Independent Kosher Stores Step Up Passover Programs Despite Inflation

Monsey, Ny…The special tent with Passover products is busy these days at the Evergreen kosher market on route 59. The Evergreen uptown store in Pomona is well designed to include the Passover foods in special aisles. Manager Malkie Levine is delighted not to have to face the problems of only a year ago including supply chain and delivery issues. With the exception of locally produced hand-made shmurah matzoh, she does not foresee any major shortages. The closure of the Shatzer brand is one reason for the anticipated shortage. Shlomo Goldman of the Grove with a network of stores in Florida, Michigan and Ohio moved up the date for opening special Passover aisles in his stores due to labor shortages. All of the kosher food stores were dealing with the higher prices from just a year ago which is estimated to average at 15%. Most were keeping the line on such items as meat and poultry despite reducing their profit margins. They recognize the hard times that many of their customers are going through. One manager said that he was literally being beseeched by people who say they find it hard to cover the cost of making Pesach.