The USDA’s FAS issues a report on the Israeli food market and makes note of the opportunity for American kosher food manufacturers…A store closes in Brooklyn because of a book, not Pomegranate…A kosher boycott that has nothing do with kosher? Idele Ross has the inside story…AKO takes a step to keep tabs on the changing kashrus status of liquor…Zechariah Mehler covers a successful marketing event for Kedem and for upscale kosher foods…France and Spain show up to counter strong competition from Israeli wineries…Idele Ross reports on technology that will flag chametz products in Israeli stores this Passover and private label products that are headed for the UK’s Tesco…Wasserman & Lemberger voted Baltimore’s top kosher retailer…Elie Appleson has story of Costco’s move into kosher organic…Kosher market flooded with kosher poultry as Agri Star steps up production…In My Sixth Sense I reflect on the message of Kosherfest, which is how kosher should be presented...Eda Kram has a reminder that the KosherToday Special Passover 2010 edition of the New Product Showcase will be published on February 22nd with a deadline for new Passover products of February 12th.

Menachem Lubinsky
Editor-in-Chief

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 on-line to make the kids enjoy Tuesdays at home,” says Carla Domn, a part-time substitute at a local school. Cookbooks, like those authored by Susan Fishbein, are growing in popularity, particularly during a recession and are favorites with Mrs. Domn. At Pomegranate in Midwood, many women approach one of the three chefs at the upscale store for meal ideas. Nearby Glatt Mart is advertising help for consumers and upscale stores like Zabar’s have become the place for new recipes and meal ideas. Pizza night on Thursdays is still in for the Domns, but even that is being discussed amongst the senior Domns. Instead, they are considering using the growing number of frozen kosher brands. Several women are using their pages on Facebook and Twitter to share recipe ideas, a far cry from the old tattered index cards that women used to share. Retailers report a sharp increase in sales of cooking and baking ingredients, particularly in the frozen sections. One local restaurant said that couples who used to order a full menu are now sharing main dishes and salads. The restaurateurs say that they have seen a decline in the catering of smaller parties like grandma’s 80th. “Price has definitely become the issue for many families,” said one restaurant owner, who says that restaurants have always been a measure of how the economy is doing. The consensus amongst the retailers and the restaurant people is that many kosher consumers are reeling from the deepening recession, which is driving many families to eat at home.

Poultry and Salad Demand Soars in Israel
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Middle East Bureau Chief…Israelis are eating healthier these days which explains the news that major poultry and salad producers are expanding. Miluoff poultry processors, the largest in Israel, is investing $10 million to increase yearly output to 55,000 tons. Miluoff is a main poultry supplier to major supermarket chains such as Supersol, Co-op Israel and others. The company expects the new facility to be operational within a year and will employ dozens of new workers. Miluoff carries the certification of the USDA veterinary service and is part of the Miluot Food Group. Meanwhile, Mashani Salads is also expanding. The family business is investing $4 million in a new factory in Beit Shemesh which will employ 100 new workers. Mashani’s wide range of salads from hummus and techina to various eggplant and other ethnic salads is distributed both locally and internationally, mainly to such European countries as France, Germany, Holland and Belgium. The factory has the ISO 9001 production certificate and is under the kosher supervision of Chatam Sofer Petach Tikva and the Rishon Lezion Rabbinate.

Sales at Israel’s Top Food and Beverage Companies Rise by 9% in ‘08
Tel Aviv…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Middle East Bureau Chief…Sales of the top 20 food and beverage companies in Israel totaled almost $4 million in 2008, a rise of 9 percent from the previous year, according to a report by Dunn & Bradstreet. The D&B report also showed that the top 20 companies employ a total of 43,000 people. The food and beverage sector constitutes 87% of the total consumer goods market in Israel and is one of the most competitive markets in the country. Tnuva, Israel’s largest food company topped the list with the Strauss Group coming in second. Other companies mentioned in the report include Coca-Cola Israel, Osem, Frutarom, the Neto Group and Mey Eden.

April 20th KosherToday News Headlines

Second Kosher Certification Drives Sales for Many Manufacturers
New York…It has become fairly common in markets like New York for kosher food products to feature both a national symbol and the certification of a well known rabbi or Chasidic group. The additional kosher certification is welcomed in many Chasidic communities like Williamsburg, Monroe, and New Square adding a market of as many as 250,000 people, according to many kosher experts. While national certification agencies historically resisted additional certifications over their symbols, they have in recent years welcomed what some call “endorsements” of their kosher certification. Sources say that while the “super kosher” entity may add its own mashgiach, in many cases it merely involves a review of ingredients or an occasional inspection while basically relying on the national certification. Some of the better selling brands this Passover like Gefen sport both the certification of the Orthodox Union (OU) and the Volover Rav. Others added the certifications of the rabbis of Nitra, Tartakov, New Square, and the CRC (Central Rabbinical Congress, not to be confused with the cRc, the Chicago Rabbinical Council).

While it was difficult to obtain sales numbers for products that had both certifications, one distributor said that it can represent as much as 30% - 40% of sales for some brands. He noted that Chasidim with their large families purchase well beyond their numbers.

In an unusual twist this Passover, Streit’s Matzoh was not accepted in stores on Long Island because it lacked a national certification. The Vaad of the Five Towns (subsequently endorsed by other kashrus committees) said that it could not endorse the Passover matzoh since Streit’s no longer had the Kof-K and relied only on the certification of Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik, son of the late Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik, who had certified Streit’s for decades. A spokesman for Streit’s had complained that the Vaad ruling was taken too late for them to have taken any action.

Kosher Continues to Attract Diverse Consumers, New Report Says
Rockville, Md…Kosher and halal foods hold consumer appeal that goes far beyond any ethnic or religious niche, according to a new report from Packaged Facts. The report, entitled Market Trend: Kosher- and Halal-Certified Foods in the US, resonates with a similar report from Mintel released earlier this year, which concluded that the majority of American consumers who buy kosher foods do so for perceived quality and safety reasons, rather than for religious ones. Its first report on kosher in a decade suggests that companies should consider the marketing push and public perception of safety that comes with kosher certification. Packaged Facts estimates kosher food sales through grocery stores jumped from $142 billion in 2003 to $211billion in 2008, growing twice as fast as the food market as a whole.

Worrisome Trend of More “Kosher Style” Passover Menus
New York…Offering a Passover menu to patrons is good business, even if the food is just “kosher style” and not certified kosher. For years, Balducci’s has been offering the traditional Passover foods with the caveat that the food is not kosher. In fact, Balducci’s courts its kosher style patrons during the High Holy Days as well. The practice has drawn criticism from certification agencies and rabbis out of fear that unsuspecting customers will think that the food is authentically kosher. The New York Post reported that “chefs at three of the city's best Mexican restaurants—Toloache, Dos Caminos and Rosa Mexicano” were offering Passover menus. The Post quoted Meghan Young, chef at Dos Caminos Soho, as saying that a chili-infused Passover menu was a no-brainer. "We do special menus on holidays like Christmas, so why not add Passover?" she says. "There's a large community of Orthodox Jews in Mexico City and Guadalajara, and New York has a large Jewish population too, so it makes sense. Despite the [ingredient] limitations, this is a holiday where a lot of eating goes on." Continued the Post: “Over at Toloache in the Theater District, chef Julian Medina rolls tortillas from matzo "masa," not only as a nod to the expansive Jewish population in his birthplace of Mexico City, but to honor his conversion to Judaism after marrying his wife, Annie. Like any mensch, soon after the wedding, he got into the kitchen and learned a thing or two about traditional Jewish cooking. "I always help my mother-in-law with the cooking, and I thought it would be nice to celebrate the holiday at the restaurant, too," says Medina. Many other restaurants throughout the country also offered the kosher style Passover foods on their Web sites.

Passover Sales Surge Surprise Retailers
New York…Consumer spending this Passover was surprisingly strong despite fears that the deepening recession would make this one of the weakest holiday seasons. A survey of a half dozen retailers offered mixed results. Some retailers were expecting double digit growth while others called sales “flat.” Many retailers were surprised at the level of sales saying that even cash strapped middle class shoppers spent as much as in the past. The retail optimism came amidst reports from Jewish agencies throughout the country at the staggering number of food distributed this Passover. One distributor said that many consumers took advantage of loss leaders, shopping for specials in multiple stores to round out their Passover baskets. Many discount grocers like Costco got into the act this Passover. Schick’s Bakery, a leading baker of Passover pastries, was in 19 Costco stores with his Passover selection. Most of these stores also carried an ample supply of Kedem Grape Juice. As has become customary in the last few years, many shoppers complained of spot shortages. While there was an ample supply of flavored Matzoh, Tam Tam’s and margarine, all subjects of shortages last year, some Boro Park stores ran out of kosher for Passover ketchup.

Pomegranate, the relatively new 20,000 square foot supermarket in Midwood that has received a great deal of attention in the media as well as with shoppers was a destination of choice for consumers from throughout the New York Metro. Harriet Kriegel drove more than an hour from her home in Westchester to do her Passover shopping at Pomegranate. She came because she was “impressed by the cleanliness, merchandising, selection and service” on her previous visit. That visit was prompted by an article Kriegel read about the store in a magazine. Mahmoud Ali, a Muslim who tries to only buy kosher, merely happened to see the store once and walked in. Now he shops there on a regular basis. He favors Pomegranate because “the food is high quality and the store is very clean.” Pomegranate offered a broad variety of salads, dips, meats and cheeses. Mr. Ali seemed to savor the Passover foods.

Last Minute Passover Reservations Saves the Day for Many
Jerusalem…Many hotels around the world had expected a weak Passover season due to the recession but for some a last minute surge helped stave off a dismal fate. Business was off some 10% - 15% in many hotels in Israel and Europe while there were some reports of a drop-off of as much as 30% in some US destinations. While some of the more successful programs were at or near sell-out, some programs opened with half of their usual occupancies. Globes reports that “despite the economic crisis, it seems that Israel's tourism industry can chalk up a better Passover holiday than expected.” 500,000 Israelis, almost 10% of Israel’s Jewish population, were on the move during the holiday. The Israel Airport Authority reports an overall 8% drop in outgoing passenger traffic compared with last year. The Israel Hotels Association reports that the nationwide room occupancy rate was 75%, 10% less than last year. Globes reports that hotels at the Dead Sea were an exception, where half the hotels made prearranged bulk deals with charedi groups. These hotels were fully occupied for the holiday. The better than expected forecast for some came as a result of last minute reservations, which for some US hotel operators meant that customers “were dictating the price,” as one entrepreneur put it. Flying Carpet CEO Eyal Kashdan said that most Passover reservations in Israel were made at the last moment, and greatly boosted overseas tourism traffic. "This year, more than ever, Israelis waited until the last moment. Outgoing flights for Passover filled up only in the week preceding the holiday. Kashdan noted that, despite the sharp drop in recent months for vacations in Antalya, Turkey, passenger traffic to this destination picked up for Passover, and it was still the second most popular destination for Israelis after the US. Top destinations after Turkey were the UK, Germany, and Italy.

Recession? Not in Israel this Passover
Tel Aviv…A record 500,000 Israelis were on the move on the eve of Passover, many flocking to hotel destinations throughout the world. Restaurants, coffee houses, malls and shopping centers all reported an increase in the number of shoppers as compared to last year. Israel Money reports that restaurants and coffee houses that offered kosher menus were particularly big winners. Large Shopping Centers chains reported a 7% rise in the number of visitors compared to Passover 2008, and a 25% rise compared to an ordinary weekday. Five thousand people visited the Ikea restaurant in Netanya at the start of the week of Pesach—a record number since its opening. The furniture store also reported a 4% rise in customers and a 10% rise in sales. On Sunday, some 22,000 people visited Ikea on Sunday, compared to 7,000 – 8,000 customers on a regular day.

KosherToday has learned that some supermarkets catering to the Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem reported as much as an 18% increase in sales. Matzoh sales hit record highs in several large communities, including Bnei Brak and Ashdod.

March 30th KosherToday News Headlines

Shoppers go Bargain Hunting this Passover
New York…Retailers are noting some changes in the shopping patterns of kosher consumers as the pre-Passover buying season heads into its final 10 days. Many shoppers who previously did the bulk of their shopping in one store are now expanding the experience to several stores, taking advantage of specials at each store. Some shoppers in Boro Park and Flatbush are equipped with local periodicals, comparing prices at every stop. Several retailers and distributors said they clearly saw the “effects of the recession” on many families. In 2008, many of these retailers said that sales grew by 10% - 15%, but this year will be happy with a 5% - 8% surge. Despite many new choices in foods and wines, customers are by and large staying away from the more expensive items in many Jewish areas. Poverty agencies and Jewish social service groups are responding to a record number of appeals for help, many from former middle class families, according to Met Council on Jewish Poverty. It appears to be the big story for Jewish Federations across the nation as well. In New York, there is talk of opening additional soup kitchens while the Federation plans emergency assistance programs throughout the city. Appeals to retailers to avoid price gouging are having some effect as prices in many cases seem to be on par with last year and stores are discounting many more items. But many foods, like rare cut meats and most other meats are priced significantly higher than last year. One retailer said that he felt like he was involved in a balancing act “offering lower prices for those that cannot afford it while getting higher prices for items from those that can.” Distributors say that they handled more than 400 new items, but that the average store carried less than 10% of that number.

Passover Hotel Programs Victim of World Economic Slump
Jerusalem…There no longer is a question of whether “going away” this Passover will be a victim of the world economic glut. The only question is by how much and the answers vary from 10% to as much as 25%. European programs are taking the brunt of the belt tightening by traditional Passover vacationers. Some hotel programs were down by as much as a third. Many Israelis who were traditional European clients are opting instead for closer destinations. According to Globes, countries least hit are less expensive nearby destinations such as Greece and Cyprus. Staff at the pre-flight check-in counters at Ben Gurion International Airport cannot remember such short lines in the days leading up to Passover. Travel agents report that the number of people taking vacations during the Passover holiday is down by 20-30% compared with last year, even though the cost of vacations in London and Paris had dropped to a five-year low. One of Jerusalem’s major hotels reduced prices by as much as 20% and offered 6 free meals and is still at 60% of capacity.

In the US, kosher food vendors say that hotels and other Passover programs have ordered as much as 25% less than last year. The guess is that business overall is off by a similar number as some programs consolidated and others renegotiated room contracts with hotels. One program operator said that “I feel like I am in the shuk (market) as people constantly call me and offer me the price they are willing to pay.” He admitted that he was “at least meeting them half day” although he was extremely concerned about his customers that were paying full price.

Matzoh Sales from Israel are Down, but Maybe Not
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross, KT Middle Eastern Bureau Chief and Staff Reporters…It has been one of the big stories to come out of Israel this year, but it may very well be a case of comparing apples and oranges. Sales of matzoh, the unleavened bread for Passover, are rising or falling depending who one talks to and what sales period is involved. For example, the Israel Export Institute expects export sales to drop by five to 10 percent this year as a result of the global economic crisis, yet several bakeries are reporting stronger demand. Last year, export sales grew 31 percent to upwards of $12 million with more than half of that coming from the United States. Institute Director Avi Hefetz said that the sales spurt last year came before the economic troubles deepened. “Hotels this year are ordering less because Jewish communities in the US who tended to celebrate the Passover festival in hotels are this year expected to celebrate in private homes.” An Export Institute statement said that Israel exports matzoh to 40 countries. In 2008, sales to the US made up 57 percent of the total, sales to Italy represented 10 percent, sales to the UK, France and Belgium 5 percent, Canada and Australia 3 percent.

Last year matzah sales to North American totaled $7.1 million. Sales to EU countries increased 21 percent to $3.3 million. Sales to Asia and Africa declined 17 and 73 percent respectively. Matzah production continues at an accelerated pace despite the gloomy forecasts. David Wolf, CEO of Matzah Aviv in Bnai Brak, in business for 65 years, is looking to increase exports to the US this year. He said that Aviv, one of the three largest matzah bakeries in Israel, will be exporting $2.3 million of matzah compared to $2 million. Wolf said the American Jewish market has increased its demand for the more expensive specialty matzah such as egg, honey and whole wheat. Wolf told the News1 website that it seems that Jews worldwide won’t let the economic situation affect their Passover Seder. Meanwhile, the Irenstein Matzoth Bakery in Ashdod says it has produced the world’s largest kosher matzah. It measures almost 14 feet across and is on display in the factory’s visitor center. The bakery’s manager came up with the idea as a way of raising the employee’s morale during the Cast Lead military operation in Gaza. The monster matzah is on display in the bakery’s visitor center. Osem is gearing up for a 10 percent growth in sales of its Passover products. The most popular items are the cakes and cookies, self rising flour, snacks and soup mixes. Yad Mordechai, producers of honey and olive oil have launched a Pre Passover project with Chef Haim Cohen. The website: www.mevashlim.com is offering creative new recipes for Passover with an emphasis on the company’s quality olive oil.

And Sogloweck, a leading meat processing company, is offering recipes for healthy kosher matzah sandwich recipes featuring lunch meats which are kosher for Passover, largely for those who eat beans or pulses on the holiday. The company’s premise is that the food for the week long holiday gets boring and it is possible to create interesting sandwiches such as a tasty pastrami and beet combo.

The News on Kosher Wines is no Longer News
New York…The big news on kosher wines is that there is no longer the breaking news that kosher wines for Passover are not just the sweet sacramental wines that were traditional staples on almost every Seder table. In newspapers throughout the country, the focus is on how kosher wines compare and in some cases are better than the non-kosher variety. Wall Street Journal columnists Dottie Gaiter and John Brecher while focusing on Riesling this year summed it up this way: “As we have often said, the world of kosher wine is broad and deep these days, ranging from Champagne and fine Bordeaux to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. But there has always been an interesting postscript: When it comes to kosher wines, the single most consistent varietal, the one kind of wine we almost always like, is Riesling.”
The kosher Riesling honor roll included Gamla (non-mevushal), Gamla (Golan Heights Winery) White Riesling 2007 (Galilee), Hagafen Cellars White Riesling 2007 (Devoto Vineyards, Lake County), Abarbanel Vin d'Alsace Riesling 2004 (France), and Herzog Wine Cellars Late Harvest White Riesling 2006 (Monterey County). Also making news in these days before Passover was the introduction of a kosher tequila for Passover by New York businessman Martin Silver. His company, Star Industries, intends to invest millions of dollars in this enterprise.

Meanwhile, many wine and spirit stores in the US report lower than expected sales for some of the more expensive wines. In Israel, the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce predicts a 10%-15% fall from last year when sales of wine and alcohol totaled nearly $90 million. Chambers of Commerce beverage division chairman Dov Feintoch said, "Sales remain constant for Israeli wines in the NIS 25-30 per bottle price range and imported kosher wines in the NIS 20-25 price range. There is a rise in demand for the various types of red wine which comprise 80% of sales and the average price per bottle is NIS 25. Bottles at around this price comprise most of sales in Israel, both imported and locally produced."

Kosher Supermarket Gears up for Passover in Vienna
Vienna, Austria…It is less than three weeks to Passover and in Kosherland there is nary a sign of the looming holiday. Mayer Bochorfoff, who greets his customers in a business suit and tie, explains that he will be displaying his Passover foods about two weeks before the holiday. Although the store has an impressive display of kosher foods from all over the world, it is too small to feature simultaneous aisles for chametz and Matzoh. Located in the 2nd District on Lillianbrand Gasse, it is at the entrance to the Jewish quarter with its shuls, mikvah, Jewish organizational offices, two restaurants (one, Milk and Honey is owned by Mr. Bochoroff). At the Beckerie (bakery), small groups of young men are having their morning breakfast and even the chief rabbi of Austria, Rabbi Eissenberg is buying some pastries. Back at Kosherland, several women with baby carriages are buying some of the Gefen products from the US, cheeses from France and Osem products from Israel. Unlike other European countries, major supermarkets do not cater to the kosher market or to Vienna’s Jewish community for that matter. That task is left to Kosherland and several small mom and pop stores that dot the small Jewish community here.

Jewel-Osco Introduces Kosher Web Pages in Time for Passover
Chicago….The SuperValu chain has taken kosher to a new level with the launch of a new kosher Web page, according to Yakov Yarmove of SuperValu. The site, part of the Jewel-Osco site, was introduced in time for the Passover holiday. Yarmove says that he hopes to be able to roll such a site in more of SuperValu’s chains. The site includes a listing of the chain’s top Jewel kosher stores, links for kosher recipes, coupons and information on the Level 1 kosher stores. The Passover ads are also posted on this site. It also includes links to vendor websites by clicking on the logo. Mr. Yarmove said that that the store will continue to update and enhance the kosher page.

A Day of Shmurah at Streit’s is Part of Company Tradition
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig, Feature Editor…Yes, Matzohs are still being produced on the Lower East Side. In fact, Streit’s Matzoh produces approximately 37,500 pounds of matzo a day by the same family that has run Streit’s since 1925. Unlike many other large kosher manufacturers, Streit’s is still very much a family business. It is run by fourth and fifth generation Streit family members and has occupied the same factory on 150 Rivington Street since 1925. The supervision for the matzo is provided by Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik, whose father, the famous Rabbi Aharon Soloveichik, first began certifying Streit’s matzoh production in 1957. One of the factory workers has been expertly navigating the matzoh dough through the complex machines since 1989. The machines and ovens themselves date back over 60 years.

A long standing tradition at Streit’s is their annual shmurah matzoh run. Since 1925, for one day each year, the factory produces only the special shmurah matzoh. Shmurah matzoh means that from the time the wheat for the flour was cut, it was supervised to ensure that no water contacted it and that the entire process is done for the sake of a Mitzvah (L’shma). Streit’s doesn’t sell this product, because most people who want shmurah matzo prefer the hand-made type. Rabbi Mayer Kirschner, who assists Rabbi Soloveichik with the supervision, said that there is a greater demand for “18 minute” matzoh than for machine-made shmurah. “18 minute” matzoh (all matzoh must be made within 18 minutes), refers to the first batch of matzoh after all the equipment has been thoroughly cleaned. As Streit’s does clean its machinery vigorously after each run for its shmurah matzoh, all of it is considered 18 minute matzoh as well. This shmurah matzoh is given away to residents of the neighborhood, associated rabbis and selected others as a service and gesture of goodwill to the community.

For Aaron Yagoda and Aaron Gross, the annual shmurah run may not be part of the company’s business, but it is very much a part of tradition and for Streit’s tradition is its business.

March 16th KosherToday News Headlines

Passover 2009 in Full Gear as Retailers Hope for Strong Year
New York…The recession not withstanding, retailers around the country opened their Passover aisles this week with a great deal of fanfare and expectations of strong sales. Most retailers have launched their advertising campaigns, offering many specials to “keep prices at bay.” New York’s Assemblyman Dov Hikind issued a special appeal to retailers to keep prices down. In Cincinnati, the Bigg’s supermarket, part of SuperValu, initiated a special program where customers can purchase pre-packaged bags of Manischewitz products and place them in a bin in the front of the store to be donated to the Jewish Family Service to distribute to the needy. The program, according to Yakov M. Yarmove of SuperValu, is designed to help those affected by the recession. Pricing was also the focus of the large Pathmark store in Monsey, NY which kicked off the Passover season with a well attended Kosher Fair. Kosher vendors supported the event with aisles of demos, and every few minutes a gift basket was given away to a customer via raffle. At the magnificent Pomegranate in Brooklyn, its state-of-the-art kitchen was already producing rare cuts of meats, dips, and salads, all kosher for Passover as well as a full complement of groceries, dairy and frozen. Many Chabad centers around the country are using the pre-holiday season to educate Jews about kashrus. A Hy-Vee store in Davenport, Iowa, hosted "A Day of Kosher Awareness" in tandem with Chabad Lubavitch of the Quad Cities.

Last year’s Tam Tam shortages is all but a memory as the Manischewitz Company produced
Passover Tams in two forms. The regular Tam Tams in different flavors are small egg matzah crackers coated with different flavorings (marked as “Matzah Ashirah”) and the Whole Grain Tams which are regular matzah crackers coated with different flavorings (and are not “Matzah Ashirah”. Supermarkets are showcasing many of the 400 new items produced for Passover, including many new sauces, and flavored seltzers. Some retailers expect to sell more Shmurah Matzoh, both the hand-made and machine versions. Matzoh brands from Israel including Aviv, Osem, Yehuda and Rishon are expected to do well. The Orthodox Union, which certifies the Israeli brands, has also added the Yanovsky brand from Argentina. Manischewitz will continue to sell OU-P machine shmurah matzah under both the Manischewitz and Goodman’s labels. In addition, OU-P hand shmurah matzah will be available from Gefen, Tiferes and Rokeach. Kedem will be selling, as they did last year, Savion matzah sticks.

Coca Cola will again be available with an OU-P for Pesach as will many Pepsi Cola products with a Kof-K certification (in the New York area). In addition to New York, Coke will be available in Boston, Baltimore-Washington, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, and Philadelphia. Most of the large kashrus organizations have issued their 2009 Passover Directories and also created special websites, as the OU has done.

Demand for Kosher Soup Kitchens Soars as Concern for Holiday Mounts
New York…The economy is wreaking havoc on many middle class Jews who are increasingly having difficulty feeding their families, social service agencies say. The Masbia soup kitchen in Boro Park, which opened several years ago to feed individual poor people is now being used by entire families affected by the recession, according to its founder Alexander Rapaport. Jewish agencies dealing with the poor are responding to an unprecedented demand for assistance by middle class families, says William Rapfogel, the executive director of the Metropolitan Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty. He predicts that several additional soup kitchens will open throughout New York City and in other communities with large Jewish concentrations. In New York, Met Council’s food pantry which normally provides food to 13,000 households a month, is dealing with a 30% increase, largely from middle class and working poor families who are not getting other benefits like food stamps, healthcare and rental assistance. Agencies surveyed by KosherToday are expecting as much as a 30% increase in requests for assistance this Passover, at a time when many of the foundations who traditionally provided assistance are reeling from the economy or the post-Madoff era. Individual contributions have also fallen dramatically making it a most daunting challenge for the agencies. According to Mr. Rapfogel, “as much as the kosher soup kitchens are desperately needed, it will depend on the availability of funding, perhaps from individuals who wish to feed the hungry.”

Shmura Matzoh Prices Rise Ever So Slowly
Brooklyn…by Raffi Rosenzweig, KosherToday Feature Editor…Prices for the coveted Shmura (flour watched from planting) Matzohs rose only nominally despite the economy and the steep increases in commodity prices. Most of the bakeries reached by KosherToday said that they were cognizant of the hardship consumers faced in the continuing recession. The cheapest box of shmura matzo can be found at D & T Shmura Bakery in Crown Heights for $18.50/lb, a $0.75 increase per pound over 2008 prices. At Boro Park Matzoh Bakery, a pound went for $19.50, also increased by $0.75. Chareidim Shmura Matzoh Bakery in Boro Park and Kehilath Yakov Matzo Bakery in Williamsburg both offer their product for $21 a pound. This is only $0.50 more than Chareidim charged last year, and $1 more for Kehilath Yakov. Williamsburg’s Satmar Shmura Hand-Matzoh Bakery sells its standard shmura matzo for $20 a pound, but also has a “heimieshe mayleh” variety that goes for $23. In New Jersey, the Lakewood Shmura Matzoh Bakery offers matzo made both before and after Purim, for $18 and $20, respectively. Their gluten free oat matzo is pricier, selling for $23 for a half pound. Standard Gefen and Rokeach handmade round shmura matzos are also both available online for $19.99 a pound.

Kosher Community Weathers Meat Shortages for Passover
New York…Fears of massive kosher meat shortages for Passover appear to have been premature, say kosher sources. In some areas, flanken may not be as available as in the past and there will be spot shortages of certain products here and there, but on balance there should be enough meat and poultry to go around, say the sources. With stepped up production by Empire Kosher Poultry and Agriprocessors, which is said to be slaughtering only poultry (20,000 a day), the market should be well supplied on poultry. Last week, the first minyan ever was held in Wellington (35 miles south of Wichita, Kansas) which is the home of A.D. Rosenblatt Glatt Kosher Meats, certified by the Chicago Rabbinical Council and the Orthodox Union. Due to high demand before the holiday, the plant stepped up production all week, which is why a minyan was organized for the Shabbos. With only one Jew on record in Wellington, students from the Mesifta of Dallas, 337 miles south in Dallas, drove to Wellington to complete the minyan, bringing along a Torah from Cong. Ohr Hatorah of Dallas. Meanwhile, price increases from ’08 varied around the country with the range being 5% in some markets and as much as 22% higher than in ’08 in other markets for meats, fish, and some kosher items.

Cholov Yisroel Competition to Heat Up With New Entries
New York…Major changes are looming for customers that covet the higher kosher standard of Cholov Yisroel dairy, KosherToday has learned. A new brand, Machmirim, has already made its debut with milk and is expected to roll out many additional products, including yogurt. It is already being sold at lower prices than the existing products, such as Golden Flow and Ahava. The troubled Ahava Dairies was acquired by Toobro LLC, owned by Menachem and Schneur Bistritzky. The former owner had filed for bankruptcy protection, and the state agriculture department recently shut down the Ogdensburg operation because of contamination of the cheese products there. The Bistritskys are expected to pump new life into the Cholov Yisroel dairy, launching many new products and significantly upgrading the quality of existing products. The clear winner of all this activity will be the kosher consumer.

Israel News Briefs…by Idele Ross, KosherToday Bureau Chief

Osem’s New Passover Products
Tel Aviv…Osem’s popular Kosher for Passover line of cakes is back this year with the addition of chocolate-coconut brownies. The new flavor joins the other cakes in the series: marble, chocolate, chocolate chips, and nuts. According to last year’s data, Osem owns almost half of the market share in the cake category. One of Israel’s best loved and most unique foods are the tiny, yellow soup squares or almonds which thanks to food technology are kosher for Passover for the first time. Osem, which introduced the original soup almond in 1952, is this year introducing an almond kosher for Passover made from potato flour.

More People Eating Out Less
Jerusalem…The Histadrut Trade Federation’s Consumer Authority has found that people are buying less but spending more wisely. 56.3 percent of the consumers who were polled said they have had to scale back. The Geocartography Institute survey for the Consumer Authority polled 500 adults and over half said they are spending less on food and cell phone use but are trying not to cut back on healthcare and their children’s’ education. The survey also found that most of the sacrifices were in the realm of non-essentials. 67 percent said they are eating out less.

Colonel Sanders is Going Kosher
Jerusalem…Kentucky Fried Chicken in Israel is going kosher. The powdered milk based batter which coats the chicken will be replaced by a kosher soy substitute. KFC international has approved the new recipe which took the Israeli franchise owners two years to develop. KFC food labs in Dallas Texas have certified the kosher soy powder substitute enabling the parent company to open kosher franchises in other places where there are large Jewish populations. KFC Israel officials say the new taste is similar to the original recipe. KFC Israel has ten branches in Israel – two of them are kosher lemehadrin and the others are open on Shabbat. Despite the difficult economic times, the owners hope to open three new branches during 2009.

March 2nd KosherToday News Headlines

SPECIAL PASSOVER EDITION: Passover 2009 New Product Review

Manufacturers Betting on New Products to Drive Profits
New York…by Eda Kram…Kosher food manufacturers are hoping that many of the new products that they are introducing will help drive sales this Passover (eve of April 8th through the 16th) despite the recession. According to kosher food sources, more than 400 new products will be introduced, ranging from LaRomme’s “white bread” to new cheeses. Kosher consumers are already used to Passover cereals, noodles, “bread” crumbs, and other products that mimic year-round products. In cheese, Cabot Creamery Cooperative of Vermont is releasing Sharp Cheddar, aged for 10 months. In noodles and pasta, Paskez is introducing them in various shapes and sizes. Even coffee and tea will not be exempt from new versions for the holiday. Osem is introducing Tasters Choice 100% pure instant coffee, while Davida Aprons is unveiling Gey Shlufen (go to sleep) Tea, an organic version from Australia. To go with its classic horseradish products, Gold’s is rolling out “Squeeze-Me” Wasabi Sauce while Oriental Food International is adding Sweet Chili Sauce and Plain Chili Sauce. To go along with the sauces, Oriental has a Rice Stick which is a rice noodle that is great for a stir-fried noodle dish (such as Pad Thai Noodle) and is also gluten-free.

There are many additional new sauces and oils for Passover: Fox's U-bet Chocolate Sundae Sauce, Enova Soy & Canola Cooking and Salad Oil from Millbrook Distribution Services, Israeli olive oil from Tnuvat Haaretz, and Oliviana Prestige & Tradition Extra Virgin Olive & Tunisian Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Mediterranean Finest Imports & Distributing.

There are many new Matzah and Matzah related items: Pereg Gourmet’s has Seasoned Matzah Crumbs; Shibolim is out with Whole Wheat Chocolate Matzo Squares in two varieties, Whole Wheat and Whole Spelt; Matzot Aviv is introducing Hagada Passover Cookies as well as two new varieties of their famous matzo tins; Osem is rolling out Egg & Onion Matzah, Chocolate Coated Matzah Orange & Raspberry Flavored, Rakusen's Thin Matzos Wheat Bran & Rakusen's Thin Plain Matzos.

In the meat category, Solomon’s is out with new package technology that offers longer shelf life, which can remain fresh or may be frozen in the same package. Alle Processing/Meal Mart has expanded their Amazing Meals for Passover. These meals do not require refrigeration, are double wrapped and are ready in just 1½ minutes, when heated in any Microwave Kosher or Non Kosher oven. Need sauce to cook a 5lb. brisket? Try Mikee Brisket Cooking Sauce. And for those looking for Passover olives, Osem introduced Medium Green Pitted Olives Spicy & Medium Green Pitted Olives Herbs. Rounding out some of the more interesting new items for Passover is Alei Eden’s hydroponically grown vegetables (bugs/pesticide-free).

In the sweets department for both adults and kids are a number of new products from Manhattan Chocolate, including their Dark Chocolates with Almond and Cranberry. Osem has Chik Chak Marshmallows for adults and lollipops for kids. Paskesz is adding many new Cookie Classics. Paskez will also be offering Nibblers Snacks in two flavors Onion & Garlic and BBQ and Kosher Noshes Fruit Leather in Apricot, Raspberry, Cherry Strawberry and Apple. For the Seder consider Davida‘s new Matzah Dipping Bowl to go along with their famous Matzah doll and other Matzah novelties.

New Wines for Passover Are for Every Budget
New York…An unprecedented array of new kosher wines for Passover will offer consumers a plethora of choices for the holiday. In its annual Passover wine review, KosherToday found new wines to fit almost every budget. The Herzog family is marking its legendary kosher winemaking by introducing a special limited offering of Generation VIII’s handcrafted single vineyard lots. The To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon offers aromas of currant, cassis, black cherry and cedar, followed by rich flavors of fruit and toasty oak. The 2008 Teal Lake Sparkling Muscat is a semi-dry white wine from ‘Down-Under’. From Allied Importers U.S.A comes the 2006 vintage of the Dalton alma from Israel; Borgo Reale Malvasia; Yain Kafrisin, the first kosher wine from Cyprus; Teperberg Terra Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; and a new line produced in New York State called Silver Cloud, one semi dry white called Seyval Blanc and a Semi Sweet Red called Heavenly Red.

Yarden Wines, a leader in Israeli winemaking based on the Golan Heights, is offering Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon, and Galil Mountain Winery Yiron, a blend of 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 3% Syrah. Terroso wines from Argentina and Chile are imported into the USA by Fleischer International Trading in Houston, Texas. There are five varietals from Argentina: Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Malbec-Merlot, Merlot and three varietals from Chile: Chardonnay, Rose, and Sauvignon Blanc, all retail for less than $10.

Abarbanel Wines introduces Layla White, a creative semi-dry blend of 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Made from grapes from vineyards close to Castel and Katlav in the Jerusalem Hills – mature vines with hand harvesting, the new Efron’s Cave Reserves are produced at the Asif Winery in Arad and are a prime example of new Israeli winemaking. Abarbanel is also reintroducing its Shemesh brand from Israel. Made from grapes grown from the sands of the Western Negev Desert are a Reserve Cabernet and Merlot from the 2007 vintage. Abarbanel will also be offering a new Efron’s Cave Reserves.

Is Bartons History? Chocolate Lovers Wonder
New York…There will be no Bartons products this Passover, KosherToday has learned, amid fears that Bartons will be the victim of mounting financial troubles at Cherrydale Farms in Allentown, Pa. Salesman and brokers of the coveted chocolate products that were first introduced in 1938 by Stephen Klein were distraught over the latest developments at the large confectionery plant. Mr. Klein, a Viennese chocolate maker, was known for his philanthropy and pivotal role in the growth of Orthodox Judaism in America. Cherrydale Farms which had acquired Bartons many years ago was known for its major role in not-for-profit fundraising. Rumors were rife in the food industry that Cherrydale was a recent victim of a huge peanut butter recall, further sending the company into a tailspin.

Hotels Hold Their Breath For Last Minute Business
New York…While some hotels are already sold out for the upcoming Passover season (eve of April 8th through the 16th), most hotels with a Passover program are still hoping for a last minute surge, KosherToday has learned. Entrepreneurs of the $100 million Passover hotel business are concerned about the ramifications of the deepening recession on their business, but they are still hoping to reach 2008 levels with a surge of last minute reservations. “Some are struggling but I think this year more than ever people are waiting to the last minute,” said Elan Kornblum, President & Publisher of Great Kosher Restaurants Magazine (www.GreatKosherRestaurants.com), who this year is offering a comprehensive listing of all Passover hotel programs plus referral services. Kornblum believes that many “people save up and use this as their only vacation out of the year,” Despite the optimism, Kosher Today has learned that business for more than a dozen programs is off by more than 20%. They are hoping that the last minute business materialize albeit some worry at discounted prices.

Feature: Manischewitz Promotion Designed to Change Perceptions
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig…The 3rd annual Simply Manischewitz Cook-Off on February 13th was for the company more than a promotional event. Held at the Marriott Hotel in New York City’s Times Square, the event, say Manischewitz officials, is designed to demonstrate that its products, and kosher food in general, are high-quality, delicious and versatile. The company, famous for its Passover foods, is also seeking to position its products as quality food year round and to raise its profile even amongst non-Jewish clientele. Manischewitz recently redesigned its iconic logo to update its image and maintain relevancy with modern consumers.

To reflect its new strategic design, the six cook-off finalists at the event hailed from across the country and were split between Jews who keep strictly kosher, Jews who don’t keep kosher, and non-Jews. This range shows the diversity of today’s kosher market and introduces kosher to a wider audience. “Kosher these days is more of a seal of safety and quality,” said Paul Bensabat, Manischewitz President and CEO, and part owner. “In a world with so many recalls and scares it is important to have an extra pair of eyes and additional supervision for added safety and quality.” Despite the universal implication, David Rossi, Manischewitz’s Vice President of marketing, insists that the company is still primarily dedicated to maintaining the strictest level of kashrus for all of its products. Rossi, however, also views kosher as a cultural shade of America’s increasingly diverse palate, similar to Thai or Cuban food, which will continue to grow in this country. To share this message with the public, Manischewitz gathered an impressive array of media coverage for the cook-off. Due to heavy publicity efforts, the event attracted the New York Daily News, Jewish Press, Parade magazine, NY Metro, Heeb magazine, New York Jewish Week, the Forward, Big Apple, the Bergen Record, and even such far reaching outlets as the Intermountain Jewish News in Denver and US China Magazine. The judging panel consisted of representatives from Saveur magazine, Food & Wine magazine, epicurious.com, the Food Network, and last year’s cook-off winner. Rossi also hopes that the winning recipes will be featured in various newspapers and media outlets. The cook-off is the only national kosher contest in the country and it is one of the top national cooking competitions, with an unusually large grand prize of $25,000, including state-of-the-art GE Kitchen appliances and cash. Competitors often go on to the Food Network and to win other major cooking competitions.

Food and Wine Show Showcases Upscaling of Kosher
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig…The Royal Wine Corporation’s 2009 Kosher Food & Wine Experience in Manhattan’s Metropolitan Pavilion on February 23rd was a demonstration of just how far kosher food and wine had progressed. It featured many of the best varieties from Israel and across the world. International wine makers and professionals attested to the quality and described the appeal of kosher wines. “Years ago people thought kosher wine had to be sweet and taste like medicine. Now they realize it can be the same quality as other wines,” said renowned critic Daniel Rogov, who has been writing about wine since he was 16 years old and is Israel’s leading wine critic. The winemaker and General Manager of Wine Operations at the Herzog Wine Cellars, in Oxnard CA, Joe Hurliman, described making kosher wine as “a tremendous opportunity, because the entire cellar team must have tremendous understanding of my philosophy of wine making.” At other wineries, part time workers are common during harvest time. Kosher wineries, however, often keep their employees year round, since they know the important laws of Kashrus. “At Herzog, they know exactly what to look for,” said Hurliman.

Timna Shetrit, the Deputy CEO and Chief Marketing and Sales Manager for Binyamina wines, explained that Israeli wines are distinct because, in addition to its sunny climate, Israel boasts a mixture of cultures. Old World influences from France and Italy, New World influences from Australia and California, as well as Israel’s own local identity, all affect the way its wines are made and make them unique. Rogov, who signed copies of his just released 2009 Guide to Israeli Wines at the event, described three other factors in the 1980’s which led to the rise of Israeli wines. The first was the opening of the Golan Heights Winery in 1983, which was the first major Israeli winery with state of the art equipment, up-to-date planning, expert knowledge and the right soil. In addition, it became much more common for Israelis to travel the world at that time, exposing them to other palates and greater possibilities for wine. The third factor was that several sophisticated (non-kosher) restaurants opened in Israel, increasing the national awareness and appreciation of food and culture. Although he has lived in Israel since 1976, Rogov estimates that 90% of the wines he reviews are not kosher. When asked what the difference is between kosher and non-kosher wines, he emphatically responded, “Nothing! And that’s the beauty of it. If you taste a good kosher wine and a good non-kosher wine, there should not be any differences. But,” Rogov continued, “It is different that observant people are able to drink these wines, and that is unique.”

Kosher Caterer Sets New Standards for Artistic Kosher Events
New York…Peter Callahan likes to believe that he has introduced a new dimension to kosher catering, a fact that is hard to argue when you see his artistry in presenting kosher food at events like Bar Mitzvahs and other major affairs. Under the supervision of the OK Kosher Certification, Callahan’s PCK Catering is expert in creating the ultimate in upscale catering through themes. He recently created an eye opening carnival at a Bar Mitzvah for 500 people. Although he has been perfecting his craft for 25 years, it wasn’t until 3 years ago that he opened a branch for kosher, largely because “my Jewish clients wanted the same type of extravagant catering in kosher.” His parties are recognized by the splendid fantasy trays he creates, whether the theme is the Wizard of Oz, a replica of the Kremlin or even the famed pagodas. Mr. Callahan says that most people who see his work “can’t believe it’s kosher.” He says that he finds it challenging to prove to many of his clients, including the rich and famous, that you can let your imagination run wild with themes and still strictly adhere to kashrus. You can tell that he is anxious to share his passion for fantasy foods and is proud of the fact that he is highly respected and trusted by his many clients. Callahan explains that his special brand of creativity involves intense labor, which explains why his affairs are so much pricier than other kosher caterers. He speaks of his events as “bringing joy” to his guests and is anxious to share that joy with more people who value kosher at its best.

From Here and There…
Brooklyn…Teenagers visiting Brooklyn for Shabbat were treated to a tour of Schick’s Bakery, where each one of the youngsters left with a box of Schick’s Hamantachen. The tour guide was owner Chaim Braunfeld on a breather before tackling the hectic Passover season.

February 16th KosherToday News Headlines

5,360 Inmates in Federal Prisons Request Kosher Meals
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig, Kosher Today Feature Editor…According to data provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP), a record 5,360 inmates in federal prisons are receiving kosher meals in all of the FBOP’s 114 facilities across the United States. Of those, 3,268 identify themselves as Jewish. While there have been several challenges to kosher by some state prison officials, the FBOP guides itself by a number of court decisions that mandate the kosher food. In interviews with FBOP officials, KosherToday has learned that in each facility’s main kitchen, a room is designated for the preparation of all “certified religious diet meals", the FBOP term for kosher. All hot meals are commercially pre-packaged and frozen, and certified according to a reliable, nationally recognized Orthodox Jewish standard. Food trays for inmates that are determined by the chaplain to require a specific certification are distributed through the main serving line at the regular meal times to facilitate all inmates eating together. Kosher products are also available in the inmate commissary. To receive kosher meals, inmates submit a request through the local chaplain. It is not necessary, however, to confirm an inmate’s particular religion, which explains why only 3,268 inmates are self identified as Jewish.

Felicia Ponce, a public affairs specialist at the FBOP, estimates that the kosher requests are predominately religious in nature, albeit not all Jewish. Ponce attests that previously many of the kosher requests were motivated by perceived health or diet concerns, but since a recent FBOP shift to serve more balanced meals, this has not been common. All meals are now consistent in portion size and menu throughout the entire agency. Despite the change, the number of kosher inmates in the Federal prisons has still increased significantly over the last decade, although exact figures were not available. Upon request, the FBOP also provides inmates with grape juice, challah and other essential religious foods for the Shabbos and Jewish holidays. “Religious dietary observance is protected as a constitutional right,” said Ponce. “The Bureau of Prisons takes very seriously its responsibilities to uphold the constitution and the rights it gives all individuals, even those who are incarcerated.” Federal prison officials have in recent years become far more knowledgeable about kosher, even visiting shows like Kosherfest.

Jews are Still Engine that Drives Kosher Market, Manufacturers and Distributors Say
New York…Kosher manufacturers and distributors still see Jews who observe kashrus at any level as the “engine that drives the kosher market.” The comments were in reaction to the widely publicized findings of the Mintel Research Organizations that 13% of Americans consume kosher products with the majority not being Jewish. One manufacturer wrote: “While we benefit from the perception of the size of the kosher market, in the final analysis, our loyal customer base is still the kashrus observer who lives in a major Jewish community.” Mintel itself noted that “the market includes sales of “ethnic kosher” products such as matzoh, as well as sales of processed foods that have kosher certification, but are not specifically “kosher by design.” It added that “The latter mainstream kosher products make up the bulk of sales—and part of the increase or decrease in sales of kosher products is tied to the fortunes of such well-established brands as Oreo, Lay’s potato chips, and Coca-Cola.” The kosher sources admit that they are benefiting from a “crossover” market of non-traditional kosher consumers but claim it is far less than the perception.

The Mintel study pointed to “the extent to which mainstream products seek and maintain their kosher certification.” Only a small percentage of food manufacturers drop their kosher certification, which is a significant sign that the value of the kosher symbol continues to increase. Retailers agree with the Mintel conclusion that “food safety is the top reason for buying kosher products” amongst non-traditional kosher consumers.

Sunday at the Pomegranate Attracts Shoppers from Throughout the Region
Brooklyn, NY…Estelle, who lives in Southern Jersey, customarily visits her aging mother in Flatbush on Sundays. But since the Pomegranate opened last August, she makes the weekly detour to the nation’s leading upscale kosher supermarket. In her shopping cart was a variety of better cuts of kosher beef along with an assortment of dairy products that she says “she cannot find anywhere else.” Abraham Banda, the owner of Pomegranate confirms that Sunday is a day when shoppers from all over the Metropolitan area shop at the store. Unlike many stores that sport empty shelves after the pre-Shabbat rush, Banda is proud of how quickly his kitchens produce the fresh gourmet items after Shabbos. A woman who eyes a luscious looking portion of salmon but wonders if it can be warmed with flavors and spices is told by Mr. Banda that the “chef” will do it and he does to her delight. The store has a compliment of chefs, many who are trained in European culinary schools and many who are second or third generation chefs. For example, Mike Shulte, a native Austrian, is a well known gourmet chef who was trained in leading French culinary schools and worked in a host of Israeli first-rate hotels and restaurants. David Tirnauer is a third-generation kosher food specialist who prepares all of the traditional foods for the Shabbos. Jacob Glauber, Pomegranate’s chef for cheese and appetizer products, learned a great deal from his father who has been doing it for 40 years, twice the number of years he has been preparing and aging cheese and creating new exotic appetizing products. He even prepares his own hummus but is proud of the all natural ingredients and lack of preservatives. A shopper from Stamford tastes some of the exotic flavored cheeses Glauber prepares which are on display at the entrance to the store, just feet away from a free standing display of items for the upcoming Purim holiday. Most of the shoppers marvel at just how clean the store is and drool at the luscious looking roasts, fish, and salads on display. At least for Sunday, the Pomegranate is far from a local store. It is very much regional.

AKO Conference to Confront Latest Challenges to Kashrus
Chicago…Kashrus officials are set to gather in West Palm Beach next Sunday February 22nd to discuss a host of issues, particularly those faced by local Vaadim (kashrus committees). The event, coordinated by Rabbi Sholem Fishbane, Executive Director of the Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO), will deliberate on such pressing topics as: Standards for Accepting a Mashgiach, The Amount of Supervision Required for Establishments, Vegetable Standards For Vaadim, and Kosher And Non-Kosher Facilities. Kashrus officials say that the rapid expansion of kosher necessitates adopting universal standards and fostering better communications amongst the agencies and the Vaadim.

Kosher Food and Wine Event to Draw Large Crowd
New York…More than 700 wine and food connoisseurs are expected to fill the Metropolitan Pavilion in Lower Manhattan on Monday as Royal Wines (manufacturers of Kedem wines and juices) repeats its
“Kosher Food & Wine Experience” for the third time in as many years. The event has become a showcase for the leader in kosher wines with the media and the public. The wine tasting by consumers is one of the highlights as visitors meet winemakers from around the world and get to taste wines with different price stickers on the label. Organizers say that they will display over 200 wines for the tasting, from countries all around the world, which is akin to a virtual tour of kosher wines, worldwide. This year’s special guests include Daniel Rogov, Israel’s leading s wine critic who will be signing copies of his newly released 2009 Guide to Israeli Wines. He will be joined by Mark Squires, senior wine critic at Robert Parker. Proceeds from a rare wine auction will benefit the bereaved families of the massacre in Mumbai, India. The food portion will be catered by Schick’s Caterers.

Kosher Industry Optimistic About Passover Despite Recession
New York…Retailers throughout the country are hoping that kosher food sales for the upcoming Passover holiday (eve of April 8th through April 16th) will at least match last year, although there is apprehension over the effects of the recession. One Queens retailer was already told by a customer that she would only have 8 people at the family Seder instead of 21 last year. Her husband was laid off in December. Operators of Passover hotel programs are also holding their collective breaths as sales have been slower than usual. One program operator said that he was “about 25% behind last year” but he is also hoping for a last minute surge. Most hotels are still advertising in Jewish media and on-line. Social service agencies are concerned that the ranks of the Jewish poor will increase dramatically this year due to the recession and many layoffs. Food pantries like those sponsored by the Metropolitan Coordinating Council on Jewish Poverty are hoping for more generous contributions like that recently made by Empire Kosher Poultry, the nation’s largest producer of kosher chickens and turkeys.
Standing with Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently, representatives of Empire’s management committed to donate more than 50,000 pounds of Kosher poultry to the Kosher Pantry run by the Met Council. Other agencies throughout the country are mounting major fundraising campaigns in anticipation of the higher demand for food.

Monsey Pathmark Expects Thousands at Kosher Food Fair
Monsey, NY…The Pathmark store on Route 59 is one of the highest volume stores in the country. This, despite the presence of several large independent kosher grocers in the community. On March 8th, the store will sponsor its annual Kosher Fair in advance of the Purim and Passover holidays. The store is expecting some 5,000 people from throughout the community to attend the fair. A large number of kosher vendors will display their Passover products, including many well known kosher purveyors. Visitors will have an opportunity to taste the products or in some cases take home samples. Haddon House, a major distributor of kosher foods, will be involved in preparing the foods. Many of the vendors will be raffling off prizes, including gift baskets. There will also be several "hot" specials that Pathmark will be running (exclusive to the Pathmark Monsey store).

Wissotzky Tea in Talks to Buy Beigel and Beigel
Tel Aviv…Globes reports that Wissotzky Tea is in talks to acquire Unilever Israel’s 51% stake in Beigel and Beigel Foods. The Beigel family owns the rest of the salted snacks maker. Israel’s leading business publication reports that Unilever Israel wants to quit the savory snacks business. The Beigel family has no plans to sell its stake in the family business, and it has first refusal rights to any sale by Unilever Israel. Unilever Israel says that it wants to simplify its organization and focus on its core businesses where it has substantial market share. Wissotzky Tea has a sales turnover of $55 million a year.

Kashrus Agencies Could Pull Kosher Certifications Where Lives May be in Peril
New York…The action by the Orthodox Union (OU) to withdraw its certification from the Peanut Corporation of America did not come as a surprise to rabbis involved in kashrus. Peanut Corporation owns three peanut-processing plants, in Georgia, Texas and Virginia. A federal investigation into the salmonella outbreak, which has killed eight people and sickened 600 others in 44 states, has centered on the company's Blakely, Ga., plant, which was shut down last month. The rabbis say that kashrus agencies would almost always withdraw the certification if there was even a possibility that the contaminated products could either kill or in jure those that consumed the products. Federal investigators say Peanut Corporation's Georgia plant knowingly shipped products contaminated with salmonella on 12 occasions in 2007 and 2008. The company makes peanut butter for institutions such as nursing homes and schools, and processes peanut ingredients used by other food companies in products ranging from energy bars to candy to dog biscuits. The OU withdrew its certification from all 3 plants.

February 3rd Kosher Food Industry News

Breaking News: 13% of Americans Buy Kosher Food, Latest Mintel Report Shows
New York…Americans of all backgrounds are buying kosher foods, according to the latest survey of kosher by the Mintel’s research group, a leading researcher of consumer goods. Thirteen percent of respondents in a national survey by Mintel indicated that they purchase kosher food, either for themselves or for someone else in their households. The major reason for purchasing kosher food, the survey shows, is for reasons of food quality (62%) or for general healthfulness (51%). All told, 30% of those who buy kosher food do so for religious purposes; 14% follow kosher rules; 10% follow some other religious rules with eating restrictions similar to kosher; and 6% follow halal religious rules. The survey is the third on kosher foods by Mintel since 2005. The survey revealed that the conventional supermarket or superstore is the primary source for kosher food, and 40% of those who buy kosher food do so at Wal-Mart. More than half (55%) of kosher food buyers wish there were more kosher options in the stores in which they currently shop, suggesting an unmet need among many kosher consumers for a wider variety of available products.

According to researcher Marcia Mogolansky, the top reason for purchasing kosher products is food quality, not religious affiliations. In fact, 62% of respondents to Mintel’s survey who buy kosher products do so for food quality reasons, while 17% say that they buy kosher for food safety reasons. Consumers tend to associate kosher products with above-average quality and safety because of the inspection process to which kosher products are subjected. Under-35's are the most likely to buy kosher food for religious or ethical reasons. This is not surprising, considering the extent to which younger consumers make up the ranks of Orthodox Jews.

Feature: Large Hotels Covet Kosher Events Business
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig…A major segment of hotels’ business stems from events. In cities with large Jewish populations, these events naturally include a significant number of kosher events, including organizational dinners, weddings and bar mitzvahs. While most hotels rely on kosher caterers for the food portion of Jewish events, the hotels can also produce kosher food with short notice. In fact, with 48 hours notice, hotels will order in prepared full-course meals from local caterers and restaurants. The downtown Manhattan Ritz Carlton will even provide a kosher hors d’oeuvres buffet for dinner affairs with as few as three or four kashrus observers. Many hotels handle completely kosher events without outside caterers, frequently adding kosher supervision. The majority of these events are weddings and fundraisers, although bar and bat mitzvahs and corporate events are also common. The Waldorf Astoria in midtown Manhattan hosts close to 100 kosher events a year, including annual fundraisers for Yeshiva University and the Beth Israel Medical Center. Director of Social Catering Alan Shukovsky noted that, “Kosher and Glatt Kosher Catering is critical to the success of this hotel.”

A spokesman for the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles estimates that half of the weddings they do are kosher. The New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge has its own kosher kitchen and can accommodate a kosher wedding of 2,000 people. As the only major branded hotel in Brooklyn, it caters to the large Jewish population in the area and regularly administers kosher events. New York City’s Hilton Hotel in Rockefeller Center oversees between 25-30 large kosher events each year, predominantly weddings and dinners. “The kosher element is extremely important to this hotel,” said James Johnson, the Director of Catering. “From a business side, it constitutes a major component of the market and contributes a large portion of our revenue. It is also a priority to ensure that all our guests are treated with the best service, including providing for their dietary needs.” Jose Vilarello, the assistant manager of the Biltmore Hotel in Miami, has noticed a distinct rise in the number of kosher events both in Miami and in the hotel. “There has been a move from kosher-style to actual kosher over the last few years,” said Vilarello. “The South Florida market is changing and the standard for kosher has definitely been raised.” The hotel manages approximately 15 kosher events a year in addition to their first Passover program this coming Passover. In New York alone, kosher catering is said to top $65 a year.

Kashrus Agencies Meet Soaring Demand for Kosher Organic Foods
New York…by Raffi Rosenzweig and Staff Reporters... Kashrus agencies are paying increased attention to the growing demand by consumers for both kosher and organic certifications on the same label. Last week, the Orthodox Union (OU) announced that it will recommend Organic National & International Certifiers (ON & IC) of Lincolnwood, IL to its client companies who are seeking certification that their products are not only kosher, but organic as well. The Star-K kosher certification agency had earlier announced a new joint kosher and organic auditing program with Quality Assurance International (QAI). A number of Star-K inspectors are now trained organic processing inspectors, allowing both the kosher and organic audits to be completed in one visit. A year ago, Sam Cuenca-Meschoulam mentioned his disappointment in the lack of healthy and organic kosher food to Rabbi Berel Simpser, Executive Director for Aish Hatorah in Minnesota. Simpser, who had also worked extensively in the kashrus industry, responded that there should be a hechsher (kosher certification) to address the issue. With that exchange, Cuenca-Meschoulam and Simpser’s partnership was born. Four months later their hechsher, Kosher Organics, launched its certification and website. Kosher Organics guarantees the strictest level of kashrus and that its products are either certified organic or 100% natural. Its “Blue K” symbol accompanies natural products, which describes foods to which nothing artificial (additives, preservatives, etc.) has been added. The “Green K” symbol adorns organic products, which is similar to natural but additionally means that all items were raised without the use of fertilizers, additives, insecticides, etc. Cuenca-Meschoulam sees the ideals of natural and organic consumption to be in line with traditional Torah values. Kosher Organics is driven by concern for nature just as the Torah demonstrates concern for the land via the laws of shmitta (which mandates leaving the land fallow every seven years) and kila’im (which governs which crops can be grown in close proximity). “We should be aware of how important it is to be doing the best for our bodies and for the Earth,” said Cuenca-Meschoulam.

Concern Over Raisins a Major Focus of Kashrus Agencies
Chicago…When local kashrus committees (Vaadim) meet in West Palm Beach later this month, one of the key topics will be the alleged bug infestation of raisins. The conference is sponsored by AKO (Association of Kashrus Organizations), which has already held several emergency meetings on the raisins issue and has thus far concluded that raisins may be eaten without further inspection. But AKO officials noted that the issue was still being studied by experts and rabbis. In a statement the Orthodox Union (OU) restated its long-standing position that raisins may be eaten without inspection but warned that “many food items, when packed or stored in warm, moist or unclean environments should be avoided until fully checked for the presence of insects, particularly when exhibiting telltale signs of infestation (webbing, insect feeding damage).” The OU position was shared by the Williamsburg-based Central Rabbinical Congress. But the OU position was not shared by K'hal Adath Jeshurun (KAJ) which said that its inspection of several brands of raisins showed that many were infested, including some originating from abroad. “Our Rabbinate decided that the problem is prevalent enough to warrant notifying our membership, as well as establishments under our supervision, that they refrain from using raisins until further notice,” KAJ said in a statement. The statement further noted “that in the future, supervision on the production of raisins will -as a matter of course- include checking for infestation by many kashrus agencies. Given the recent publicity on the matter, it is likely that raisins will become standardized as an item checked for infestation in line with strawberries and vegetables which need checking, for instance."

Conference of Local Kashrus Vaadim Addresses Key Concerns
Chicago…While the focus of kashrus supervision generally falls on the large kashrus agencies, a conference on February 23rd and 24th in West Palm Beach will put the spotlight on local kashrus committees. Under the auspices of AKO (Association of Kashrus Organizations), the two day conference in Florida will address such topics as acceptance requirements for mashgichim, the level of supervision for both dairy and meat restaurants, supervision of establishments owned by one person that has both kosher and non-kosher establishments, koshering standards, vegetable checking, and the recent concerns over the infestation of raisins.

Recession Hits Israeli Food Companies but Some Look to U.S. for Expansion
Jerusalem…by Idele Ross…Many Israeli food companies are being forced to cut back or shut down because of the economic climate, but some of the better known Israeli brands are actually expanding business to the U.S. and another bidding to purchase a troubled American meat processing plant. Vita Pri HaGalil in Hatzor Haglilit, known for the production of canned and frozen foods as well as condiments, has announced it may have to close its factories, leaving some 400 permanent employees and several hundred more seasonal workers without jobs. The company is reported to owe a total of $40 million to the banks, to suppliers including the US-based Rich’s Products Corporation and to farmers in the area. Management has been meeting with potential buyers who have expressed an interest in acquiring the economically strapped food company. Forty million is also reported to be the sum an Israeli company is offering to buy the troubled Agriprocessor kosher meat plant in Postville, Iowa shut down following the federal raid on the slaughterhouse and arrests of more than one-third of the workforce for alleged labor law violations. Soglowek Nahariya is a leading manufacturer of kosher processed meat and poultry products as well as vegetarian products. The Des Moines Register reports that Joseph Sarachek, a bankruptcy trustee has been overseeing the business was encouraged by the offer from Soglowek which has three plants in Israel and sales worldwide. Eli Soglowek, the CEO of the Israeli company, told Ynet that the deal is in its early stage but they will be pursuing it along with a long time U.S. partner of the company who will be providing some of the financial backing. Soglowek’s annual turnover is around $175 million dollars.

News Briefs on Wine …by Idele Ross

New York…Yokneam’s Morad’s Wineries, famous for liquors made from anything but grapes is coming soon to Rockefeller Center in New York. Tropical Winery is the name of the first shop to be opened by the American franchise. Since 1964, the Morad family has been producing exotic wines from fruits, vegetables, herbs and medicinal herbs.

Oxnard, CA…Herzog Kosher Wines is holding its second annual international food and wine festival on February 18. The Wine Cellars located in Oxnard, California will be hosting winemakers from around the globe. Chef Todd Aarons, in charge of the Wine Cellars kosher gourmet restaurant Tierra Sur will be providing an eclectic menu. Participants will have the opportunity to explore 200 wines from around the world. Israel’s Haaretz newspaper restaurant and wine critic Daniel Rogov will be the special guest and he will be signing the latest edition of his Guide to Israeli Wines.

Napa Valley, CA …Covenant Wines is planning an Open House and Premiere Napa Valley’s first-ever auction lot of kosher wine: Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon, Solomon’s Cuvée 2008 on Thursday, February 19th in St. Helena. Covenant Solomon’s Cuvée is a unique co-ferment of Rudd Estate Mt. Veeder and Oakville Cabernet blended with Larkmead Vineyard Cabernet. Visitors will be able to meet Covenant co-owner/winemaker Jeff Morgan and consulting winemaker David Ramey and to sample the fruits of their latest collaboration.