Orthodox Drove Passover Sales, Kosher Food Sources Say
International Kosher Conference Seeks Unity Amongst Certifiers
New Kosher Franks Appeal to New Tastes of Consumers
Manchester Kosher Retail Competition Ends
Kosher Community Mourns Passing of Matzah Doll
Montreal Agencies Join Forces to Feed Poor
Portugal Launches Its First Kosher Olive Oil
Atlanta Football Fan Succeeds in Crusade for Kosher
NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE: Pizza Snaps from Bernie’s Foods
Orthodox Drove Passover Sales, Kosher Food Sources Say(New York) Despite a general 13% increase in the sale of Passover foods, not all markets did as well as initially thought. Sales in some markets, say kosher distributors, were “flat.” But sales in many Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods were so strong that they offset any setbacks in other markets. That was the general picture that has emerged after more careful analysis of 2005 Passover foods sales. Orthodox Jews are said to represent 12% - 15% of the 5.2 million American Jews, according to the latest figures by the United Jewish Communities (2001-2002 National Jewish Population Study). There is strong evidence to suggest that the Orthodox buy well beyond that proportion, perhaps as much as double their percentage, largely due to larger families and a more active Jewish lifestyle. The intense pre-Passover activity could be seen in the energy and activity in the predominantly Orthodox areas. Orthodox media like Hamodia, Yated Ne’eman, and the Jewish Press published considerably larger papers due to many pages of advertising of foods for Pesach. Where there were shortages of products in some stores catering to the Orthodox, there was surplus in stores that cater to a largely non-Orthodox base. With some notable exceptions, most manufacturers of kosher for Passover foods are smiling about the final results of Passover 2005. So are the importers of Israeli foods who are said to have done considerably better than in 2004. In general, the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor estimates that Passover food exports around the world totaled $70-100 million. Food exports totaled $600 million in 2004.
International Kosher Conference Seeks Unity Amongst Certifiers(Jerusalem) Rabbis involved in kosher certification all over the world are meeting here in what is being billed as “an unprecedented gathering of the world’s kosher certifiers.” In addition to discussions on broad universal themes, the rabbis will hear many lectures on a broad range of topics including adapting to new technologies that impact kashrus. They will also attempt to adopt uniform standards around the world to help consumers observe kashrus better. For some of the American rabbis, the conference is an opportunity to meet colleagues from Europe and Israel. Amongst the American presenters will be Rabbis Menachem Genack and Moshe Elefant from the Orthodox Union, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann from the Star-K in Baltimore and Rabbi Sholem Fishbane of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC) who also serves as head of AKO (Association of Kashrus Organizations).
New Kosher Franks Appeal to New Tastes of Consumers(New York) With the barbecue season comes increased demand for glatt kosher hot dogs. Americans are expected to eat 7 billion hot dogs between Memorial Day and Labor Day with 150 million of them being consumed on July 4th alone. But kosher purveyors this year will continue to produce much more than the traditional beef franks. They will be appealing to the health conscious and a growing number of younger consumers who covet new and non-traditional tastes. Abeles & Heymann Gourmet Kosher Provisions (A&H) is introducing their new kosher bison hot dog. The bison hot dogs are a part of A & H's new line of kosher bison deli products which also includes bison salami, knockwurst, corned beef and pastrami. Meal Mart’s line includes several items for the health conscious: All Beef Franks - No Nitrite (Frozen), Chicken Franks and Turkey Franks. International produces such franks as Low Fat, Mesquite, and Hot & Spicy varieties. Rubashkin’s Aaron’s Best also produces several different kinds of franks. Americans in general prefer hot dogs grilled outdoors (41%) to steaming or boiling them (31%). 60% of Americans will eat hot dogs in their back yard (or bungalow) this summer.
Manchester Kosher Retail Competition Ends(Manchester, UK) For years the Jewish community has been served by two large grocery stores, Habers Kosher World and Deli King. Now Moshe and David Kaufman of Haber’s have bought out the competition and will own Deli King as well. Laurence Fruhman, who with his brother David had been running Deli-King for nearly 25 years, said: "Existing and new customers can look forward to exciting developments. All the present staff will remain. We felt it was time for a change and the Kaufman brothers are the ideal people to run the business." The Fruhman brothers will continue manufacturing their range of Gourmet kosher food products, according to the story in the Manchester Jewish Telegraph.
Kosher Community Mourns Passing of Matzah Doll (Huntington Park, Ca.) Visitors to Kosherfest will no doubt recall the lady who brought a smile to all who passed her booth. No one could help not stopping for another look, a brief chat, or a word of wisdom. The lady was Pauline S. Lampkin. With her signature Matzah beret and apron, she was known as the Matzah Doll. Her daughters who run Davida & Company, a leading manufacturer of holiday and specialty items for infants, adults and the home, are finding it hard to cope with the recent passing of that extraordinary woman. “Work and life is not the same without our mother’s beautiful smiling face. I know that you will all miss her smiles and positive attitude.” The little Matzah Doll that the late Mrs. Lampkin represented is a dancing and singing doll all decked out in the Matzah outfit just like the smiling lady at Kosherfest. To many, the living Matzah Doll was a magnificent marketing tool to help sell the products of Davida. But everyone agreed that behind the Matzah uniform was a remarkable human being that will be sorely missed.
Montreal Agencies Join Forces to Feed Poor(Montreal) With as many as 17,000 Jews living below the poverty level, it was only natural that two agencies providing food to the poor would merge to provide better services. According to the Canadian Jewish News, Jewish Le Mercaz and the Mada Community Centre are joining forces to provide food. Mada, which operates the only kosher soup kitchen in Quebec, serves more than 250 meals each day, and during Jewish holidays, close to 10,000 meals. Founded in 1993 and affiliated with Chabad, Mada also delivers more than 6,000 meals and food baskets every year and operates a free clothing and furniture bank. In addition, the center offers a range of social and educational services. Le Mercaz, founded the same year as Mada by Federation CJA, also responds to the kosher food needs of low-income Jews. Through its annual food drive and the generosity of donors and corporate sponsors, Le Mercaz distributed more than 2,500 food baskets this year. Clients using the food bank will also have access to Mada’s soup kitchen, free clothing and furniture. “When we announced the closing of the Le Mercaz thrift shop last fall, we made a pledge to our clients that they could expect the same food service to be provided to them,” said Gail Small, executive director of Jewish Family Services, which manages Le Mercaz. Rabbi Chaim Cohen, director of Mada, said that “combining forces to help our fellow brethren is a blessing for the community, as well as for those undertaking this project.”
Portugal Launches Its First Kosher Olive Oil(Lisbon) Portugal has begun to produce its very first kosher olive oil in some 500 years. Rabbi Elisha Salas, the supervisor of Ribeiro Sanches olive oil, said that a number of other kosher products may soon be produced in the country such as honey, yogurt, milk and cookies. "It's a historic moment for Portuguese Jewry. In addition, I am thrilled because Portugal has world class foods but so far we haven’t been able to eat them," Salas told Portuguese newspaper Publico. Ribeiro
Sanches will be exported to Brazil, Israel and the United States, added Salas, who mentioned that it will also strengthen the local economy in the northern region called Serra da Estrela.Postagem: André Veríssimo, Presidente Koah
Indicação da Querida Amiga Chaver, Membro Director Koah: Mónica Pinto Mendes.
