos, Inc., which operates the Gordon and Alperin Butcher Shop, and its principal, Ricardo Bosich, resolving allegations that they violated the Massachusetts Kosher Food Law by posting signage in Hebrew advertising “Kosher Meat” when the Newton shop was no longer certified as kosher. The Attorney General alleged that the shop had also continued to advertise on its website that it was under kosher supervision when it had discontinued such supervision. While some might consider the $1,000 civil penalty as a slap on the wrist, it does however send a message to settle these allegations, according to Rabbi Rachmiel Liberman, Executive Director of "Diamond-K" Kosher Supervision (Lubavitch) and sponsor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Kosher Law Statue. According to Liberman, "This is a matter of consumer protection, for close to a year consumers were misled by this proprietor into believing that his butcher shop had rabbinical supervision.” Rabbi Liberman thanked Assistant Attorney General David Monahan for settling this case in which Gordon & Alperin Butcher shop agreed to pay the $1000 fine. Growing incidents of kosher fraud was also a topic at the recent conference of the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) in New York.

November 2nd KosherToday News Headlines

Nearly Half of Kosher Consumers Under the Age of 45, Kosherfest Hears
Secaucus NJ…The age of the average kosher shopper has changed dramatically in the past five years, was the essence of the State of the Kosher Food Industry address delivered by Menachem Lubinsky at the opening session of the two-day Kosherfest on October 27-28 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. Mr. Lubinsky, President of LUBICOM Marketing Consulting which co-produces the annual show with Diversified Business Communications, said that nearly 45% of all kosher consumers in 2009 are below the age of 45, an increase from about 35% just five years ago. The changed demographics explains the mix of products that were showcased at the show. While many of the exhibitors still featured traditional kosher foods such as Matzoh, deli, cheese, salads and sauces, it was the variety of those products that caught the attention of the impressive buyers that included Acme Markets, Amtrak, Best Foods, Cornell University, COSTCO, HEB, Kroger, Safeway, Shoprite, Stew Leonards, Supervalu, Wal-Mart, Wegman’s, Winn-Dixie and Zabar’s. Some 7,000 exhibitors and buyers participated in the show.

Many of the buyers were surprised to see the large number of gourmet products, including pastry, frozen goods, sauces, cheese, chocolate, and meats. One buyer who had been to every one of the 21 Kosherfest shows called this year’s show “the high tech of kosher foods.” Perhaps the change was most evidence in the exhibits of some of the well-known kosher companies including Kedem with its growing number of foods and wines from around the world, including the Elite brand which it now distributes, Manischewitz with its new packaging and large booth showing many popular brands i.e. Rokeach, Mishpacha, Season’s), Streit’s with its growing number of gourmet imported items, and Osem with its new line extensions including the popular Bamba brand. A major hit at the show was the huge motorized shopping cart by Kosher.com, which is a leading on-line grocer. Experts estimate that on-line kosher grocery shopping is 4%-5% of annual sales compared to 1% of general grocery sales. According to officials of Kosher.com, a significant number of their buyers include many singles and young couples living far from large city centers. The international flavor of Kosherfest was very dominant at the show, not only in many of the booths of the American companies who import from overseas but in the large pavilion of Israeli foods organized by the Israel Export Institute. The Argentinean pavilion also showcased interesting olive oils and wines amongst its many other items. The best indication of the success of the show was at the booth of Diversified Business Communications where exhibitors were booking their space for October 26-27, 2010.

Kashrus Agencies Tackle Loose Ends in Kashrus Enforcement
New York…More than 80 representatives of kashrus organizations from around the world heard calls for further tightening procedures to avoid abuses of kashrus certification. The occasion was the annual conference of the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) which traditionally takes place the day after Kosherfest. This year’s conference which took place at the Downtown Manhattan headquarters of the Orthodox Union also featured addresses by Israel’s two chief rabbis, Rabbi Shlomo Amar and Rabbi Yonah Metzger. Almost from the outset with the introduction by Rabbi Avrom Pollak of the Star-K, the theme of the conference seemed to be to further improve certification procedures. Rabbi Binyomin Sanders of the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington discussed the recent incident in the Washington JCC where the Mashgiach caught an employee bringing in treifa meat. Rabbi Pinchos Juravel of the Chof-K, who also acts as the Chairman of AKO Ingredient Committee, spoke about the potential kashrus problems with retail honey. He also reported a new finding in smaller beer companies that are sending out their barley to be smoked in local smokehouses that can also be smoking non-kosher. Other presentations were made by Rabbi Moshe Heinemann of the Star-K, Rabbi Nuchem Efraim Teitelbaum, the Volover Rov, Rabbi Seth Mandel of the OU and the Rabbinic Coordinator for the OU meat companies, Rabbi Ahron Koshitzky, and Rabbi Mordechai Fried who gave a brief update on the status of the seven AKO sub-committees formulated at the recent AKO Vaadim Convention. Rabbi Teitelbaum also delivered a moving eulogy to the mashgichim murdered in the Mumbai terrorist attack on a Chabad center. There was also much discussion about the growing interest by Chinese companies in obtaining kosher certification and the numerous incidents of fraud when companies claimed that they had kosher certification when they did not. Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, the executive director of AKO announced that the next AKO Vaadim will be held in Dallas on February 15-16.

Shufersal Debuts 1,000 Kosher Private Label Product
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…Shufersal (formerly known and still referred to by many as Super-Sol), Israel’s largest chain of retail supermarkets, launched its 1,000th private kosher label item at the home of Walter Huffner, the Swiss ambassador to Israel. The venue was chosen to celebrate the new Swiss milk and dark chocolate bars which marks the 18-month partnership between Frey’s premium Swiss chocolate manufacturer and Shufersal. Frey’s chocolates are certified kosher in Israel and in the US where they are sold in major retailers such as COSTCO, Target and Safeway as well as in Marks and Spencer’s in the UK. Shufersal CEO Effi Rosenhaus noted that they debuted a line of private label products in 2006 and were the first chain retailer to market products under their own name driven by a philosophy of value for money. He noted that there are currently 75 Israeli manufacturers and 48 food companies worldwide under license to create products for Shufersal’s private label.

Rosenhaus told KosherToday that Shufersal has the world’s largest selection of private label kosher products with 1,000 items now in its inventory. He said that exporting those products to Europe is possible but not for many years. He knows there is great demand in Germany, Belgium and France, for example, adding that it’s not just among the Jewish communities. Uzi Peretz, Director of Shufersal’s Private Label line said he looks for two things when considering new PL products for the chain: quality and kashrus. He told KosherToday that he frequently meets with European food producers regarding a potential partnership like they now have with Frey but often the products can’t be made kosher. He cited snack foods as an example because of the ingredients for which kosher substitutes don’t exist. Peretz also said that Shufersal won’t be ready to export its kosher private label line until there are hundreds more products including an extensive line of dairy products. The new Shufersal Swiss chocolate bars are expected to take a bite out of Strauss Elite whose popular milk chocolate with its cow logo has become an icon in Israel and accounts for some 65 percent of the chocolate bar sales in the country.

Kosherfest Donates 15,000 Lbs. of Food to Jewish Poor
Secaucus NJ…As Kosherfest exhibitors dismantled their exhibits following the two day show that took place October 27-28 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center; several trucks were being loaded with many of the samples for delivery to agencies and centers serving the Jewish poor. For the past six years, the show has been contributing about 15,000 lbs, each year to the Jewish poor being served by the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty (Met Council). And unlike regular food distributions throughout the year, Kosherfest offers Met Council the opportunity to provide specialty items such as kosher frozen meat and poultry, gourmet chocolate and Israeli snack foods. As the largest kosher food network in America, Met Council annually provides more than five million pounds of kosher food to needy families throughout New York City. With community partners like Kosherfest, in addition to a network of Jewish Community Councils and volunteers, Met Council accomplishes this with just seven staff members. In a special ceremony on the opening day of Kosherfest, Rabbi David Cohen of Met Council honored the two organizers of Kosherfest, Menachem Lubinsky, president and CEO of LUBICOM Marketing Consulting and Bill Springer, vice-president of Diversified Business Communications, for their ongoing charity and commitment to the Jewish community.

Small Israeli Wineries Find Keeping Kosher a Challenge
Richmond VA…A number of small wineries in Israel find both the requirements and the cost of making kosher wine to be too burdensome, according to an article in the Richmond Wine Dispatch. The winemakers appear to be caught in the quandary between being shut out of many kosher restaurants and with large numbers of consumers and conforming to the requirements of making wine kosher. Shuki Yashuv of the Yagur Winery, located in the hills around Jerusalem, decided he needed to convert to a kosher winery several years ago and is now releasing his first kosher vintages. For him as a proud secular Jew, the transition was more unsettling: "Of course, it bothers me. I think it's ridiculous -- it's extremely annoying from a theological point of view." While Yashuv made the switch for economic reasons, "when I started producing 5,000 bottles a year, I decided I needed to open myself to a bigger market." The Israel Wine Council estimates the domestic wine market at $215 million annually, and Israeli wine exports have risen by 42 percent over the past five years, with 95 percent of it certified kosher.

European Rabbis Blame High Price of Kosher for Alienation of Many Jews
Brussels…Almost at the same time that major certification agencies were gathering in Secaucus NJ for the annual Kosherfest and AKO (Association of Kashrus Organizations) events, European rabbis were meeting here to discuss kashrus issues on the European continent. While reports from the conference sponsored by the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) focused on the high cost of kosher food and its effect on assimilation amongst Jews, several rabbis told KosherToday that assimilation was a problem “with or without the high cost of kosher.” They also pointed out that there was a movement on the continent where “many young Jews were being turned on to authentic Judaism, including kashrus.” The British supermarket chain Tesco, whose representatives were at Kosherfest, was said to sell a whole, non-kosher chicken at £2. In contrast, a kosher chicken of similar weight costs between £10-12. An exception is France, where a large slaughterhouse located in Paris provides meat at a premium of just 25%. Rabbi Jermia Menachem Kohen, head of Paris's Consistoire [rabbinical court], said that the large economies to scale enable France's 500,000 Jews to buy cheap kosher meat.

"Since we have such a large demand the added costs for kosher meat are shared by more people which means that each person pays less," said Kohen in a telephone interview with The Jerusalem Post from Paris. But some kashrus officials said that the cost was not much higher for non-meat items and that even the meat is more expensive “for good reason, namely because of the size of the market.”

October 13th KosherToday News Headlines

KosherToday Exclusive: Tootsie Roll, Gatorade Will Soon Have Major Kosher Certification, Sources Say
New York…Although there is yet to be a formal announcement, sources told KosherToday that Tootsie Roll and Gatorade will be the next icon food brands to acquire a major kosher symbol. For kosher consumers, such news has become less frequent than in the 90’s and early 2000’s when many major brands made the move. They included Nabisco’s Oreos, Keebler, Entenmann’s and other national brands that kosher consumers had considered “forbidden fruits.” More recent members of the club include Topp’s Bazooka and Jelly Belly. Tootsie Roll, a Chicago-based company, has grown to become one of the country's largest candy companies, with operations throughout North America and with distribution channels in more than 75 countries. Gatorade is a brand of flavored non-carbonated sports drinks manufactured by the Quaker Oats Company, now a division of PepsiCo. Pepsi’s competitor PowerAde, owned by the Coca-Cola Co., has OU certification. Kosher sources explain that news of a major brand going kosher is rare these days “since most of them already have a major kosher symbol.” One certification agency told Kosher Today: “We are rapidly approaching the day when every major US food brand that can be kosher certified will be kosher.”

Export Institute CEO Urges Food Exporters to Leverage Kosher to Broader Market
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…The export of Israeli foods is expected to once again show a seasonal spike in advance of the Jewish high holy days. This is particularly true for the American market, a key target of Israel’s food manufacturers. Export sales have jumped 23% over the last few years. Avi Hefetz, the CEO of the Israel Export Institute, told Globes that kashrus certification on food items is generally an asset to sales. He said that the Jewish shopper buys the foods because of kashrus considerations but that non-Jews buy kosher because they see it as a product produced according to higher health standards. Muslims who don’t eat pork products are also a potential market abroad, he said. The Export Institute reports that while there was relatively strong growth in sales over the last few years, kosher food exports have also been a victim of the global economic slowdown. In the first half of the year there was an 18% decline in sales compared to a 5% growth for the same period the previous year. Nevertheless the kosher market is considered a highly lucrative though fairly narrow niche market worldwide.

In urging Israeli food manufacturers to leverage their kosher certification for a broader market, Hefetz noted that people today are very open to trying new ethnic products in addition to the constant quest for healthy and high quality foods. “Israeli products answer this demand very well,” he said.

Kosher Consumers Spent More on Specialty Foods Before Jewish Holidays
New York…An increasingly younger kosher market is spending more on specialty foods for the Jewish holidays than their parents, is the upshot of conversations with retailers and kosher purveyors as they assess the results of the just concluded holiday season. Baby boomer customers were more likely to buy traditional kosher foods than the under 40 set, they concluded. The latter was likely to include flavored dips, olive oil, flavored herring, sushi and upscale cheeses while the older customers were still buying kugels, traditional salads, and healthier snacks and pastries. While retailers guessed that overall sales grew by as much as 10% over last year, they are suggesting that the purchase of the specialty foods may have been almost double that figure. “The interest in prepared foods has been nothing short of extraordinary,” said one Brooklyn retailer, adding: “Many of our younger customers spend more time in our refrigerated section that they do in the rest of the store.”

Kosher Meat and Poultry Lineup at Kosherfest Reflects Industry Shifts
Secaucus NJ…It wasn’t very long ago that the largest exhibits at the annual Kosherfest were those of the meat and poultry producers, namely Agriprocessor and Empire Poultry. When Kosherfest 2009 opens on October 27th at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, the focus will be on an industry that has undergone enormous changes in just the past year. Many of the shortages that plagued the industry have been filled by other large purveyors as well as several newer startups that are part of the Kosherfest lineup this year. Agri Star, the successor company to Agriprocessor, will be exhibiting as will Solomon’s Finest, Vineland Poultry, Mehadrin Kosher Poultry, West Side Kosher and from Israel Of Tov – Hod Lavan. Harry Geedy, long time Empire official, will be at Kosherfest, but this time with Kosher Valley, a relatively new upstate New York poultry producer that is part of the Hain-Celestial Group. Geedy had been teaching business and technology in his native Pennsylvania but the thought of being involved with a company that was producing antibiotic free kosher turkeys and chickens attracted him to the company. “And the taste,” says Geedy, “is better than any kosher chicken I tasted.” Certified kosher by the Orthodox Union and Rabbi Yechiel Babad, the brand is already enjoying national distribution. On its Web site, Kosher Valley explains that its “poultry is never given antibiotics, hormones or animal byproducts. Instead, we rely on golden corn, pure soybeans and clean water to raise poultry the way nature intended.” Kosher poultry giant Empire had also announced earlier this year of a new line of antibiotic free poultry. In past Kosherfests, many focused on organic kosher chickens; this year it may be on the antibiotic-free chickens.

Barton’s is Back but Under Old-Time Competitor Barricini’s
New York…Kosher consumers who despaired over the news of the demise of Barton’s have reason to cheer the news that there will be Barton’s chocolate this coming Passover. Sources told KosherToday that the Kisses and other favorites will be produced by Barricini’s who purchased Barton’s in an auction several months ago after its previous owner Cherydale Farms filed fort bankruptcy. Oddly, Barricini’s had once been the key competitor for Barton’s. The sources said that Barricini’s had rehired several Barton’s executives in an effort to resuscitate the declining brand. But the absence of Barton’s last Passover and the many voices of regret that were heard are giving rise to the new optimism over the future of the brand. Barton’s is one of the original kosher brands that was founded by the Klein family in the 1940’s. The company subsequently opened several stores, some of which were later franchised. Barton’s quickly became a favorite for many Jews, many of whom would not think of visiting a relative without a Barton’s bonbonniere, or at least a box of the Kisses.

Shallots Bistro, Breadsmith of Skokie, and Jewel Food Store Top Chicago Area Kosher Establishments
Chicago, IL…Shallots Bistro (restaurant), Breadsmith of Skokie (bakery), and Jewel Food Store (grocery) were rated the top kosher establishments in the Greater Chicago area in the 2009 Chicago area kosher survey conducted by Kosher Community Surveys. The survey asked local consumers their opinions of Chicago area kosher stores, restaurants, and bakeries. Other establishments with strong showings include Ta’boun Grill, Romanian Kosher, Hungarian Kosher Foods, The Sandwich Club, Tein Li Chow, and Srulie’s Delicatessen. Neil Rosenbaum, President of Kosher Community Surveys LLC, observed, “Chicago’s kosher consumers deserve restaurants, bakeries, and stores that focus on their needs. Positive and negative feedback provided by the survey can help establishments do just that.” Over 300 people participated in this year’s survey. The survey is conducted on an annual basis to provide Chicago citizens and visitors a means to evaluate changes in the quality of kosher establishments. Kosher Community Surveys LLC conducts consumer surveys of kosher restaurants, bakeries and stores across the country. The organization is dedicated to the improvement of the kosher food sector through customer feedback as well as providing recognition to those establishments with the highest quality food and service in their respective markets including Philadelphia, Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, Atlanta, and Cleveland.

Elite, Israel’s Leading Confectionary Lands at Kedem
Bayonne, NJ…by Elie Appleson…Elite is one of those Israeli brands that is synonymous with the growth of the nation’s food industry. Now part of the Strauss Food Group, Elite will be distributed in the US as of October 15th by Kedem Food Products International. Previously distributed by Rokeach and then Blue & White, Elite enjoys broad brand recognition in the kosher market but say food sources “the brand never fully reached its potential with kosher consumers in the U.S.” Kedem will be undertaking a major effort with chain stores nationally with various new promotions and campaigns. “Our plan is to grow the business significantly in the next 3 years especially amongst the supermarkets,” explains Michael Luftglass, Marketing Director of KFPI. Kedem will be distributing Elite’s full line of gums, chocolates, snacks and coffees and ensuring that supermarkets will make this popular Israeli brand a staple in the U.S. as well. As a major kosher food distributor in the U.S., KFPI’s reach includes major outlets such as Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s and Wal-Mart, in addition to their domination in the kosher marketplace. It also distributes such major brands as Fox’s U-Bet, Sweet n’ Low, and Lipton Kosher. After moving to a larger facility in 2001, Kedem has been able to accommodate accelerated demands for their own products and manage their additional distribution labels.

September 30th KosherToday News Headlines

Record 120,000 Kosher Items on Supermarket Shelves
New York…Nearly 500 new kosher certified items are expected to be showcased at the 21st edition of Kosherfest, which opens October 27th at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus NJ. A survey of newly kosher certified items in the past year shows that nearly 5,000 new items carry a kosher symbol, bringing the total of items certified kosher in the US to over 120,000. According to the Mintel Research Organization, kosher remains the most dominant feature on new food items. Many supermarkets that carried about 17,000 kosher items only five years ago are now featuring nearly 20,000 items that are kosher certified. An estimated 40% of a supermarket’s food products are kosher. Nearly 10,000 plants in the US produce kosher items but that number has risen only slightly as many of the new products are produced at plants that are already under supervision or are part of line extension, which again does not add any new plants. Kosher certification sources say that the number of kosher ingredients has grown even more dramatically to an estimated 350,000 items. The value of the kosher certified products is over $200 billion with the value of the ingredients topping $325 billion.

Kosherfest’s annual New Products Competition is underway with non-perishables being submitted September 30th – October 1st and perishables due October 12-13. As in the past, a distinguished panel of judges will bestow honors on the best products in more than a dozen categories. The winners will receive their awards at Kosherfest.

Retailers Report Better than Expected Rosh Hashanah Sales
New York…It seems that a gloomy forecast for sliding sales on Rosh Hashanah never materialized. Instead, most retailers reported sales increases of 8% - 13% over 2008, which had also experienced a 12% increase over 2007. Surveying nearly a dozen retailers in even such competitive markets as Boro Park and Flatbush, the sales were far better than expected. In Flatbush, both Shoprite and Pomegranate were said to have recorded record sales. The retailers themselves were surprised given that a significant number of customers were still suffering from the recession. Some of the stores said that shoppers opted for many new and different products including pastries, desserts, pasta, and sauces. One retailer said: “I was surprised to see customers who were very price conscious for months before the holiday suddenly splurge on gourmet items.” He and other retailers immediately focused on Yom Kippur last Monday and the upcoming Succoth holiday that begins on Friday evening October 2nd. Yakov Yarmove of SuperValu made sure that the ads for such stores as Jewel-Osco reflected the long nine day holiday including the interim days (Chol Hamoed) when many families travel. The items that are promoted in the FSI’s range from meats to cheeses. Orlando will apparently be a destination of choice this holiday as thousands descend on the home of Disney and other attractions. The park is scheduled to have a Succah and travelers will find a number of kosher offerings in the resort.

Number of Jewish Poor Families Soars on Eve of Jewish High Holy Days
New York…The recession was taking its toll on New York’s Jewish community on the eve of the Jewish New Year, according to information released by the Met Council on Jewish Poverty. In 2008, the agency served 21,614 families but this year the number rose to 24,801, an increase of 13%. Last year 51,523 apples were distributed; this year 119,704, a jump of 132%. The total amount of food distributed to the Jewish poor rose by 9.2% over last year to 356,226 pounds. The sharply increased demand has taxed the resources of Met Council, according to its executive director William Rapfogel. Other agencies in the New York area as well as around the country also reported increases in demand ranging from 10% - 30%. Sources say that many of the recipients were “newly poor” which means that they are recent victims of layoffs and the recession. Met Council says that while food has been the major focus of the ongoing crisis, for many younger families, its crisis intervention teams have also dealt with housing, education and health care issues.

Kashrus Agencies Set to Meet on October 29th
New York…When the leaders of kashrus organizations meet on October 29th for the annual meeting of the Association of Kashrus Agencies (AKO), they will no doubt look at the myriad of issues that the agencies face, ranging from some of the newest challenges posed by technology to more stringent supervision at restaurants and catering establishments. In the aftermath of various problems confronting kashrus, such as insect infestation, the major agencies have dramatically stepped up their community education programs. Headed by Rabbi Sholem Fishbane of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc), the annual meeting is the largest gathering of the year for the Association. The rabbis and organizations traditionally meet the day after Kosherfest which this year takes place on October 27th and 28th at the Meadowlands Exposition Center. The meeting is scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the Orthodox Union in Lower Manhattan.

A Postville Jew Details his Pain in New Book: “Postville USA, Surviving Diversity in Small Town America
Postville, IA…Aaron Goldsmith, an influential Jewish businessman who lives in Postville, found an outlet for his pain in a new book he co-authored with Mark Grey and Michele Devlin, both non-Jews. Goldsmith, who is a member of the Lubavitcher Chasidim, served as a Councilman in the celebrated town which has already been the subject of many books and documentaries. He prides himself with having cordial relations with his non-Jewish neighbors. His book is more an account of the travails of the small Midwestern town than a damming condemnation of the federal raid that brought down the Rubashkin family. Although he minces no words for the raid and its aftermath, his account is more a sad chronology of the rise and fall of a small American town that had somehow not only managed to cope with diversity but had in fact become a model in modern-day Americana. He details the events that began with charges of a “Jewish takeover” of the town to the point where even relations were so cordial that non-Jews voted for Jewish representation to preside over economic prosperity. In Aaron’s own words: “As a Lubavitcher, I was deeply disturbed to see how the allegations against the Rubashkins were used as a Trojan Horse to smear Lubavitch, Orthodox Jews, Kashrus and Jews in general. I participated in this important work so that the truth could be sorted out from the many distortions that exist in the media and the blogosphere…The story is sobering, but this story has not been fairly told until now.” Aaron bemoans the fall of the Rubashkin family as a tragedy. He showers lavish praise on the family for its generosity and benevolence, albeit at times points out where more could have been done for the community. “Postville USA” is available at Amazon, through the publisher’s website, www.gemmamedia.com and in fine bookstores.

Yankee Fans to Enjoy Kosher Fare in Post-Season
New York…Rabbi Naftali Marrus, the Rabbinic Coordinator – Restaurants And Catering for the OK Kosher Certification will most likely be busier than usual this October. With the Yankees in the post-season, his team of six mashgichim at Yankee Stadium will busy certifying the four glatt kosher stands at the new magnificent stadium. In an interview in OK Spirit, Rabbi Marrus describes the tedious work that went into arranging for the kosher fare: “To ensure that kosher food and equipment would be completely segregated, a lot of work went into how to best set everything up and how to comply with Yankee protocol – which actually enhanced the kosher program!” The food is prepared by Ouri Nidam of Ouri’s Sports Kosher Catering under OK supervision. In addition to the four stands at the Stadium, kosher food is also supplied to the private and exclusive Legends section. Glatt kosher has been available at both ballparks of the Yankees and Mets and sporadically in several other cities. With the introduction of the new Yankee Stadium and CitiField, the kosher program received a major upgrade, to the delight of fans in both parks. For Yankee fans, the topping this year would be the crown as champions of the baseball world.

September 14th KosherToday News Headlines

Sabra in Major Effort to Take its Kosher “Hummus” National
New York…Not since the bagel has there been an effort to take a kosher staple national. The product is Sabra’s Hummus (or chumus as many kosher consumers pronounce it), which for the first time is being advertised on TV and positioned as a Mediterranean food. Sabra is partially owned by Frito-Lay, a unit of PepsiCo, which formed a joint venture with the Strauss Group in 2007. The ad seeks to make Americans feel that they can take a Mediterranean vacation simply by enjoying hummus and wine. A New York ad agency is coordinating the campaign which also includes print and on-line ads. In the past two years, Sabra has made an effort to broaden its distribution and has even become a staple at several major airports. Sales of chumus are said to have more than doubled in the last five years in the kosher market. In addition to Sabra, several other kosher salad manufacturers market chumus as do many restaurants and gourmet stores who prepare the chumus (made from chick peas) without adding the preservatives to prolong shelf life. Chumus is said to use "healthier oils" than most snacks and contains no trans fats. "We hope to spark a movement through this campaign inspiring consumers to experience the world through the sounds, cultures and foods of the world right in their own homes," said Rodrigo Troni, CMO of Sabra Dipping Co., in a written statement. Few ethnic kosher food companies embark on a costly national TV campaign, although in the past such brands as Manischewitz, Empire, Gold’s and Baron Herzog have advertised locally on mainstream media. Gold’s is currently advertising its horseradish on radio in advance of Rosh Hashanah. The unprecedented national media effort by Sabra will be closely watched by other kosher food companies with products that may have national appeal.

Idele Ross, Middle Eastern Bureau Chief for KosherToday reports that North American food executives from Pepsi-Frito Lay recently joined their Strauss Group counterparts for a tour of chumus eateries around Israel. Ofra Strauss, Strauss Group CEO and other senior management took Frito Lay North American CEO Al Carey and executives from Sabra Salads (jointly owned by Strauss and Frito Lay) on a countrywide chumus tasting tour. The guests also attended a breakfast class with a popular Israeli chef and visited Strauss Group factories and toured various Mediterranean restaurants as part of the program to inspire further development in the US.

History Made When Pomegranate is Named Supermarket of the Month by Leading Food Industry Publication
New York…Never before has a kosher supermarket been recognized as the “Supermarket of the Month” by the leading publication of the food industry. Brooklyn’s Pomegranate received the recognition as the Supermarket of the Month in the August/September issue of Progressive Grocer. Owned by The Nielsen Company, Progressive Grocer has been the leading voice of the industry for over 80 years, with exclusive access to proprietary research such as ACNielsen, Spectra, TD Linx and Scarborough. The publication gave high marks to Pomegranate in every section of the store. It particularly focused on service: “Many supermarkets tout their customer service, but Pomegranate approaches this aspect of its offering with particular zeal. A "super-friendly" staff attends to all shoppers needs, from helping them find products to placing grocery bags in their cars, says general manager Mayer Gold, adding that customer suggestions are always welcome.” Pomegranate recently celebrated its first anniversary with a great deal of fanfare.

Mystery of New Major Products Solved Only Partially
New York…Rumors continue that at least one major US brand will soon be certified kosher. With most major brands already kosher, these rumors take on added importance. The Orthodox Union did announce last week that it has certified Heering Coffee liqueur. The liqueur is made from a recipe using only natural ingredients and with no additives or artificial colouring. The base is a smooth blend of Caribbean rum, coffee and cacao. "Cherry Heering has long been OU certified and I have no doubt that Coffee Heering will undoubtedly find its place of distinction within the ever growing worldwide kosher market place,” stated Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher's Vice President of Communications and Marketing in welcoming Coffee Heering to the ever growing list of the finest liqueurs that have attained OU kosher certification. The Heering Coffee was introduced for the first time on the world market during the UK Bar Show in June 2007. Kosher sources say that they expect an announcement shortly about the mystery major brand that will go kosher.

Record Number of New Products Expected at the Kosherfest New Products Competition
Portland ME…The New Products Competition is always considered one of the highlights of the annual Kosherfest trade show, which this year takes place October 27-28 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus NJ. Organizers expect a record number of submissions for the contest which will take place at the Marriott Glenpointe in Teaneck NJ. The competition is open to exhibitors of Kosherfest with non-perishables due no later than October 1st and perishables by October 13th.As in the past year, a distinguished panel of food industry professionals will select the winners from amongst 17 categories including Wines, Beer or Spirits; Meats, Seafood or Poultry; Cheese or Dairy and Baked Goods, Breads, Grains or Cereals. The food industry continues to produce a large number of new products with kosher certification each year. According to the Mintel Research Organization, kosher remains the leading claim on new products. Winners of the competition in the past managed to secure more favorable positioning in the kosher market and frequently in the food industry as a whole.

Kosher Food in Remarkable Resurgence in Odessa, Ukraine
Odessa, Ukraine…by Menachem Lubinsky…The Hebron Restaurant is one of two kosher restaurants in this city by the Black Sea that has experienced a remarkable resurgence of Jewish life. It is part of the Chorale Synagogue, under the leadership of Rabbi Shlomo Baksht, who in 17 years has managed to build a network of educational institutions for some 900 children and an orphanage for 200 children. In fact, his Tikvah organization produces more than 2,000 kosher meals each day. In addition to the restaurant which offers a menu of various fish, meat and poultry and dishes, a kiosk just outside the synagogue sells sandwiches and pastries to many people who eat only kosher, including new “kosher” consumers (returnees to authentic Judaism) as well as passersby who are not necessarily Jewish, and a kosher grocery store which sells many Israeli products as well as a growing number of locally produced products that Rabbi Baksht certifies. In advance of Rosh Hashanah, the store sold a local brand of honey which was part of a special run supervised by the rabbi. The restaurant not only serves the local community but is also used by some 30 Israeli families involved in outreach activities here. The Synagogue which this year celebrates its 150th anniversary was transformed into an indoor sports arena between 1932 – 1992. Rabbi Baksht managed to get the authorities to return the magnificent building after the fall of Communism in the city. An estimated 40,000 Jews are believed to be living in Odessa, including many poor and elderly. The rabbi says that a strong Jewish community is being built from the more than 50% who are young, but he expressed concern at the large number of abused and abandoned children, many of which are in the Tikvah orphanage.

Newcomers to Kosherfest Mirror Industry Trends
Secaucus, NJ…by Elie Appleson…A significant number of exhibitors at the annual Kosherfest (October 27-28) at the Meadowlands Exposition Center are returning companies, many of which have been with the kosher food show since its inception more than two decades ago. But the industry will also be paying close attention to the new and different products that will be showcased at the kosher food show. Some of the newcomers will be adding yet another dimension to the ever-growing kosher food industry. Luck Chen Noodles, for example, is a microwaveable, pre-cooked, Asian noodle dish that is offered in a variety of 5 flavors. The name sounds Chinese but to Yiddish speaking customers it sounds very much like “lugshen,” which means noodles. These noodles are steam cooked and packaged in a patented method, are shelf stable, and do not require refrigeration. Aside from focusing on convenience, Luck Chen is pursuing the health conscious as it promotes the fact that it contains no MSG, or artificial colors and flavors, and is neither fried nor dehydrated and this is the first kosher product of its kind. Then there is Tauber’s Best featuring salmon with florentine stuffing, an elegant gourmet dish that is made of a pinwheel of fresh salmon and tasty stuffing. The tilapia with spicy salmon stuffing and salmon burgers are yet another Tauber’s Best creation which brings the world of prepackaged kosher food to a fine dining level. Tauber’s Best products are packaged for freezer storage and maintain their freshness after cooking them either on the stove top or in the oven.

A unique genre of product for Kosherfest is Kar-Ben Publishing’s Jewish Library for children. Kar-Ben has been publishing mainstream Jewish content children’s books and has achieved success in many grocery store chains in addition to Judaica stores. They will be showcasing a wide assortment of books at Kosherfest, including holiday oriented books, stories revolving around Shabbat, Bible stories, and calendars which can be customized with a grocery store or other logo, and can include relevant coupons. That in itself represents the expanding nature of the supermarket shelf that seeks to offer the kosher consumer more than just food. These are the kinds of trends that make Kosherfest so important to the industry.

Supermarkets around the Country in Creative Rosh Hashanah Promotions
Chicago…Almost every supermarket chain that targets the kosher consumer is offering shoppers a Jewish calendar for the upcoming year of 5770 (2009-2010). The only difference might be the theme of the calendar. For Shoprite, says Jacob Rusanov, it is attractive scenes from Israel. Many of the stores that are part of the Super-Valu network, says Yakov Yarmove, its kosher coordinator, have calendars dedicated to upscale kosher food. The Acme network published a calendar with recipes for holidays and around the year. The Albertsons calendar features magnificent photos of exotic kosher dishes. The A & P group includes the colorful Rosh Hashanah Essentials Guide, which Harold Weiss of the Kedem Group calls “one of the best efforts in a single holiday guide that I have seen.” Some of the chains, including Shopper’s in Baltimore and Bigg’s in Cincinnati, are also highlighting such promotions as an effort to help Israel’s scarce water resources through the Jewish National Fund. Bigg’s is also advertising lower prices in kosher deli.

Customer Pressure Forced Whole Foods to Add Kosher Poultry
Los Angeles…The announcement by Whole Foods Market that it would carry a line of certified kosher, antibiotic-free chicken in time for Rosh Hashanah, resulted from consumer pressure, sources told KosherToday. The poultry is produced by Hain-Celestial Foods and is certified by the Orthodox Union and Rabbi Yechiel Babad. The announcement here has set off a kosher poultry war since Trader Joe's and some Ralphs and Albertsons stores also carry kosher poultry. The sources say that the chain has in recent years dramatically stepped up its kosher offering and that many kosher shoppers are more confident about the natural and organic products sold at the stores. Consumer pressure is also credited for the new major role of food discount chains that have also increased their kosher offerings. One distributor said that the “kosher customer is very vocal and when they want a product, they let management know.” It apparently had the desired effect with Whole Foods.

August 31st KosherToday News Headlines

Feature Story: Increasing Numbers of Kosher Consumers Eye Organic Certifications on Labels
New York…by Elie Appleson…A growing number of kosher consumers are looking for more than a kashrus symbol on food product labels and even kosher certification agencies are participating in this new trend. Many Orthodox Jews who in the past focused only on the kashrus of a product are also reading the nutrition facts and ingredients, largely due to a growing awareness of the relationship between the foods they consume and health. This picture became clear in discussions with kashrus agencies as well as food industry executives. They say that organic and natural products have become extremely popular with all types of kosher consumers, particularly amongst rigorously Orthodox and Chasidic Jews, leading to a sharp increase in the demand for these types of products in the last decade. For some kosher consumers organic products are not only healthier for their bodies, but they conserve the earth’s resources in the way that they’re grown and produced. KosherToday had previously reported that The Star-K organization, based in Baltimore, had joined forces with Quality Assurance International (QAI) to offer a kosher and organic auditing plan. Only one audit is required to certify both the kosher and organic nature of products and will ultimately enable more companies to certify their products in both its organic nature and kosher status.

In addition to the new programs by kashrus organizations, one new certification is offering both kosher and organic assurances. Kosher Organics was founded in 2007 by a group of rabbis and concerned observant Jews who saw the need for an increased awareness and availability of organic and natural products for the kosher consumer. The Green-K (kosher and organic certification) and the Blue-K (kosher and 100% natural) are the two certifications offered by Kosher Organics. Kashrus agencies say that they are fielding many more calls today from kosher consumers concerned about the health of the foods they eat. They are inquiring about any new kosher organic products that come on the market. Sources say that the number of such new products continues to rise with some stores offering entire sections of kosher organic and kosher natural products.

Gift Giving, Recipes Major Themes of Rosh Hashanah 5770
New York…Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, was never known as a season for gift-giving, certainly not in comparison with Chanukah, Purim or Passover. But times seem to be changing, particularly with the age of the Internet. Web sites offering everything from Challah to sushi as gifts are turning Rosh Hashanah, which begins on the eve of September 18th, as a new season for kosher gift-giving. It is also apparently a major time for gathering recipes, from some of the meal ideas in the Kosher by Design series by Susie Fishbein to new recipes being offered by the Orthodox Union (OU). Orthodox Union recipe expert Eileen Goltz is offering several new recipes for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkoth. They include entrees, side dishes and desserts. The gift-giving has also become a major industry in Israel as many Jews give gourmet honey baskets and other sweets as part of their New Year greetings. One company, Taste of Asia, is offering baskets of sushi and sweet gourmet sauces. Many Israelis say that the gifts have replaced in some measure the traditional greeting cards. One company offered a basket of three different flavored honey cakes, including those with raisins and vanilla. In Jerusalem’s Geulah neighborhood, one store is already suggesting ordering sweet raisin, apple or “lughshin” kugel (pudding) as “gifts for the new year.”

More Kosher Consumers Request “Yoshon”
Teaneck, NJ…Kosher caterers in many parts of the New York Metropolitan area have become accustomed to demands for “Yoshon,” grain that has taken root before the second day of Passover. Many supermarkets flag the Yoshon feature on baked goods and other products made with flour. More recently, the Kof-K, a major certification agency based in Teaneck, partnered with ConAgra Foods to provide Yoshon products. The Kof-K certifies more than 20 flour mills throughout the U.S. ConAgra Foods is one of the largest producers of flour world-wide. The Kof-K explains that the second day of Passover was when the offering (korban) of the Omer was made during the times of the Temple (Beis Hamikdash). While this grain was permissible to be eaten, any grain which took root afterwards would be stored until the next year’s korban was brought before it too could be used. Yoshon today is almost a given in Israel, but is increasingly in demand in the US, according to kosher retailers and caterers. Yoshon was not as widely available in the U.S. for many years, since most mills were reluctant to participate due to the complexities and the stringencies involved in its storing. Until now, Yoshon flour was mostly available by frozen stock and for bulk purchases only. The flour mills that did provide Yoshon flour did so at a huge financial risk, because there was no guarantee that all the flour would be used and there was still a big problem of bug infestation, which would wipe out entire stock piles, despite being in cold storage. For the first time ever, an entire plant in Denver and a ConAgra wheat storage house is devoted exclusively to Yoshon. The Kof-K has a kosher supervisor on location for packing and sealing the rail cars used for transport, as well as on location at ConAgra’s Bronx Terminal distribution center. Trucks are cleaned in preparation for the Yoshon flour and a seal is placed on each truck as it sets out to the purchasing bakeries. And since the flour will be completely fresh, not in frozen storage, the bugs issue and quality control issues are all but eliminated.

Retailers Ponder Pomegranate Success as Store Celebrates its Birthday
Brooklyn…As the Pomegranate kosher supermarket was celebrating its first birthday with a great deal of fanfare on August 19th, many retailers around the country were taking a closer look at the apparent success of the store in attracting large number of consumers. Most marketers and retailers credited the store’s aggressive branding program that touted quality. One retailer said: “The store’s name was already a winner. It had neither the word kosher nor a Jewish family name in it. Instead it used a fruit known for its uniqueness and quality.” Many neighboring stores that had lost business to the 20,000 square foot kosher supermarket have begun adopting some of the branding programs, including taking out large ads in Jewish weeklies and offering consumers meal ideas. Pomegranate’s birthday party was consistent with its aggressive branding program. It attracted some 2500 people on a day filled with celebrity Jewish music stars, prizes, and appearances by elected officials. A trio of musicians played everything from Fiddler on The Roof to the Hora, along with a life-like Pomegranate tree, clowns, balloons and mouthwatering samples of meats, cheeses, candy, appetizers, dips, sauces, and sushi. For consumers the reasons for the success of the store were for such obvious reasons as the wide aisles, freshly made homemade dishes, valet parking and a variety of kosher foods that appealed to every palate. A wholesaler who sells to Pomegranate and to many neighboring stores says that “They were all used to doing business a certain way and now everything has changed. Pomegranate may be the laboratory which changes an entire industry.” Despite their envy, even competitors admired what Abraham Bondo, Pomegranate’s visionary owner, accomplished in just one year.

New Wine Offerings From Around the World for Rosh Hashanah
Bayonne, NJ…Rosh Hashanah and Passover are the two key holiday seasons where kosher consumers anxiously anticipate new wines from around the world. Shlomo Blashka of the Royal Wine Company (Kedem) released the company’s top 10 choices for the New Year that begins on the eve of September 18th. The list includes Baron Herzog Zinfandel, Herzog Late Harvest White Riesling 375 ML (first time in a decade), Herzog Reserve Pinot Noir, Herzog Reserve Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Elvi Adar Brut Cava, Red, Pink, and White By W, and Goose Bay Chardonnay. The recommended wines from Israel include Shiloh Cabernet Sauvignon Secret Reserve, Tzuba Metsuda, and Psagot Edom. In addition, there will be several new wines available from Yarden, Carmel and a host of smaller wineries in Israel. The Kosher Wine Society is planning an event to showcase some of the new wines for Rosh Hashanah. Event sponsors include The Exceptional Brownie, Kosher.com, Allied Importers, Shiloh Winery, Tura Estate Winery, and Atalanta Cheese Company. The event will be held on Wednesday, September 9th from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM, Soho NYC, 83 Spring Street .

US Approved Israeli Poultry to Expand Sales in US Kosher Market
New York…An already crowded kosher poultry market in the US may soon be even more crowded as representatives of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the US Department of Agriculture approved chicken farmers, slaughterhouses and chicken food product factories to export to the American market. The visit was part of the FSIS's regular inspections of factories worldwide that export chicken food products to the American market. The FSIS approval means that the US considers veterinarian supervision to be equal to US standards.

Sources at the Israel Export Institute say that Israel exports some 800 tons of chicken food products to the kosher market in the United States, but the estimated potential for this market is higher. Companies like Of Tov are considering a major expansion of the export of kosher poultry to the US. Kosher food sources say that the expansion of exports by the Israelis would most certainly set off further competition in a market already dominated by such major US kosher poultry producers as Empire which has in recent months significantly increased production of the kosher poultry. Newly acquired Agriprocessor continues to produce upward of 30,000 chickens a day. In addition, several new smaller poultry kosher slaughterhouses have also increased the choices for consumers.

Kosher.com to Offer Direct Delivery in Addition to On-Line Sales
Cedarhurst, LI…A popular on-line kosher supermarket has taken major steps to offer consumers an expanded line of more than 15,000 kosher foods both through conventional shipping and a new direct delivery program. Acquired nearly two years ago by a group of investors, Kosher.com hired Aaron Dobrinsky of Teaneck as chief executive to bring the enterprise to a higher level. The company will be offering a broad selection of kosher groceries, meats, bakery, cheese, and both frozen and refrigerated items through a new direct delivery program in many communities in the Metropolitan area. Dobrinsky says he was brought in to expand the local next-day delivery network, jazz up the website, and develop insulating and ice-packing techniques to spur national sales of frozen and refrigerated kosher food—which is delivered via FedEx and other third-party carriers. Kosher.com is also teaming up with Jamie Geller, the "Bride Who Knew Nothing" to bring "kosher" home in a convenient and meaningful way for busy consumers with discerning palates. Geller, author of critically-acclaimed Quick and Kosher: Recipes from the Bride Who Knew Nothing (Feldheim Publishers, 2007) and a former award-winning HBO producer, moved into the Kosher.com kitchen earlier this year to oversee the creation of comprehensive, interactive content for the site. She brings to Kosher.com over a decade of experience as a TV producer and marketing executive. She will ensure that content is fresh, innovative and most importantly, practical. As the only online grocer of its kind, Kosher.com boasts more than 15,000 food items available for delivery anywhere in the U.S.

The site offers free delivery to the New York Metro region, providing relief for busy individuals and families throughout Manhattan, Riverdale, parts of Bronx and Yonkers, and sections of Brooklyn and Bergen County. The company will continue to expand its local delivery regions. Boasting a wide selection of basic groceries as well as unique and hard-to-find gourmet items, Kosher.com also features a broad showcase selection of kosher meats certified by the VAAD of the Five Towns.

August 10th KosherToday News Headlines

New Challenge to Kosher Law as Fraud Increases
New York…Avi G, a New Yorker vacationing in Ft. Lauderdale, found an ice cream cup at a local convenience store with an unclear kosher symbol. “It was either an OU or OV, but either way it didn’t look right,” he told KosherToday. Avi ultimately found out that the ice cream was using an unauthorized symbol. Pfizer recently filed suit against Marco Hi-Tech for allegedly selling it a kosher ingredient with a fraudulent letter from the Orthodox Union. The two are but a small sample of growing fraud and other misrepresentation of kosher that are creating angst amongst many kosher consumers.

Successful challenges against laws protecting kosher consumers have in the words of kosher experts left the growing base of kosher consumers extremely vulnerable. Kashrus agencies say that they have been forced to spend significant amounts of money to protect their symbols from fraud. These concerns are not shared by a Georgian Conservative rabbi and the ACLU who filed suit against the State for defining kosher as meeting “orthodox Hebrew religious rules and requirements.” Rabbi Shalom Lewis claims he cannot fulfill his rabbinical duties “because his theological interpretation of the state’s kosher laws differs from that of Orthodox Judaism.” He said he “violates state law” when he approves some foods as kosher that are not kosher under Orthodox definitions.” The laws have been on the books since 1980.

According to kashrus officials, incidents of unauthorized use of kashrus symbols has increased by nearly 30% in the last two years, even in New York where new kosher laws merely require food establishments to publicize the affiliation and background of their certification in what is commonly known as “disclosure.” One mashgiach found a form in a New Jersey kitchen that had filled in the name of the rabbi as “Moshe Rabbeinu” (Moses, Our Teacher). A proper version was posted in the catering hall. One kashrus official told KosherToday that “tougher laws clearly defining kosher are necessary to protect kosher consumers and that does not preclude a Conservative rabbi from establishing his own definition in his congregation if it is accepted. “More than 1.25 million Jews in the US are said to eat kosher foods regularly in addition to other Americans who expect that the kosher foods they buy are in accordance with the age-old definition of kosher.” The official pointed to the Commack LI butchers that successfully challenged the New York State laws, “who, believe me, did not increase their business after they torpedoed the laws protecting people who eat kosher everyday.”

New York Remains Largest Kosher Market But Not for Everyone
New York…The New York Metro area which includes the majority of the nation’s 5.2 million Jews remains the largest kosher market in the nation but with many caveats from distributors and national retailers surveyed by KosherToday. Most kosher sources say that the New York market, which includes large Jewish communities in neighboring New Jersey, represents “roughly half of their sales nationwide.” But for many the equation has shifted dramatically over the past five years. Large national food companies on average consider New York to be about 35% - 40% of their overall kosher market while more ethnic kosher companies put New York in the 50% - 60% range. A major factor in the different numbers is the large Orthodox and Chasidic communities in the New York region, say the kosher sources. They estimate that as many as 350,000 people fit into that category with a significant number relying on more stringent certifications of Chasidic agencies and rabbis. Even so, the growth of kosher has been significant out of New York with its many new kosher supermarkets and growing “smaller Jewish communities,” say the sources.

Kosher Natural and Organic Climbs as National Sales Decline
New York…While sales of organic foods have dropped by some 2% in the general food market, organic foods are a rapidly rising category in the kosher market worldwide. Sales at Whole Foods continue to decline, albeit at a slower pace, largely due to the recession. But the number of new natural and organic products produced by US and Israeli kosher manufacturers has more than doubled in the last 18 months, according to kosher foods sources. Unlike the US, demand in many European countries for organic foods continues to grow. Israel’s Agrexco seemed to be prepared for the increased popularity of organically grown fruits and vegetables. Israel’s agriculture has shifted a major portion of its products to organic. Some of its largest food manufacturers have created special divisions of organic and natural foods, which were initially slow to pick up in Israel but are now growing at a significant rate.

Osem Continues Expansion in Worldwide Kosher Sales
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Middle East Bureau Chief…Osem continues its worldwide expansion with special emphasis on the kosher market. Israel’s largest manufacturer of instant soups and prepared salads has announced a deal to acquire Yarden G.B. Ltd, a British distributor of kosher food products for the sum of $3.2 million plus an additional amount for the company’s inventory. Yarden markets kosher food products to supermarkets and stores who specialize in kosher foods in Britain and also has exclusive rights to distribute Osem’s Sabra prepared salads. Osem international will oversee the new subsidiary headed by Gad Propper and Osem UK CEO Giora Tzuker. Osem said in a statement that the acquisition of the company will enable the Osem group to expand its presence in the UK markets especially for its Sabra ready made salad line. The company is also looking to become a leader in the kosher market in Britain. Yarden G.B. had sales of 7 million pounds in 2008 and its clients include the Tesco and Sainsbury supermarket chains.

Bloomberg reports that Osem which is controlled by Nestle SA, the world’s largest food company is looking to boost its sales abroad by acquiring companies overseas. In the last year, it bought Tribe Mediterranean Foods, a US maker of humus and prepared salads and FoodTech International, an American company that produces meat substitutes.

Kosher food sources say that kosher foods in Europe have been growing at a rate of 8%-10% a year, which is significant for the world’s third largest kosher market. Israel’s kosher market is valued at approximately $15 billion while the US is at $12 billion. The European kosher market is believed to be about 10% of that amount. The sources say that there has been considerable growth in Russia and the Ukraine, which are now routinely factored into the overall kosher market in Europe.

Israel’s Hotels Hope Calendar Will Help Sagging Holiday Reservations
Jerusalem…It is called the “ideal” holiday by many who savor the combination of spending the Succoth holiday in the Holy Land with ample time to tour. This year, Succoth falls on Friday night October 2nd and ends on Sunday October 11th, allowing for a near week of touring. Sources say that the hotels in Jerusalem are currently at about 65% of capacity, well off its pace of 2007, its last banner year. One popular destination, the luxurious Inbal Hotel in the capital is offering visitors flexible stays over the holiday with a minimum 3-night stay. The hotel also offers many of its guests private balcony Succos. Other destinations in Israel such as the Dead Sea are similarly lagging, but in the past have filled rooms with the less coveted Israeli tourist. Hotels are hoping for a last minute surge by tourists from North America in particular, partly due to the calendar and in some measure to a slowly improving economy. Despite the slower sales, prices have remained stable with some dealing possible, say travel agents.

Court Decision May Finally Allow New Owners of Ahava to Begin Production
New York…Menachem and Schneuer Bistritsky may finally begin to really assume control of the Ahava plant in Lewis County after a judge issued a preliminary injunction evicting Ahava of California. The injunction officially grants FJB and Toobro, the companies owned by the Bistritskys, possession of the plant and immediate access to the premises without interference from Ahava. After Moshe Banayan, the owner of Ahava filed bankruptcy, Ahava of California, owned by Moshe’s brother continued possession of the Upstate New York plant. The Bitsritskys bought the plant from two financial institutions that had liens on Ahava through the Chapter 7 bankruptcy of Moshe Banayan. New York City attorney Leo L. Esses, representing Ahava, claimed the agreement was fraudulent. Sources told KosherToday that Ahava’s products had suffered of late from quality issues, but the Bistritskys are determined to completely revamp the company and to produce a high quality dairy product that is also Cholov Yisroel. There was a great deal of speculation by the kosher sources of the impact of a strong Ahava on the rapidly growing Cholov Yisroel market.

New Owners of Agriprocessor Continue to Plan Company’s Future but Old Antagonists are Already Breathing Down Their Necks
New York…Many of the poultry products of Agriprocessor have been turning up in markets where they have not been for nearly 14 months. Agri’s new owners continue to expand the distribution of poultry products in many Jewish markets, including Kansas City where consumers and rabbis alike welcomed the products back. Agriprocessor was bought at auction by SHF Industries, a company formed by Canadian plastics manufacturer Hershey Friedman and his son-in-law, Daniel Hirsch. Friedman owns Polystar Packaging Inc. of Montreal, which is a top maker of plastic packaging for meat. Some of Agri’s old nemeses are already breathing down the necks of the new ownership. Everyone from PETA to Rabbi Morris Allen are looking to meet the new ownership, even as they attempt to gain control of the company and begin operating the company in earnest. A coalition of liberal Jewish and local leaders called the Postville Community Benefits Alliance and are pressing to meet with the new owners to discuss issues such as improving wages for workers. While Agriprocessor produces about 30,000 chickens daily, Mr. Friedman told Mishpacha Magazine that he hoped to get the beef-processing plant up and running again by the High Holy Days. But some sources say that the early pressure from the groups that brought down the old ownership can delay the company’s need to move forward rapidly in an unsettled market.

The “Pom Box” Could Help Many Out of Town Supermarkets Attract Kosher Consumers
Brooklyn, NY…With many of its consumers vacationing in the Catskill Mountains in New York, the Pomegranate kosher gourmet supermarket came up with a novel solution. It promoted preparing foods for the approximately 3-hour drive from Brooklyn in insulated boxes. The program was wildly successful. The novel approach could also be of benefit to many supermarkets around the country that often attract customers from as far as a 50 -60 mile radius, say some distributors. In Brooklyn, the Pom Box enabled the store to keep its customer base happy even while on vacation. It also delivered twice a week to Deal, NJ. Some Chabad emissaries often drive long distances to buy kosher food for themselves and for congregants and could certainly benefit from the "Pom Boxes,” a Chabad shliach told KosherToday.

Shoprite Invests in its Catskills Operations as Sales Soar
Monticello, NY…With three stores in the Catskills (Monticello, Liberty and Ellenville) Shoprite has significantly upgraded its services to the kosher consumer. Sources say that its sales of kosher foods this summer have soared, particularly in Monticello where it faces competition from Wal-Mart just across the road. Shoprite hired Zelig Krymko as its new liaison to the kosher community. According to the Hamodia weekly, he is already committed to sponsor a Cholov Yisrael Kiddush in local synagogues and has even instituted a special check-out counter where the monitors are tuned off and the magazines covered over with black plastic bags. Kosher distributors say that sales of kosher foods in general have soared this season.

July 27th KosherToday News Headlines

Kosher Sales Slump But Only Slightly as New Product Surge Continues
New York…Sales of kosher foods may not grow as much in 2009 as in the last six years, which averaged 13%, according to some distributors and retailers. The kosher food sources expected an increase of 8% - 10%, which would still be above the expected 4% increase for the food industry in general and as much as a 5% decline in the sale of natural and organic products. Yet, the sources say that the upcoming High Holy Days may be the hidden card in the final numbers. Retailers say that they had noticed somewhat of a change in the shopping habits of middle-class shoppers, many directly affected by the recession. These shoppers were less likely to stock their pantries for a rainy day than only a year ago, explained one retailer. They are also buying more private label items and shunning more expensive gourmet items. Some stores say that they are carrying less brand choices of any given item. “I used to carry 5 brands of kosher mustard; I have reduced that to three,” said a Queens grocer. Despite these developments, say industry sources, consumers are still taking to new products. In 2008, more than 5000 new products had some form of kosher claim, according to the Mintel Research Organization.

The success of new products on kosher shelves is consistent with new data that shows that in general consumers enjoy tasting new products. According to a new study from Ipsos Marketing, Consumer Goods, 89% of consumers said they would be interested in trying new food products at the grocery store. New products accounted for 5% - 10% sales growth in some kosher stores.

Ralph’s Grocery Brings New Meaning to “the Kosher Section” in San Diego
San Diego…by Ellie Appleson, Features Editor…It is a “kosher section” that even many large supermarkets that cater to kosher consumers in big cities do not offer. After three years of research and planning, Ralph’s Supermarket implemented their plans to offer kosher in a way that the Jewish community could only have dreamed of. As one of Kroger Company’s establishments, Ralph’s has been upgrading its kosher sections in many of its stores. “Our objective was to create a complete, kosher grocery within one of our supermarkets,” explains Steve Mione, Senior Director Service Deli and one of the instrumental planners of Ralph’s new venture. Complete with a kosher bakery, fresh meat cutting room, sushi, rotisserie and grill, Ralph’s did just that. In their beautifully renovated La Jolla site, Ralph’s staff put endless amounts of effort into educating themselves on the laws of kashrus and even created a kosher kitchen that Mashgiach Rabbi Zack Plotzker says “could not have been put together more effectively.” In order to ensure their kashrus was up to par for all of their clientele, Ralph’s partnered with both the Rabbinical Council of California as well as the Vaad Harabbonim, in addition to having a mashgiach on the premises at all times.

The kosher section officially opened on July 14th with a special ceremony for the Jewish community. “I don’t have to cook again!” an elated woman uttered as she shook her head in disbelief walking the aisles with the large selection of kosher foods. Even Ralph’s vendors were blown away by the amount of thought and precision that had gone into the kosher counters. “The fact that they were able to achieve what they did in this economy is a truly impressive accomplishment,” a vendor for Laromme bakery products said with respect. Although San Diego has a sizeable Jewish community, there hasn’t been much available there in the way of kosher food. Most San Diegans had to make regular trips to Los Angeles to stock up on products that aren’t carried by the local kosher groceries, but those days have come to an end. Rabbi Plotzker believes that this will not only simplify shopping for the San Diego kosher community, but perhaps Ralph’s new kosher food facility will bring more frum families to the San Diego area as well. Without a doubt, Ralph’s has changed the face of kosher food and may have a profound impact on the Jewish community itself.

Subway May be First Successful “Kosher Restaurant Franchise”
Miami…Store #11 in North Miami Beach will by far make Subway the largest kosher franchise. Numerous attempts by both kosher owned restaurants and chains like Nathan’s have not nearly come close to what is emerging as a highly successful kosher franchise. The newest Subway is scheduled to open at the Michael-Ann Russell Jewish Community Center in North Miami Beach, the first of its kind in Florida. The first kosher Subway had opened in Cleveland several years ago before expanding to the New York area. “The success of Subway is an anomaly,” said one New York restaurant maven. “I always thought that their menu of sandwiches and soups is far too limited for the glatt kosher customer who loves many choices.” Oddly enough on Brooklyn’s Avenue J, Subway is adjacent to Kosher Delight with some customers “mixing and matching,” as the maven put it. They may get a sandwich at Subway and spare ribs at KD. Word is that store #12 may soon open in Miami Beach. With nearly a dozen stores, it is far larger than Mendy’s, Kosher Delight or Dougie’s, each with up to a handful of stores. Some restaurant experts say that Subway may “be on to something with its more limited menu.” Customers are also impressed with the consistency of the quality of the products and expanded offerings such as some pareve items. “Who would have believed?” was the ultimate reaction of the restaurant maven.

Israeli Rabbis Fume Over Supreme Court Meddling in Kashrus
Jerusalem….Israel’s Chief Rabbinate is furious that the nation’s highest court has ordered it to provide kosher certification to a woman baker who identifies with the Jews for Jesus movement. In addition to criticizing the court’s “overstepping their jurisdiction,” the rabbis feared that the Court’s meddling could be a “bad precedent” for the future. The Court overturned a decision by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel to remove the “hekhsher” because Pnina Conforti considered herself a member of the Jews for Jesus movement. Conforti said that when she opened her first bakery in Gan Yavne in 2002 she enjoyed impressive business success. But after her faith was publicized in an article in a Messianic Jewish magazine, she allegedly suffered from demonstrations outside her bakery and posters with her picture distributed throughout the city warning that she was a missionary. As a result, Gan Yavne Chief Rabbi Meshumar Tzabari revoked her kashrus certificate. In 2006 she opened her second bakery in Ashdod, where she was granted a kosher certificate, but when the Ashdod Rabbinate learned that she was a member of the “Jews for Jesus” movement, it too withdrew the certificate. After she appealed to the Supreme Court, the justices ordered the Rabbinate to pay her $52,000 in legal fees and to re-issue a kashrus certificate.

Economic Meltdown Coincides with Declining Ice Cream Sales in Israel
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Middle East Bureau Chief…Ice cream sales in Israel are expected to meltdown this year because of the economic slowdown. Dun and Bradstreet estimates the $250 million dollar target is slightly less than sales from last year. Company analysts noted that this reverses a trend of 4 to 6 percent increases in sales over the last few years. Israelis are expected to buy fewer of the higher quality ice cream brands because they have less money for luxury items. Strauss Dairies produces more than half of all the ice cream products sold in Israel followed by Nestle and . Feldmans. There are some 8,000 people employed in the industry which produces some 4,000 different ice cream and sherbet confections. The report found that general ice cream sales have soared 420% in the last decade. Ynet news reports that Israelis consume some 8 liters of ice cream a year while Europeans consume almost twice that much. Americans are considered the world’s biggest ice cream consumers – 20 liters a year.

Pomegranate Bistro, Kosher Pastry Oven, and Shaul’s Top DC Kosher Establishments
Silver Spring, MD…A bistro, bakery and kosher grocery were rated the leading kosher establishments in the 2008-2009 Washington DC area kosher survey conducted by Kosher Community Surveys. The winners were Pomegranate Bistro as the Best Overall Kosher Restaurant, Kosher Pastry Oven as the Best Overall Kosher Bakery and Shaul’s as the Best Overall Kosher Store. Other establishments with strong ratings include the Kosher Mart, Shalom’s, Eli’s Restaurant, and Pita Plus. Neil Rosenbaum, President of Kosher Community Surveys LLC, said: "For the second year in a row, over 500 kosher consumers participated in the DC area kosher community survey." He added: “In this challenging economy, kosher establishments should be more sensitive than ever to the needs of their customers. The results of the survey can help them do so.” The survey report provides significant insight into the community’s collective opinion on Washington DC area kosher establishments. Kosher Community Surveys conducts consumer surveys of kosher restaurants, bakeries and stores across the country.

Dairy Purveyors Hope for More than “Nine Days”
Brooklyn…At Glatt ala Carte on 18th Avenue in Boro Park, the kitchens are busy these days preparing fish dishes, rather than its usual compliment of beef, veal, lamb and poultry. The “Nine Days” which end on Thursday night with the end of the fast on Tisha B’Av (Ninth Day of Av) has become a time of year when dairy and pareve purveyors get noticed, a far cry from the dominant meat dishes that are common throughout the year. In Manhattan, such well-known restaurants as Prime Grill, Solo, Talia's Steakhouse, Turquoise, Wolf & Lamb, Clubhouse Cafe, Eden Wok, Estihana, Le Marais, Abigael’s, Mendy's Deli, Mike's Bistro, Café Classico and Mr. Broadway, are offering the meat-free menus as part of the mourning period for the destruction of the First and Second Temple, according to Elan Kornblum, the kosher restaurant “maven" of Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine. A Nine Days Menu includes fish dishes, pasta, sushi, salads, and a range of cheese filled blintzes and knishes. One Brooklyn dairy restaurateur who was busy seating people, many of who waited patiently outside the restaurant, says plainly “each year I think that people will learn that there’s more to kosher than meat and potatoes, but they always seem to go back to meat.” Retailers too are taking advantage of the Nine Days. In Monticello, Shoprite is calling attention to its special display of dairy and pareve items. Jewel Osco’s ad for the Nine Days includes pictures of fresh fish and cheese, according to Yakov M. Yarmove of SuperValu.

Empire Finally Gets a Chasidic Hechsher, but Still Not on its Own Label
Mifflintown, PA…Empire Kosher Poultry recently announced that it was launching a new line of kosher poultry in mid-August, under the supervision of Rabbi Binyomin Gruber of Monsey. Although many Chasidic groups have used the poultry facility in Mifflintown to produce poultry, this would mark the first time that a Chasidic hechsher publicly acknowledges use of the Empire plant. A statement by Empire noted: “In light of its recent announcement that Empire will be expanding capacity in the kosher poultry market, the company received requests to add a Chasidishe Schechita (Chasidic-run slaughter) on a “contract manufacturing” basis. Empire invited Rabbi Gruber to inspect the Mifflintown facility to determine its suitability for this type of production. His inspection and follow-up visits essentially created the new brand, which will be sold directly into Chasidic communities.” While Empire did not identify the contractor, it said: “The new production will be contracted for by a family-owned master distribution company in the New York City area. That company’s mission is to bring the best quality Kosher poultry to the Chasidic community – at affordable prices.” Sources said that Empire was still reluctant to add a Chasidic certification on its Empire label, which remains under the reliable supervision of the Orthodox Union. The dual certifications have become increasingly popular as food manufacturers seek to attract an estimated 250,000 Chasidic Jews, most of which purchase food products that include the certification of a Chasidic certification agency or rabbi they trust.

July 13th KosherToday News Headlines

Ample Supply of Kosher Poultry for High Holy Days but no Price War
New York…With the holiday buying season now only two months away, kosher consumers got some good news and some bad news with respect to kosher poultry for the High Holy Days in September. Industry sources say that there will be more than an adequate supply for the holidays, but prices will be much higher than last year with no price war in sight despite the widespread availability. Even as the industry waits to see developments at Agriprocessor (a sale is yet to be approved by a judge and the new owners have also not revealed their plans for the future), there have been many new developments in poultry. Empire Kosher Poultry plans to significantly increase its kosher chicken capacity. Empire’s regularly scheduled non-holiday production capacity is approximately 225,000 chickens per week, with a peak holiday production capacity of approximately 350,000 chickens per week. With the addition of the new line, Empire’s regular capacity will expand to more than 500,000 chickens per week and almost 800,000 chickens per week at peak times. Agriprocessor is producing approximately 150,000 chickens per week. There is also significant production from major poultry producers like Alle, Vineland and Falls. Other production also comes from the Upstate Chasidic enclave of Kiryas Joel.

Kosher consumers who prefer organic chickens will also have more to choose from. In addition to Wise, Empire is set to expand its antibiotic free and organic poultry lines. The chickens will be fed only certified, organically grown vegetarian diets. All of Empire’s poultry products are raised on family owned farms within 75 miles of the Empire plant and are free roaming, allowing the birds to grow naturally.
Empire has dedicated two growing houses, with a capacity of almost 60,000 chickens per week, to its ABF product line and another growing house, with a capacity of almost 30,000 chickens per week, to its Organic line. This volume accounts for between one third and one half of Empire’s current weekly production.

In addition, a new joint venture between Pegasus Capital Advisors and The Hain Celestial Group is set to launch Kosher Valley(TM), a new complete line of certified kosher antibiotic-free (ABF), vegetarian fed and humanely raised all-natural chicken and turkey products. The Kosher Valley brand leverages the experience of longtime leaders in the ABF poultry category and unlike most kosher poultry companies, will focus exclusively on ABF poultry. All Kosher Valley products are certified by Rabbi Yechiel Babad and the Orthodox Union and produced in Plainville, New York. Kosher Valley products have already appeared at Whole Foods Market and other select retailers since July 6th.

Grocers Prepare for Nine Days Foods
New York…Many grocers are already preparing for the Nine Days which begin on July 22nd, a period when meat is not consumed as part of the mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples. The Nine Days are part of the Three Weeks (the period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av) of mourning that began on Thursday. The more intense mourning period of the Nine Days ends with the fast of the Ninth of Av. Many retailers are in the midst of marketing for the outdoor BBQ season, but according to Yakov M. Yarmove, Corporate Business Development Manager, Ethnic Marketing and Specialty Foods for SuperValu, ads for stores like Jewel-Osco will soon turn to ads promoting dairy and pareve foods for the Nine Days. Some of Brooklyn’s largest kosher grocers ran full page ads in Jewish weeklies promoting meat products for the BBQ’s. Pomegranate, one of the nation’s largest gourmet kosher supermarkets, attracted nearly 200 people for a demonstration by their chefs on how to “take the BBQ to the next level.”

New Ad War in Brooklyn Focuses on Branding of Kosher Supermarkets
Brooklyn…Kosher supermarkets are suddenly showing chefs in action and promoting recipes as opposed to the traditional catalogue-like list of discounts that is more common for the supermarket industry. Pomegranate, which opened in Flatbush last August, promotes its store through full page color ads in Jewish weeklies that reach the major Jewish communities of New York. Each week the ads highlight a different part of the store, such as its meats, take-out, dips, cheeses, and produce. Competitors like Glatt Mart and Landau’s have also taken to advertising that focuses more on branding than on discounted items. Industry sources say that Pomegranate’s approach has revolutionized the marketing programs of kosher retailers. They say that the ads are contributing to creating an image for the stores that go well beyond the traditional pricing attributes. Pomegranate has also managed to attract a clientele from well beyond Flatbush, competing with such Boro Park gourmet stores like Landau’s and Manhattan’s upscale kosher outlets.

Kosher Takes Center Stage at DPI, Fancy Food Shows
Chicago…As a major distributor of specialty foods, DPI sponsors an annual show of some of the categories it distributes, with a special emphasis on kosher. “At least 25% of the exhibitors were kosher,” said Christine Salmon of Diversified Business Communications, who is responsible for sales at Kosherfest, which had a booth at the show. What struck Ms. Salmon was the significant number of exhibitors who never appeared at Kosherfest, which is consistent with the findings by the Mintel Research Organization of the large number of new products that become kosher every year. Held at the Schaumburg Convention Center on July 8th, the show attracted a large number of buyers from the Midwest as well as from other parts of the country. The significant kosher business of DPI is headed by Joe Plueger, a veteran expert on the industry, who is also chairman of the National Kosher Food Distributors of America, affiliated with NASFT, sponsors of the Fancy Food Show.

Earlier this month at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York, participants at a seminar heard a report that supermarkets like Price Chopper, Trader Joe’s and Costco are successfully catering to kosher shoppers with their corporate brands, while Whole Foods, with its 365 Everyday Value brand, leaves a lot to be desired. That was the consensus of kosher distributors and manufacturer participants in a roundtable discussion. Price Chopper (based in Schenectady, N.Y.) has its store-brand products certified kosher whenever possible, noted Marty Stein, an account manager for distributor Tree of Life. The retailer also advertises in local Jewish papers and cites the relevant certification body beside kosher products in its ad circulars. While most Trader Joe’s and Costco’s Kirkland Signature brands are certified kosher, about nine in 10 items in Whole Foods’ 365 Everyday Value line are not, noted Susan Berlin of Susan Sez it with Cake. Others agreed that the retailer is lacking in the store-brand kosher department. “I’ll take a look at a beautiful 365 Everyday flavored oil and 90% of the time I’ll turn it around, can’t find the kosher symbol, and it’s back to the shelf,” Berlin said. The Fancy Food Show this year was noteworthy for its large representation of kosher (nearly 500 booths), and more significantly, say industry sources, the large number of exhibitors who posted their kosher certification to attract kosher trade buyers.

Lubinsky to Present “State of Global Kosher Market” on Kosherica Cruise August 17-24
Boca Raton…Menachem Lubinsky, founder and co-producer of Kosherfest and a leading expert on the kosher market, will deliver a major presentation on the “State of the Global Market” as part of an 8-day cruise to the Greek Aisles, August 17-24 aboard the luxurious Costa Fortuna. The cruise is organized by Kosherica, the leading producer of kosher cruises throughout the world.

As part of its worldwide kosher cruises, Kosherica recently announced a week-long Jewish Musical Festival at Sea that sails on January 24, 2010, a program organized in association with the Advancement of Cantorial Arts. Amongst the leading Jewish music entertainers will be such world-renowned cantors and singers as Moshe Stern, Naftali Hershtik and Avraham Fried. Kosherica’s cruises include such destinations as the Caribbean, the icy glaciers in Alaska, the historic cities of the Baltics, and the luxurious Greek Isles. Kosherica offers the finest in kosher cuisine that is of Glatt Kosher, Cholov Yisrael, and Pas Yisrael.

With US Airways New Flights to Tel Aviv, is American Next?
New York…US Airways became the latest US carrier to fly non stop to Tel Aviv, raising speculation that American Airlines will soon join Continental and Delta in offering direct flights to Tel Aviv. US Airways began its direct flights from Philadelphia to Tel Aviv on July 1st. The flight aboard a brand-new Airbus A330-200, with a capacity of 258 passengers, including 20 "envoy class" seats, has in its first few days included many kosher passengers. It has long been rumored that American would eventually initiate a direct flight to Tel Aviv, but for the moment the airline is content with its code-share agreement with El Al, allowing it to fly passengers from around the country to El Al’s main departure cities, which is primarily New York, New Jersey and Los Angeles. El Al ended its code share agreement with Delta when the carrier began direct flights from New York in addition to its daily flights from Atlanta.

Stella D’oro, the Company that Blinked Shuts Down Altogether
New York…Brynwood Partners, the owners of Stella D'oro pastries, announced that it is closing the company's only factory. While some of the brand's products will continue to be produced in other facilities, the loss of Stella D'oro's Bronx bakery leaves the brand with an uncertain future. Stella D’oro will be best remembered by kosher consumers for reversing a decision to go dairy when kosher consumers protested the company’s decision. The Stella D’oro reversal is being used by many in the industry as an example of the extraordinary clout of a growing cadre of kosher consumers, especially since the company was at that time owned by Kraft which had acquired Nabisco and its Stella D’oro brand. Although Stella D'oro's cookies were based on the Italian pastries, the brand was quickly adopted by many Jews, including large numbers of kosher consumers. A particular favorite was the company's Swiss Fudge cookies, which many Jewish consumers dubbed "shtreimels," after the round fur hats that are traditionally worn on the Sabbath. The Bronx location will stay open until October, as Brynwood prepares to move all production to other facilities.

June 29th KosherToday News Headlines

Hopes Abound With Sale of Agriprocessor to Canadian Group
New York…From Postville to Alaska, there were new hopes that the bankrupt Agriprocessor would soon spring to life, although there was still no word from the group that appears to have successfully acquired the company on what its plans for the company were. Hershey Friedman, the president of Montreal-based Polystar Packaging, is a well-known Orthodox Jewish activist and philanthropist. Although he and the two partners that bought out the secured credit of two of the company's major creditors have no direct food experience, they are known to be successful business managers and very well respected in the Orthodox Jewish community. They are said to have agreed to pay $8.5 million to two of Agriprocessors’ largest secured creditors — First Bank Business Capital of St. Louis and the credit arm of Metropolitan Life Insurance. Kevin Huntsman, a vice president and plastics specialist at Kansas City-based commodities consulting firm Mastio and Co., said it would make sense for Friedman to buy the meatpacking plant, as Polystar Packaging is one of the top 15 manufacturers of meat and poultry packaging. If there was any bad news, it was for the many unsecured creditors who stand to loose the money they are owed. The two other partners, Daniel Hirsch (Mr. Friedman’s son-in-law) and Mitch Kirschner, work in Friedman's US operations. Friedman is listed as president of Polystar Packaging and another plastics manufacturer in Brooklyn called Favorite Plastics. Polystar was founded in 1963 and employs 75 people, according to a Canadian government Web site.

The most enthusiastic people these days are citizens of Postville and kosher consumers in nearly 18 smaller markets that have not been served since a federal raid on Agriprocessor in May 2008. "If no one else bids on it and the judge approves the sale, they own Agriprocessors," Joe Sarachek, the court appointed trustee, said. "Other buyers are certainly free to come in and bid more." The lines of credit were valued at $21 million, but Sarachek said SHF Industries (the new company created by the partnership) had paid less. The loans were a sticking point in an earlier failed auction, as potential buyers could not agree with the creditors on a price. Industry observers say that a newly reconstituted Agriprocessors would face an uphill battle to win back share in the larger markets. Several competitors and newly established purveyors have stepped in to fill the vacuum. Agriprocessors itself has been producing some poultry and importing a small amount of beef from South America.

Barton’s Sold to Bazzini Nuts, Sources Say
Allentown PA…Barton’s one of the most iconic brands in kosher over the last half century has been sold as part of an auction to sell off assets of Cherrydale Farms. KosherToday has learned that the Barton’s brand and some of its assets were sold independently of Cherrydale, which in its hey-day was a large producer of kosher candy out of its 270,000 square foot plant. Known for its kisses, chocolate shofar, and other Jewish favorites, the Barton’s brand, its inventory and intellectual property is said to have been bought by Bazzini Nuts. Cherrydale was known as one of the largest providers of fundraising products as well as gift giving. Bazzininuts.com is also focused on assisting corporate business & individual gift-giving as an extension of the Bazzini mail order catalog. Says the Web site: “Our mission is to provide the finest quality gifts and catering to meet your needs, whatever the occasion. For family gatherings and corporate receptions, special gifts or just because, Bazzini gifts are the perfect choice. And, the Bazzini stamp of approval means you get only the highest quality made from the freshest ingredients.” Sources say that Bazzini, whose nuts are kosher certified, hopes to expand its line into the “fancy chocolate line” and perhaps capture a larger share of the kosher and confectionary market.

Travel Experts Expect More Domestic Travel this Summer
New York…With gas prices rising and the recession continuing more kosher travelers will be traveling domestically. In a survey of several travel agents, the consensus was that there would be a drop in overseas travel including on popular kosher cruises. Price Choppers in Colonie, NY, just outside of Albany, has placed its annual advertising for travelers heading to Montreal and upstate New York destinations. Retailers in the Catskills region expect a “normal” summer which traditionally brings some 300,000 Jews to the resort area. This year, the travelers will be faced by travel delays due to highway construction. Vendors were expecting a better reception at the Wal-Mart in Monticello this summer after numerous complaints last year. In the past the superstore reported some $2.5 million in kosher food sales over the 10-week season. Pomegranate, a leading Brooklyn kosher gourmet supermarket, is offering shoppers headed upstate a special insulated box with every purchase of $100 or more. It is also delivering twice a week to Deal NJ, a summer haven for the Sephardic community. In Vancouver, the local Chabad is opening a kosher catering service to serve thousands of Jewish tourists traveling through Vancouver during the summer. "There is a need for gourmet kosher food at affordable prices," Rabbi Schneur Wineberg told lubavitch.com. Strictly kosher under the Rabbinical Supervision of Rabbi Yitzchok Wineberg executive director of Chabad Lubavitch of British Columbia, the gourmet kosher dinners will be prepared on-site at the Chabad-Lubavitch Centre in Vancouver, and will be available for take-out or delivery. The catering service will also offer frozen prepared dairy meals, fresh deli sandwiches, and a full Shabbat take-out menu. Special kosher programs are also being offered in Banff, courtesy of Michael Schick Catering. Despite the recession, the consensus is that there will be great deal of travel this season, but not as much to overseas destinations, including Israel.

International Community in Growing Interest for Kosher End User
New York…Walking the Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center, there were some 500 booths with kosher certification, but the big news was how many of the large international pavilions featured kosher. Some countries like Italy and Spain have been accustomed to meeting kosher buyers looking for the kosher fare. The Philippines recently launched a special department in Manila that is focused on kosher. The Baltimore-based Star-K Kosher Certification was invited to Izmir, Turkey by the Turkish Prime Ministry’s Undersecretariat for Treasury and Foreign Trade, to address members of the Aegean Exporters’ Association. Rabbi Tzvi Rosen, joined the Star-K’s Middle East/Europe Kashrus Coordinator, Rabbi Dovid Stein, in making a presentation on “Kosher Certification: Your Worldwide Partner for Successful Marketing”. In attendance was Izmir’s newest rabbi, Rabbi Mordechai Katan, and approximately thirty Turkish manufacturing companies. The big news is that while many countries in the Near and Far East have been involved with kosher ingredients for years, they are now looking to expand produced foods for sale in markets in the US and Israel. Kashrus agencies say they are receiving interest from manufacturers in India, Japan and Thailand amongst others. Several Israeli importers have of late greatly expanded the import of kosher foods from abroad.

Kashrus Agencies Confront Many New Challenges
Baltimore…The Star-K on May 26th hosted a meeting of the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO), headed by Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, who also heads the Chicago Rabbinical Council (cRc). Some of the questions they deliberated on included how to guarantee that domestic beer malt is not sent to a non-kosher smokehouse, where things like pork and fish are smoked, for processing; is there a way to test honey to ensure that it is pure and its kashrus remains uncompromised; at a time when the biodiesel world is collapsing, how can cheap, unacceptable glycerin be prevented from being used in the fermentation process of kosher products; and is there a concern if a coffee manufacturer sprays its coffee berries with some enzymes to help separate the husk from the bean.” The AKO Ingredient Committee, hosted by STAR-K in May, is the most active and far reaching of all of AKO’s committees,” says Rabbi Fishbane. “This committee speaks in very detailed chemical terms, not always understood by the typical lay person. Because there are 25,000 chemical components and ingredients on the list, they only got to discuss those starting with the letters I, J, and K—things like Isobutyraldehyde, Jasmine Tea Leaves, and Kelp Powder.” “Star-K was proud to host AKO,” says STAR-K president, Dr. Avrom Pollak.

New Kosher Accommodations for Shabbat Layover Passengers and at Wimbledon
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Middle East Bureau Chief…El Al, Israel’s national airlines, has reached an agreement with the Committee for the Sanctity of the Sabbath enabling observant passengers in transit on Friday afternoon to layover at the airline’s expense when a flight’s departure may violate the Sabbath. One such flight scheduled to leave from Bangkok, Thailand to Israel was delayed for technical reasons. Rabbi Nechemia Wilhelm, Tourist Liaison at the Chabad House in Bangkok arranged accommodation for the passengers at a hotel nearby where they remained until Saturday night. 120 people flew out after the Sabbath ended. Finding kosher accommodations should not be a problem in the cities El Al flies to. And at the Wimbledon tennis championships, kosher food is available for the first time in the 122-year history of the games. Rabbi David and Sara Cohen are operating a kosher kitchen near the site of the matches. Rabbi Cohen who co-directs Chabad of South London Campuses told the Chabad website that when they found a house near the Wimbledon’s Center Court they knew they had to do something like this during the tournament. They are offering barbecue as well as sandwiches to kosher tennis fans.

The Cohens also held an open house on Shabbat featuring a strawberries and cream kiddush. There will also be a special Shabbat Friday night program at the end of the tournament on July 3rd.

Israelis Increasingly Attracted to Private Label Products
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Middle East Bureau Chief…Israelis are buying more private label products at supermarkets as a way of saving money, as in-house brands are 20 to 30 percent less expensive. A survey carried out by Mutagim Marketing polled 500 Israelis who were asked about their brand preferences at the supermarket. Two-thirds of the Orthodox shoppers said they buy the private label brands while 34 percent of those who consider themselves secular chose the supermarket brands. Almost half of the sample population said there was no difference between the private label and the better known brands while 14 percent thought the private brand products were better. 15 percent said the price was more important than the quality. Most of the respondents mentioned the savings - anywhere from ten to hundreds of shekels.

From Here and There…
Bayonne NJ…The Kedem Food Group is out with a new catalogue of nearly 2000 sku’s. According to Harold Weiss, Vice President, KFP International – Kedem, a similar catalogue is in the works for “Natural.”

Bayonne NJ…Shlomo Blashka has replaced Martin Davidson as Communications Director for the Royal Wine Corporation.

June 15th KosherToday News Headlines

Kosher Retailers See a 10% Decrease in Sales due to Recession
New York…Sales of kosher foods are basically sound despite the recession but some stores say sales may be off by as much as 10%. In an interesting development, kosher seems to be faring better than natural and organic which in some areas is said to be off by 15% - 20%. Most of the retailers reached by KosherToday said that they have observed some fundamental changes in consumer habits. “While many customers are buying as usual, others are cutting back just enough to realize some savings,” said a Bergen County retailer. The same seems to be true in Brooklyn although natural growth is compensating for the recession related drop. “With a record 3500 births or so in one month recently at nearby Maimonides Hospital, people in this community are feeding more mouths,” said Alex, an assistant store manager in the Flatbush area. Despite growing competition in this area of Brooklyn, there have been no closings of grocery stores. Instead, stores are competing with many promotions and events and heavily discounting many basic staples. A major distributor said that despite the appearance of being recession-proof, some kosher venues are having “a hard time paying their bills.” He added that while it is never easy, these days it has become nearly impossible in some places.” Shopping in a West Side kosher grocery, Genie, a 30ish young Orthodox woman with two small children in tow, said: “I really buy what I need these days and hope that my husband keeps his job in a Midtown accounting firm.”

Kosher Restaurants Use Aggressive Marketing to Survive
New York…A number of kosher restaurants have closed in the past few months, most as a direct result of the ongoing recession. “Owners can’t just sit back and wait for people to come to them anymore,” says Elan Kornblum, "The Restaurant Guy" who publishes the
Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine (www.GreatKosherRestaurants.com). “They have to be pro-active, aggressive and grab customers in – so more are advertising. That is why this year’s magazine is the thickest one yet.” In surveying many well known kosher restaurants, it appears that business is off by 10% - 15%. Mr. Kornblum and others believe that kosher has fared better than non-kosher simply because kosher clients have much fewer choices. Rick Glickman of DaNali’s in Skokie, IL is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. “I truly believe it will get better. I think it is starting because people are getting used to the fact that we are in a recession and it is still important for them to go out and in our crowd it’s the only place we go out.”

The industry has become extremely aggressive in driving business to its restaurants. Mr. Kornblum has introduced a new VIP card (free in every magazine), which allows cardholders special free promotions to dozens of restaurants. In addition, a Dining Club, where customers can buy restaurant certificates at a discount, has saved members over $86,000. Restaurants all over the country are surviving as a result of stepped up promotions and marketing. Brocha Landau of Dougie’s Brooklyn is offering coupons, discounts, contests and promotions. Geoffrey Ghanem of Shiloh’s in LA offers 50% off specials to stimulate traffic. Jack Kotlar of Purple Pear in Monsey offers a free breakfast special with every dinner, hoping that it will bring customers back in the morning.
Alan Bresler of T Fusion in Brooklyn is offering discounts, specials, prix fixe menus, lower prices, freebies, and live music. Despite the recession, many restaurateurs are upbeat and investing in the future. Sam Wasserman of Shallot’s Bistro in Skokie, IL is hiring new chefs, including an award winning sushi chef and a new celebrity executive chef, took a new lease on a larger location, is planning to move the restaurant and open a new concept alongside its old restaurant. David Maleh of Turquoise NYC says: The future is promising. We have become lean due to the economy so when the upturn occurs, we will be well positioned to prosper. It will get better.” Joel Brown of Kosher Cajun in New Orleans says: “There’s no question that the economy has had an effect but business hasn’t been the same since Katrina. So it’s gone from really bad to just bad, but going in the right direction. Lots of money went into the rebuilding, but conventions are back. We’re advertising more and offering more discounts.”

Universities Wrestle with Kosher Program
Chicago…Universities all over the country offer kosher food for many of their students in an effort to attract some of the brightest applicants. But in conversations with many rabbis and certifying agencies, a number of the universities are struggling to keep the programs within budget. The kosher fare that the universities offer range from vending machines to full kitchens, under kosher certification. Several of the universities have been forced to either trim back their kosher programs or cut them out altogether. That is the case with the University of Wisconsin-Madison when it ended a short-lived experiment with its own state-of-the-art kosher kitchen. Certified by the Chicago Rabbinical Council, the University could no longer afford the salaries of the two mashgichim (kosher supervisors) which came to $80,000. A new Hillel facility should be able to pick up where the university left off. Wisconsin and some of the other universities say that only a small percentage of the Jewish students frequent the kosher kitchens, which in the end means that demand falls short of meeting the fixed expenses. University officials agonize over decisions to cut back a kosher program because “we do loose quite a few good students.” In recent years, major universities throughout the country have upgraded their kosher programs, in many cases working with the local Hillel organizations. One community rabbi with connections to the local university said: “They very much want the students but have difficulty making it financially.” Even when universities take the drastic action to cut back a kosher program, they strive to offer alternatives, from the frozen airline meals to arrangements with local caterers and restaurants.

Kosher in Russia Goes On-Line
Moscow…Demand for kosher food continues to soar in Russia and some sources say that it isn’t only by Jews. Moscow’s kosher food store, located in the Chabad - Marina Roscha Community Center recently launched www.market.ru, the first online kosher food store in Russia, offering customers the convenience of home delivery. Organizers hope that the site will be used by the elderly, sick and otherwise homebound Jews, as well as tourists visiting Moscow. The site offers a full line of kosher foods from Europe, Israel and the US. “All of these products may now be ordered on-line or by phone, enabling people to purchase the products they need without having to leave home,” said the announcement. In a pitch to non-traditional kosher consumers, an ad reads: “People of different nationalities and religions rely on kosher food’s high quality.” Kosher Market.ru is located in the Marina Roscha neighborhood, not far from the Moscow Jewish Community Center and the Shaarei Tsedek Charitable Center.

New Israeli Technology to add Shelf Life to Fresh Cut Salads
Tel Aviv…Israel has long been a leader in growing insect-free vegetables and has contributed to the significant business in the kosher market for pre-cut and pre-washed vegetables. Now Hestefus, an Israeli company has developed new technology to extend the shelf-life of the pre-cut vegetables. A German firm recently adapted the new technology for innovative packaging to overcome the challenges of its fresh cut salads' shelf-life. Short shelf life of fresh cut salads is a major challenge for manufacturers and retailers alike, who want to provide a fresh salad to consumers without the fear it might get spoiled or damaged. The Hefestus team has conducted several trials to adapt its packaging system to the specific demands of Funken, the German company’s specific demands. SLB “Shelf Life Booster,” Hefestus’s proprietary packaging technology, enables Funken not only to increase its salads shelf life, but also to maintain the delicate texture and freshness of the vegetables. It also dramatically decreased the time required to pack the fresh cut salads as an outcome of moving from a manual packaging machine to an automatic packaging system.

Kosherfest ’09 to Showcase Many New Trends in Kosher
New York…With little more than four months to go, Kosherfest ’09 is shaping up as a major showcase of some of the newest trends in kosher. Kosherfest will take place at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ October 27 – 28, 2009. Amongst the growing trades are such categories as kosher and natural, kosher and spelt-free, and kosher and fancy (www.kosherfest.com). The show will give visitors a taste of the latest in the kosher food & beverage industry from around the globe, with more than 13 countries represented. According to research by the Mintel organization, kosher was the leading claim on new products in 2007 and 2009. The traditional New Products Competition will take place on October 15th with winners expected to receive award prizes in 17 categories. The Competition will be held in New York City prior to the trade show on Oct 15th, where a panel of culinary experts will select the winners of these coveted awards. Winners will be announced and products will be showcased at the show. In addition, the 2nd Annual Kosherfest Culinary Competition will take place at the show. A panel of industry professionals will judge and decide who takes the title this year. A major presentation will be made by Menachem Lubinsky when he discusses State of the Kosher Industry: The Kosher Symbol: A License to Greater Profitability on Tuesday morning, the opening day of the show. The show will open on October 27th with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Kosherfest is co-produced by Diversified Business Communications and LUBICOM Marketing Consulting.

Israelis Expect 10% Drop in Exports of Foods
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…Israeli food exporters are feeling the overall decline in food sales because of the global economic slowdown. The Marker reports that when less humus is ordered in Manhattan, Israeli food companies feel the losses. First quarter export sales fell by 21 percent compared the same quarter in 2008. Total sales for the period were $182 million. However the Export Institute expects this year to end in an overall drop of 10 percent in sales. Leading food exporters like Gat, Gan Shmuel, Gilam, Gadot, Negev spices, Strauss, Osem (Tivoll) ended 2008 with sales of 450 million dollars. Gan Shmuel, which produces juices and fruit concentrates is said to be the country’s largest exporter with sales of 200 million dollars in 2008.

The economic slowdown affects food companies differently. For example, the larger manufacturers Strauss and Osem who have revenues in the billions of shekels devote a very small part of their business to exports so that they are feeling the recession less. However, those middle-sized companies which export the majority of their products have been hard hit by the slowdown. David Archi, Director of the Export Institute, said that while food sales represent only two percent of Israel total exports, 2008 saw earnings of 872 million dollars compared to 846 million in 2007. “The Israeli company that specializes in niche products, gourmet and ethnic foods has been affected,” said Michal Neeman, Director of the Export Institute Department of Business Development. “The only exception are the exporters focusing on the kosher markets abroad mostly in the US and Britain.” She said those markets are remarkably stable. Neeman said those who require kosher food are a captive market and this includes Moslems who prefer kosher food because they know that Judaism and Islam share the ban of the consumption of pork products.

More Kosher at Summer Fancy Food Show
New York…With some 500 kosher certified companies, this year’s Fancy Food Show scheduled for June 28-30 at the Javits Center in Manhattan, will once again highlight the large number of specialty foods that have gone kosher in the past few years. According to the Mintel Research Organization, kosher continues to be the leading claim on new products. In addition to its Focused Showcase of Kosher, the show is planning a Roundtable on kosher, led by Joe Plueger of DPI, a well known expert on kosher.

News Briefs
Manila…The Philippines is the latest country to set its sights on the lucrative kosher food market. Local food exporters are planning to offer a wider range of certified products to key markets, including the United States and Israel. The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions has set up the Kosher Certification Program for food products to enable the country to take advantage of the growing kosher market worldwide.

Sderot…Global food giant Nestle is producing a new breakfast cereal at its R&D center in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, Israel21c.com reported. The new cereal, which will be sold first in Israel and then worldwide, is to be named Crunch Rolls Nougat. The cereal is inflated into the shape of a cylinder and filled with nougat.

Baltimore…The Star-K kosher verification agency recently led a “Novice Tour” of kosher for students of the Johns Hopkins University. Administrator, Rabbi Zvi Goldberg, led the tour of Baltimore’s Seven Mile Market.

Bayonne, NJ…Philip A. Morson has replaced Martin Davidson as Director of Communications/Public Relations for Kedem Food Products Int'l (KFPI).

New York…Rabbi Chaim Loike, the Orthodox Union’s expert on kosher birds, recently visited the Yeshiva at IDT in Newark to present the OU Kosher Harry H. Beren ASK OUtreach shiur (class) on the Mesorah (traditional roots and history) of kosher birds.

June 1st KosherToday News Headlines

Multiple Hashgochos Also Has Down Side, Consumers Learn
Brooklyn...Kosher consumers have in recent years come to appreciate multiple layers of hashgocho that appear to satisfy diverse segments of the market. For manufacturers, the addition of niche certifications to one of the large certification symbols can open the doors to smaller markets that rely only on an hashgacha of a particular Chasidic rabbi or group. Last month consumers learned that the multiple certifications can also have a down side, particularly when one of the certification exits or claims that the departure was “due to kashrus problems.” That’s what happened to the 15th Avenue Food Corp when one of its hashgochos ostensibly pulled out “for kashrus reasons.” Not so, said the remaining hashgochos, the OK Kosher Certification, and the Central Rabbinical Congress that replaced the Volover Rav. The OK released a statement that said: "All products baked at 15th Ave. Food Corp. and sold under the names Korn’s, Stern’s, and Kohen’s are under the OK Kosher Certification and adhere to the highest standard of kashrus. This has been in place for the past many years and continues now and in the future. The Laromme brand has been added on in the last year or so, as well.” Sources say that while the company was making the change, it temporarily suffered from unsubstantiated rumors about its kashrus, which can be the down side of the multiple hashgochos. One kashrus source told KosherToday: “It’s just one of those issues that the kashrus world will have to deal with in the future lest many legitimate businesses fall victim to a subtle vindictiveness.”

Less than 5% of Kosher Certified Products Abandon Kashrus Symbols
New York…The announcement by Johnson & Johnson that it was dropping the Kof-K symbol from its Listerine Pocketpaks is a rare occurrence, according to kashrus agencies. Less than 5% of all manufactured products that are certified kosher ever drop their kosher symbols, say the agencies. Kashrus officials say that the most frequent reason for the termination of a kashrus symbol is when it falls under review by company executives that have little knowledge of the market. “These reviews,” a kashrus official told KosherToday, “often look for whether a kosher certified product reached sales projections that were totally unrealistic in the first place.” The official said that Listerine consumers should not automatically assume that the ingredients are kosher.” The product is viewed as a food item falling under the purview of kashrus and it contains kosher sensitive ingredients (i.e. can be animal derived) such as Polysorbate 80 and Glyceryl Oleate. Once a kosher product is no longer certified, the company is allowed to obtain ingredients from non-kosher sources. The Listerine case is an extremely rare case of a large company dropping its kosher symbol. In fact, agencies were hard-pressed to identify other large companies who had taken similar action. One source recalled that Welch’s had obtained and then dropped the kosher symbol, but there it was “because they realized how entrenched the niche competitor was with their target market including being loyal to the taste differentials.” Kashrus officials also wondered out loud how a company like Johnson & Johnson could expect an appreciable bump without allocating any marketing dollars. One official said that the way they treat kosher is almost as if to say: “OK, we’re kosher. Let G-d take care of the rest, something they would never do for their other products.”

Topps Official Finally Gets His Kosher Certification
Ari Weinstock, the Director of Marketing, for Bazooka Candy Brands, always felt that his company was missing a golden opportunity by not going kosher. But the company management prior to its sale to an investment group was not interested. Many consumers who had written the company had received a polite but firm response which ostensibly said that the market was just not significant enough. But in the end Mr. Weinstock prevailed and the Bazooka Candy Brands received the certification of the Orthodox Union (OU). The company recently announced that its bestselling Ring Pop has been kosher certified by the OU. Production of the newly kosher Ring Pop, with brand new packaging bearing the “OU” symbol, began last month with the candy shipping to retailers nationwide in August. Said Mr. Weinstock: “Working with the Orthodox Union, the top organization for kosher certification in the world, we can now bring Ring Pop to an entirely new, and discerning, consumer base that has never before been able to enjoy our products.” Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing expressed “great satisfaction in having Bazooka Candy Brands join with leading confectionery producers who have attained OU certification in recent years. It was gratifying for OU Kosher’s team, headed by Rabbi Mordechai Merzel, to corroborate with Bazooka Candy Brands’ team and bring the much sought after Ring Pop products to an ever growing kosher market place.” Topps was one of the few remaining large American food manufacturers that had not made the move to kosher.

Cheesecakes Thrived On-line Before Shavuos
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig…Just when I thought that my cheesecake story for Shavuos was complete with my store review, I learned that cheesecakes were also a big item for on-line grocers. Kosher.com and Zomick's Bakery Outlets, which are part of the same management with a 30,000 square foot facility, sold approximately 6,000 cheesecakes, about four times its normal cheesecake sales. The cheesecake selection included chocolate cheese, cherry cheese, and blueberry cheese. Upscale kosher grocers like Gourmet Glatt in Cedarhurst, Brach’s and Supersol’s in Queens and Pomegranate and Landau’s in Brooklyn seemed to have an unprecedented array of cheesecakes, further proof of the growing popularity of the pastry on Shavuos and year-round. At Pomegranate, there were 35 different types of the cheesecakes. In many of the other stores, there was even pareve cheesecake, which could be eaten as dairy and with meat.

As Agriprocessor Heads for a Comeback, Some Wonder How
New York…With each passing day, there are signs that the bankrupt Agriprocessor may soon be on the comeback trail. The company, operated by a bankruptcy trustee, for the first time took out full page ads in several Jewish newspapers for its poultry line, the only production that has been occurring at the Postville IA plant. KosherToday has learned that after a failed auction, the company may have already been sold to a group of investors who previously managed to overcome a major obstacle for a sale. The undisclosed company is said to have bought a $10 million credit line paving the way for the plant's sale. The source told KosherToday that the investors “cracked the big nut by buying out First Bank Business Capital's loan to Agriprocessor for an undisclosed amount.” Agriprocessor filed for bankruptcy in November, almost six months after federal immigration agents raided the plant and arrested 389 workers. The bank initially sought to recover most of the $37 million it had lent the company, (“and probably could have gotten it earlier," the source told KosherToday) but it is said to have received only a fraction of that amount.

With word that the company will be managed by new ownership at some point in the not too distant future, many in the kosher industry were speculating whether the company could make a comeback to its former position. Several sources told KosherToday that the new owners will find “a totally different landscape” with some markets “having an abundance of product” while other small markets have totally given up on carrying kosher meats. In the end, most ventured a guess that an initial comeback would have to be based on the old model of price. Many in the industry had always blamed Agri for keeping prices artificially low due to its business model and “religious desire to supply kosher meat to the masses.” In time the new owners will have to carve out a very quality oriented unique brand that may give them a shot at recovering their former leadership position, the sources opined.

Recession Slows Kosher Travel, Camping for the Summer
London…A number of European travel agents serving a kosher clientele forecast a significant downturn in business this summer. In Israel and the US, the sentiment is pretty much the same that the recession will keep many kosher travelers home. They say that it will also effect kosher cruises. Although no one was willing to forecast just how much the kosher business would be down, they did say that they expect many people to wait until the last minute. Even so, they do not expect to reach last year’s sales. Sources say that the recession has also taken a toll on camping forcing many camps to fill empty beds with innovative programs. Three Orthodox camps run by UJA/Federation of New York are offering a $999 two week package. Many kosher vendors that serve the travel and camping industries expect a significant reduction in summer business. In Israel, there is mounting concern of a drastic reduction in the Sukkot business with some hotels already discounting rooms and offering free holiday meals. One agent who books tours to Eastern Europe says that his bookings are off by more than 50% but he is hopeful that business will pick up in June.

Israel’s Second Largest Supermarket Reeling from Recession, Orthodox Boycott
Tel Aviv…It has been almost a year that Charedim (very religious Jews) are boycotting the Shefa Shuk stores of Blue Square, Israel’s second largest supermarket chain. Ironically, Blue Square created the Shefa Shuk brand specifically targeting the Orthodox Jewish community with its large families and significant spending for groceries. But while the Charedim appreciated Shefa Shuk, they were not pleased with the actions taken by Dudi Weissman on another of his grocery chains, AM:PM, which the successful businessman decided to keep open on the Shabbat, leading to a boycott first called for by rabbis in August 2008. While both sides initially negotiated, there has been only sporadic contact since. According to Globes, Israel’s prominent business news service, the ongoing Charedi boycott and the recession is having a negative impact on the Blue Square chain. First quarter sales fell 3.1% to NIS 1.76 billion (approximately $420 million). The Alon Israel Oil Company Ltd, the parent company for Blue Square Israel published the earnings two days after Standard & Poor's Maalot downgraded the company's bonds. While the 19 Shefa Shuk stores represent only a small percentage of Blue Square’s stores, many in Israel are wondering when it will finally realize the huge buying power of the Charedi market.

May 18th KosherToday News Headlines

More Emphasis on Shavuos in Nation’s Supermarkets
New York...Sam Ellenberg is not religious but this year will be buying a cheesecake for Shavuos (eve of May 28 – May 30) in a Los Angeles supermarket. He plans to attend Yizkor services in his Conservative synagogue but the cheesecake is what his mother used to bake in their Washington Heights home. Although it is not as widely observed as either Passover or Rosh Hashanah, a growing number of Jews are observing the holiday and buying the traditional dairy foods. The Jewel-Osco web site is promoting Shavuos recipes as are so many other stores and organizations. In fact, Yaakov Yarmove of SuperValu is promoting his Shavuos dairy foods on-line and in his ads. Many chains and independents run ads for Shavuos with a potpourri of fish, cheese, and other items like pirogen and blintzes. In recent years, say distributors, there has been a great deal of emphasis on upscale cheeses. At the Pomegranate upscale supermarket in Brooklyn, cheeses will be one of a number of dairy categories to be highlighted in ads and other promotions. “Shavuos is a bit tricky,” said one retailer. “Most people eat only one dairy meal, which means that we still have to promote the usual Shabbos and Yom Tov fare.”

Kosher industry experts say that in the past year many new frozen items were added, from blintzes to pizza, but a big seller is the growing selection of gourmet cheese. Los Angeles based Anderson International Foods is one of the companies promoting some of the new kosher cheeses. In a recent interview French born Brigitte Mizrahi said: “Historically, kosher consumers are not big cheese eaters. We are trying to do the same thing the kosher wine industry did. We are trying to educate consumers that not everything has to taste like muenster cheese.” Retailers throughout the country report a sharp increase in the demand for kosher cheese prompting such retailers as Trader Joe’s to stock the fare. They expect to sell an unprecedented amount of kosher cheese for Shavuos.

Cheesecake Sales Soar in Advance of Shavuos Holiday
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig…Everyone has a favorite cheesecake, or so it seems, say manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers preparing for the annual onslaught of the pastry. As the only holiday that traditionally involves at least one dairy meal, Shavuos is an exclusive event on the Jewish calendar. Some retail stores and web sites selling the cheesecake are predicting an increase in sales of some 15% - 20%. “I wish I knew the answer as to why cheesecake has become the primary Shavuos food!” said Jane Moritz, owner of the Challah Connection & Kosher Gift Box. “Personally, I prefer blintzes and noodle pudding and think that they are more in line with ‘Jewish’ culture. But perhaps cheesecake has emerged as the dominant food since it is more mainstream American and there are many folks who prefer this.” Moritz runs a Connecticut-based online gift company, specializing in kosher items for Jewish holidays and events. Kosher Gift Box doesn’t make its own baked goods, but rather purchases products from the finest kosher bakeries and ships them to customers nationwide. Although in a typical week it sells less than 10 cheesecakes, Kosher Gift Box expects to sell between 60 and 80 of them in the next two weeks, with the bulk of orders coming in the week prior to the holiday. The Kosher Gift Box offers cheesecake in the following flavors: plain (most popular), marble, turtle, strawberry, chocolate liqueur marble and sugar free plain; all are OU certified.

Some stores sell as many as 300-400 cheesecakes in just a 48-hour period before Shavuos. The Continental Kosher Bakery in Los Angeles offers a unique twist on the standard cheesecake—no dairy! The parve bakery employs six full time bakers and serves the San Fernando Valley. It makes tofutti cream cheese coffee cakes and pies special for Shavuos, when it sells several hundred. A representative from the bakery pointed out that their parve delicacies “enable kosher consumers who are lactose intolerant to celebrate Shavuos just as other Jews do.” Now, even an allergy to dairy can’t keep one from observing the holiday in true form. Ann Feurer, a diabetic from Long Island, generally stays away from all pastries with the exception of Shavuos. “I have not missed cheesecake for most of the 48 years I have been on this earth.”

European Jews Expect Continued Challenges to Schechita
London…Fresh from its recent victory in the European Union's parliament, European Jewish leaders predict renewed efforts by schechita antagonists in the years to come to ban schechita. The EU parliament passed a new bill meant to ensure kosher animal slaughter across the continent. The amendment was passed in order to avoid and prevent unnecessary animal cruelty, as well as to ensure the freedom of religious practices throughout Europe, and did not place any restrictions on Europe's Jewish communities' custom of kosher slaughter. While rabbis saw this as a victory for schechita as a humane form of slaughter, they predict that animal rights fanatics will continue their campaign to outlaw the religious practice. The hearing saw some of the parliament's liberal and green parties' members call for banning kosher slaughter, as well as for a ban on importing meat from any European country which will not enforce the amendment, but their motion was denied. The proposal was quashed largely thanks to the efforts of the European Jewish Congress and the Conference of European Rabbis. Both groups called the issue "critical to freedom of religion in Europe. The Conference of European Rabbis did note, however, that it still had to fight to ensure that the new law, which still has to pass a final vote in June, will not include any demand to stun animals used in religious slaughter.

Several Jewish leaders said that they were encouraged by the “extraordinary unity” amongst European Jews, which they say resulted in the victory. But some expect schechita to constantly appear on the agenda of the EU parliament as well as the legislative houses of individual countries. Said one Jewish leader: “In many circles opposition to schechita is the litmus test of the new liberalism sweeping Europe, a liberalism that is highly inconsistent but prevalent nonetheless.”

OU Steps Up Program to Educate Food Industry on Kosher
New York…While it may seem to some that the whole world is kosher, a significant portion of the US food industry is not. Out of an approximate $550 billion in food sales, about $200 billion is kosher certified. Kosher food experts say that there is a growing interest amongst many companies that are not yet kosher to receive the kosher certification. The Orthodox Union is teaming up with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to “educate” those in the industry that are not as yet kosher in a special Webinar on June 3rd. Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator and Vice President of Communications and Marketing of OU Kosher, will be one of two experts appearing in the webinar, “Let’s Talk Kosher! Kosher Food: What Does it Mean for Food to Be Certified as Kosher and What Can it Mean to You?” to be presented by the Orthodox Union and the Food Institute on Wednesday, June 3 at 12:00 p.m., Eastern time. He will share the program with Phillip Derfier, Assistant Administrator in the Office of Policy, Program Development at the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The program, which will last from 60-90 minutes, is targeted at retailers, manufacturers and other professionals who are interested in learning about kosher certification and its advantages.

Travelers Notice Upgrade in Kosher Airline Meals
New York…A travel expert recently wrote about a frequent flier complaining about the quality of his meal on board an airliner and that he “would do well to order a kosher meal that seems to be much improved.” While kosher travelers still have their share of horror stories, they agree that the kosher fare on international flights is much improved. A passenger on a New York – London flight complained that he was served a kosher for Passover meal almost two weeks after the holiday. He wrote KosherToday that the meal on the return trip by Hermolis “was exceptional.” Passengers flying out of Tel Aviv are giving high marks to Hamasbia while European travelers say that for the most part local caterers in countries like Austria, France, and Belgium are delivering a superb product. The improvements, say travelers, are evident not only in Business Class, where the meals were always better, but also in Economy.

In a more recent development a new venture was launched in Canada. Hamasbia Canada brings together Toronto-based Cara Airline Solutions, one of North America’s largest airline caterers, and Hamasbia Foods of Israel. Prepared under the supervision of the MK Mehadrin (Montreal Kosher), the menu includes meat, dairy, pareve and fish options. HamasbiaCanada will be the kosher food choice for travelers on many airlines, including El Al and all Air Canada flights departing from Eastern Canadian airports.

Kosher Focus at DPI Show
This year’s DPI Midwest Regional Food Show, to be held July 8th at the Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel and Convention Center in Schaumburg IL, plans a kosher focus, with the new Kosher Banner aisle. It looks like an excellent opportunity for companies to boost sales in the Midwest for the end of the year. Call Joe Plueger at 847-631-1974 or email him at Joe.Plueger@dpispecialtyfoods.com for more information before the May 28th deadline.

Max and David’s and ShopRite Top Philadelphia Kosher Establishments
Philadelphia, PA…Max and David’s International Restaurant was chosen as the best kosher restaurant in the Philadelphia area while the ShopRite of the Garden State Pavilion was picked as the best kosher store in the area as part of the 2008-2009 Philadelphia area kosher survey conducted by Kosher Community Surveys LLC. The survey asked local consumers about their opinions on Philadelphia area kosher stores, restaurants, and bakeries. Other establishments with strong ratings include Singapore Vegetarian Kosher Restaurant and Simon’s Butcher. Neil Rosenbaum, President of Kosher Community Surveys LLC, observed, "Consumer participation in the Philadelphia survey continues to grow with over 350 people participating this year. In this troubled economy, kosher establishments should be more sensitive than ever to the needs of their customers.” Kosher Community Surveys LLC conducts consumer surveys of kosher restaurants, bakeries and stores across the country.

Israeli Supermarkets Expand; Focus on Religious Consumer
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…Israeli supermarket chains are increasing the number of smaller convenience stores in main city centers and their suburbs despite the recession that is gripping the country. The Marker reports that Supersol will open a branch of its Supersol Express in the Tel Aviv suburb of Givatayim and is opening an additional branch in Tel Aviv. The Supersol Group operates 240 supermarkets and has opened some six of the convenience stores throughout the country. The Tiv Tam group, which is a nonkosher chain, is also considering the expanding of its ‘In the City’ chain today numbering 16 stores; 11 are in Tel Aviv and the others are in city’s suburbs.

But Israel’s supermarket industry is also focused on garnering a larger market share of the Charedi (very religious) market. The Supersol grocery chain has launched a campaign urging Israelis to observe the Shabbat as family time. It published a flier in last weekend’s Yediot Achronoth, Israel’s largest selling Israeli newspaper that included the prayers for Shabbat. The flier entitled ‘Friday is Reserved for my Family’ includes the Shabbat benedictions and some advice: “Talk, laugh and dine together. There’s one day of the week that you can sit down with the entire family.” The Marker reports that this effort started last July before the launch of the subsidiary Yesh chain which caters to the Charedi community. The newspaper reports that the Orthodox community has criticized controlling shareholder Nochi Dankner for allowing some of his businesses to allegedly violate the Shabbat.

Dairies in Israel Prepare for Shavuos
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Israel Bureau Chief…With Shavuos around the corner, Israel’s dairies are again launching new products in promotions aimed at getting the public to increase their purchase of the dairy foods that are traditional during the festival.
Gad Dairies, one of the country’s smaller family enterprises, is dedicating its new multimillion-dollar logistics center ahead of the holiday. Ezra Cohen, CEO of Gad Dairies, said the new facility will enable the company to begin producing new kinds of products such as low fat spreadable cream cheese. The dairy has been working for a year to develop the line of 5 percent cream cheese at an investment of $600,000. The cheeses are available in four flavors: natural, olives, garlic-dill and Tuscany. Cohen also said that prices of dairy products will drop 3%-4% after the holiday reflecting lower prices worldwide. The dairy will be marketing some 145 products this Shavuos holiday compared to 119 last year, an increase of 22 percent. Gad Dairies increased its sales in 2008 by 17 percent to an estimated $67 million dollars.

Strauss and Tnuva Dairies are also stepping up their campaigns ahead of the holiday with new products and ways to use them. Both are using the Internet to provide consumers with new recipes to integrate into holiday menus that take advantage of the different cheeses and both cows and goat milk-based products that both dairies are introducing for the first time.

Tnuva Continues Push into Poultry
Tel Aviv…Tnuva and poultry? Israel’s largest dairy is pushing steadily into poultry.
According to ''Globes'' Tnuva and Ambar’s joint subsidiary, IT Group, is in talks to acquire poultry processor Hod Hefer at a company value of $7.5 million. The likely deal is part of the strategy by Tnuva's owners, Apax Partners and Mivtach Shamir Holdings to diversify the company's business, while shutting down unprofitable activities, such as its eggs and fish businesses.

May 4th KosherToday News Headlines

Recession Helps Stabilize Meat Supply but Many Agri Stops Still Without Kosher Meat
New York…The shortage of glatt kosher meat in the US may be over but it has certainly changed the landscape of kosher meat since the bankruptcy of Agriprocessor, a survey shows. Major markets have more than replaced the meat although some still complain of inconsistencies in the delivery of all types of meat and provisions. Customers too in many markets complain that they cannot always get the products they want on a given day. The recession, say some industry officials, has made a big difference in the demand for beef products as an increasing number of people are turning to poultry and fish. Many caterers say that they have seen a dramatic shift away from beef and veal to poultry products. This is true even for the pricier affairs, they say. Kashrus officials say that they are not aware of any major shortages anywhere in the country of either poultry or beef although one industry official estimated that at least 50-75 stores that once carried Agri products no longer carry kosher meat, mostly in small kosher markets around the country. Some Jews have already noted in blogs that they are traveling long distances to buy the kosher meat or in at least one case ordering on-line. The demand for poultry has been rising, which is being met by smaller slaughterhouses (particularly serving the Chasidic population), increased production at Empire Poultry and continued slaughter of poultry at the Agri plant in Postville, the only slaughter that is being done there under the management of a court appointed receiver. Even customers are finding an ample supply of meat in the larger kosher markets, they are probably paying as much as 25% - 30% more than they did a year ago, mostly as a result of the demise of Agri. While the nation seems to have recovered from the aftershocks of the events in Postville, it is certainly a changed landscape, say most kosher food industry officials.

Mashgichim and Housewives Learn to Check for Bugs
New York…A kosher supervisor (mashgiach) at a restaurant in Flatbush says that he is asked more often about the vegetables that are served than the kashrus of the meats. In fact, he says, some people want him to go into great detail as to how the vegetables were washed and checked. According to Jewish law, it is forbidden to eat bugs. Many mashgichim nowadays routinely check vegetables for bugs and sometimes have workers triple wash the veggies to assure that not even a residue of a bug is left. Although most kosher consumers nowadays purchase the pre-washed vegetables, from such companies as Bodek, some housewives (and in some cases their husbands) are checking for bugs at home. Most of the large kashrus agencies have programs in place to train their mashgichim and members of the community on how to check for bugs.

The Orthodox Union recently released a DVD, “Insect-Free: A Guide to Home Vegetable Inspection.” The 90 minute video by Rabbi Yosef Eisen the Rabbinic Administrator of the Vaad Hakashrus of the Five Towns & Rockaway, walks the viewer through the process of checking vegetables for bugs. Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher, declared, “Because since the days of Rachel Carson the Federal government quite correctly has limited the use of insecticides on food, there has been an increase in insects found in vegetables. Therefore, knowing how to check for these insects has become increasingly important. The prohibition in Jewish law of eating insects is particularly severe and this DVD is a hands-on way of checking vegetables to make sure they are acceptable.”
The Flatbush mashgiach said that one customer had actually brought a light box with him to the restaurant. “It was quite a sight to see him testing the vegetables that I had checked with his light box. In the end, he gave me a clear vote of confidence.”

Out of Towners Coped With Shortages and Price Hikes on Passover
Los Angeles…Sylvia J. Danzer of The Kosher Maven would not give the kosher industry an ‘A’ for the way they handled this year’s Passover, certainly not in her home city of Los Angeles. In what has become an annual ritual, communities outside of the New York metro area complain about late deliveries, shortages, and higher prices. Said Mrs. Danziger: “Passover in Los Angeles this year was also more expensive in comparison to previous years. Dairy prices for non Cholov Yisroel items such as cottage cheese, sour cream and cream cheeses were at well over three dollars an item; over five dollars for Cholov Yisroel items. Kosher chicken prices hovered around four dollars a pound, while meat prices averaged close to ten dollars a pound or more depending on the cut. The loss of Agriprocessors certainly contributed to the higher costs.” In other markets too in the East and in the Midwest, some customers complained that the display of new kosher items was spotty with some supermarkets opting only for the traditional foods. Danziger gave most of the supermarkets in LA with some notable exceptions a failing grade for their Passover sets: “Although Southern California has the second largest Orthodox community outside of New York, it is often treated as an afterthought when Passover and other major Jewish holiday goods are shipped. This means that when the food that arrives is not sufficient to meet the demand of the supermarkets and kosher stores, some distributors may resort to making up those shortages with items left over from previous years.”

In truth, there were many shortages even in the New York area. Customers complained about the lack of ketchup, yogurts, and some frozen items. One distributor said that the shortages often result from the rather short shelf life of Passover items. “Planning a Passover set is more difficult than other holidays since customers will not touch the items a day after the holiday.” Manufacturers say that the relatively short shelf life is why retailers try to order less rather than more, which accounts for the shortages. The good news was that this year there was no shortage of flavored matzoh, Tam Tams, margarine and Coca Cola, which the distributor described as “progress.”

Women Lauded as Kosher Supervisors
Baltimore…by Raffi Rosenzweig…The Star-K Kashrus agency is planning its first ever training event for women as kosher supervisors (mashgichot). The major Baltimore, MD based agency currently runs a men’s seminar each year, although it is geared mostly to Rabbanim and the heads of kashrus agencies. The planned women’s conference in the Fall, is for women that serve as mashgichot in the food service industry, mostly at catering halls and restaurants. The program will teach proper procedures for checking vegetables, explain the dynamics of the kitchen, review policies and procedures, and draw attention to specific issues mashgichot should to be aware of. The seminar will also include trips to various facilities for a more “hands-on” approach.

“I am so excited [about the planned conference],” said Yael Kaner, the head mashgicha at the Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center. “For all these years I watched men go to these conferences. Now finally this is the answer.” Kaner is also a baker at Pearlstone, an all-kosher organic farm in Maryland, and incorporates her Sephardic heritage in making many ethnic dishes. Brimming with enthusiasm for her job, she views her position as an unrivaled opportunity to do what she loves and to teach about Judaism and kashrus. Kaner is particularly eager to meet other mashgichot at the training seminar. “I want to get to know other women who are as passionate about it [kashrus work] as I am,” she said. The seminar was prompted by requests from mashgichot working in Israel who requested better preparation. Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld, a Kashrus Administrator at the Star-K, explained that the conference is designed to help smaller, far-away communities, which may rely on women mashgichot more heavily than cities with larger kosher infrastructures where there is an ample supply of men mashgichim. Shifra Wollner, who works as a mashgicha at Pearlstone and at a nursing home, sees great potential in the seminar. “I always want to learn more and update my skills,” she said. “I’m also hoping that practical standards will be outlined so that everyone is on the same exact wavelength.”

The practice of using women for kashrus supervision, for which the Star-K relies on a ruling of the late sage Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, is growing. “Women are often more meticulous in their supervision,” said Rabbi Kurcfeld. “Even the slightest deviation will not be tolerated, which is a tremendous plus.” Rabbi Kurcfeld also explained that although one might expect women to have a harder time gaining respect in the kitchen, that is not the case. “You are only as good as who you are—you either have it or you don’t,” he said. “If you present yourself in a way that shows you are knowledgeable, sensible and have integrity, the workers will sense that.” “Besides,” he added, “who do you think takes care of the personal hashgacha in the home of Rav Heinemann (referring to Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, the Rabbinic Administrator of the Star-K)?” Many local kashrus committees expect the trend of hiring women as kosher supervisors to continue to increase.

More Women Search for Meal Ideas in Continuing Recession
New York…The Domns, all 7 of them including the two parents, used to eat out every Tuesday, but of late are eating at home. Mr. Domn, an assistant comptroller at a large Jersey City company, has taken a cut in salary as the company downsized and was not given a customary bonus last December. “I rely on the many cookbooks and recipes I find