News

Secaucus NJ…There is good reason to participate in the annual New Kosher Product Competition, several retailers told Kosher Today. Many of the winners in 2021 and 2019 achieved higher sales of as much as 20% the retailers say. The annual New Product Competition will this year be hosted by Apron Masters (

Brooklyn…While it may be a bit early to project final sales for the holidays this month, a survey of retailers and distributors seems to put sales on a record-setting path. One distributor said that the large kosher independent supermarkets were attracting many Jewish customers who might have shopped elsewhere in

Cherry Hill, NJ… ShopRite of Garden State Pavilions, recently completed a multimillion-dollar renovation that includes an expanded Kosher Experience section. Owned by the Ravitz’ family, the Shoprite has always been one of the flagship kosher stores of Wakefern. The Cherry Hill store includes a

New York… A major kosher retailer terms sales around the upcoming Rosh Hashanah (eve of September 25^th) and holiday season as “the second Passover.” There is increasing evidence that the season is second in sales to Passover which is believed to be 35%-40% of annual kosher food sales. While Passover was

Dubai UAE…The big news recently out of the UAE was the huge wedding for Dubai of Rabbi Levi Duchman, chief rabbi of the UAE. The food at the wedding was kosher, catered by Hilton, Yas Island. Kosher certification was provided by EAKC (Emirates Agency for Kosher Certification), the sole government-certified kosher

Kerestir, Hungary…When Rabbi Refael Kruskal was working out the logistics for the escape of some 1000 Jews from Odessa, his immediate concern after housing was to secure kosher food. The refugees who managed to escape from heavy Russian bombardment settled in the  Carpathian region of Romania near the Black

New York…The kosher community has been blessed in recent years with a rapidly growing cottage kosher food industry that can range from home-baked cakes and challah to full catered meals. The Ezra family will be hosting 20 people this coming Sukkot with the food being prepared by a local home-based chef who will

Chicago…The fallout from what is now known as the Manalapan kashrut scandal continues as some 85 kashrus officials met via Zoom last Wednesday to discuss further safeguards to prevent non-kosher food from getting into kosher restaurants. Kosher Chinese Express in Manalapan subsequently had its kosher certification

Jerusalem…The Erlich’s had planned to spend the upcoming Sukkot holiday in the holy land and even booked air travel six months ago. What they did not expect was a restricted market for homes that were large enough to accommodate their large family. For good reason! Record numbers are expected to travel to

Lakewood, NJ…The calendar this year is turning into a huge bonanza for kosher retail as the late Rosh Hashanah (eve of September 25^th) allowed for a Back-to-School season. In some years when the end of summer collapses into the high holy days, evidence has shown that sales were ultimately lower by at least 10%.