Monticello…Driving along Route 17 to the Catskill Mountains, you can literally count the number of trucks with well-known kosher brands. Many were headed to kosher stores in the area, but an equal number were destined for the many summer camps and the few remaining kosher hotels in the area. Kosher food service has grown tremendously in recent years, and it is far from a seasonal business. Supply chain problems? One camp director told me he buys a great deal locally such as eggs, fruit and produce. Yes, he says, things have gotten very expensive but thankfully his campers will not be missing anything.
But another camp director says he buys from 2-3 distributors in New York and even has some come directly from manufacturers, such as ice cream. Kosher food service, the distributors say has exceeded pre-Covid levels as catering halls are once again functioning at full capacity.
