The Sixth Sense
LUBICOM Kosher CEO Menachem Lubinsky is the founder and co-producer of Kosherfest, the annual trade event for the kosher food & beverage industry and is the editor-in-chief of KosherToday. The views expressed in this column do not represent the opinions of KosherToday’s publishers and are those of the author alone.
For the current My Sixth Sense article, please visit http://www.koshertoday.com/sixthsense.asp
My Sixth Sense is released on alternating weeks with Eye on Kosher, which can be found at http://www.lubicomkosher.com/eyeonkosher.
April 30, 2007
From the Editor…
We lead with a fascinating story by our Feature Editor, Sara Cohen about kosher trucking…Kosher hopping may be a thing of the past if recent actions by rabbis take hold…The two largest kosher chocolate producers in the world make a deal…Kosher hotlines were ringing off the hook this Passover…Retailers are preparing for the Shavuos/Memorial Day holidays…Major brands produce products that are kosher but also some that have pork ingredients…There is some concern in Israel over a drop in Tourism…Here and There notes that a 2nd international conference on kashrus has convened in Jerusalem…Eda Kram has some new cookies from Israel’s Osem in her New Product Showcase…Watch my report next week on kosher from Italy as I head to Rome this week for a conference with Italian food manufacturers.
Menachem Lubinsky
Editor-in-Chief
Trucking Industry Comes Under Increased Kosher Scrutiny
Chicago, IL…by Sara Cohen…What could possibly be not kosher about the trucks that transport kosher food products? That is what kashrus officials continue to ponder after it was first raised at a meeting of the Association for Kashrus Organization (AKO) last November 2006. They heard extensive testimony from Yitz Vann, a religious Jew who works as a truck driver. While there is no halachic concern surrounding the transportation of packages goods, the rabbis heard, the transportation of bulk liquids in tanker trucks affects the kashrus of the product. Mr. Vann explained that just as in a kosher home where kosher liquids must be placed in a kosher pot, so too when dealing with bulk kosher liquids, the giant “pot” in which they are being transported must also be kosher. If a tanker truck first carries non-kosher animal fats and then carries kosher liquids such as corn syrup and alcohol, the liquids have now become non-kosher if the truck has not been properly washed in accordance to Jewish law between two different jobs.
“While this issue has been a concern for over 15 years, the kosher certification agencies have slowly and gradually been making progress in addressing the issue,” said Rabbi Dovid Cohen, Rabbinic Coordinator of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC). He explained that many certification agencies require the use of kosher trucks for transporting kosher liquids. A kosher truck is typically supervised by a mashgiach and either used exclusively to transport kosher liquids or washed in accordance with Jewish law between non-kosher and kosher jobs. “We have to wait until more kosher trucks are made available before we can guarantee the elimination of this problem,” said Rabbi Cohen. He adds that in the meantime “after the fact, one does not need to be concerned that the liquids one is buying are not kosher.” Rabbi Cohen also explained that the Orthodox Union (OU) has been working diligently for many years on developing kosher standards for the trucking industry.
Kashrus Agencies Making it Tougher for “Kosher Hoppers”
New York…The practice of changing kashrus agencies and certifying rabbis to win more lenient standards is getting a lot harder these days, kashrus officials say. A case in point was a Manhattan restaurant that lost its kashrus certification because of alleged kashrus violations but was able to retain another agency within a week. One mashgiach (kosher supervisor) told Kosher Today: “The food establishment I worked for constantly threatened me that they would go to a competitor if I would not stop making them crazy about kashrus.” He said that he was ultimately replaced by another rabbi “who was in my job that same week.” Kashrus agencies say that they are making it a lot tougher for establishments to change hashgochos, thanks to closer cooperation by the agencies. Calling it “A Kashrus Breakthrough,” the Kashrus Information Center (KIC) in Brooklyn’s Flatbush community announced that an impressive group of agencies and certifying rabbis had agreed “not to take over the hashgacha of any establishment that had a different hashgacha without the prior consent of the KIC.” The practice of “kashrus hopping,” as one rabbi called it, was extremely confusing to consumers who were trying to figure out whether the kashrus violations were real. Some mashgichim say that the increased cooperation by the kashrus community against “kashrus hoppers” will make their job easier and ultimately serve the consumer better.
Two Largest Kosher Chocolate Manufacturers in Strategic Arrangement
Hershey, PA…One category of foods that may be largely kosher is chocolate. Most of the world’s largest producers are in fact kosher certified, particularly before being used in other products. Two of the largest kosher chocolate producers have recently teamed up to grow the chocolate business in the US. The Hershey Company, North America's leading manufacturer of quality consumer chocolate and confectionery products (Orthodox Union), and Barry Callebaut, the world's largest manufacturer of high-quality cocoa, industrial chocolate and confectionery products (OK Kosher Certification), announced a strategic supply and innovation partnership. The alliance will enable the companies to work together to accelerate long-term growth in the global chocolate market. The companies will partner on a wide range of research and development activities with a focus on driving innovation in new chocolate taste experiences, premium chocolate, health and wellness, ingredient research and optimization. The partnership includes a long-term global agreement under which Barry Callebaut will supply Hershey with a minimum of 80,000 tons per year of chocolate and chocolate products. The agreement will significantly increase Barry Callebaut's production capacity in the Americas. Over the next three years, production capacities will increase by 130,000 tons per year, with a significant portion of this production dedicated to supplying Hershey. With revenues of nearly $5 billion and more than 13,000 employees worldwide, The Hershey Company markets such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, and Ice Breakers.
With annual sales of more than $ 3.4 billion, Zurich-based Barry Callebaut is the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa, chocolate and confectionery products - from the cocoa bean to the finished product on the store shelf. Barry Callebaut operates more than 30 production facilities in 24 countries and employs approximately 7,500 people.
Consumers Had More Questions This Passover
New York…Kashrus agencies and rabbis all over the country were responding to a record number of inquiries from consumers prior to the recently concluded Passover holiday. The rabbis say that the huge increase in new products on Passover shelves may be partially responsible for the deluge of calls to agency hotlines and inquiries to local rabbis. Other rabbis say that it is part of a general trend of increased vigilance by kosher shoppers. At the Orthodox Union, officials responded to more than 2,000 phone calls from across North America, Israel, Latin America and Europe. On the Thursday before the holiday, almost 300 concerned individuals phoned in with questions on all matters of Passover intricacies, including some unusual ones as happens every year. "I received a question from a vegetarian about what he could use on his Seder plate in place of a shank bone," Rabbi David Polsky of the OU said. The majority of callers, however, were concerned with medications and baby formulas and whether or not various products required OU Kosher Passover certification. The increased volume of calls comes at a time when information is widely available on the Internet and through special radio programs and community seminars. One rabbi told Kosher Today: “I am astounded that people are anxious to be stricter with what they consume on Passover but yet are anxious to expand their menu with the many new items on grocery shelves.”
Israel Ponders Drop in Tourism
Tel Aviv…Israel’s tourist industry is planning for a robust summer tourist season, but there was some concern about the downturn during the first quarter. Tourist overnight stays at hotels fell by 8% compared with the first quarter of 2006. The Israel Hotel Association attributes the decline to the persistent effect of the Second Lebanon War last summer, and because the Ministry of Tourism failed to take any immediate marketing countermeasures to bring back tourists. Hotel Association director general Shmuel Zurel called on the government to act immediately to stop the loss of tourist markets, and to implement its promise to invest $50 million in marketing. The Hotel Association also wants the establishment of an independent marketing network with the goal of attracting tourists.
Kosher in Some Products and Pork in Others
New York…Many kosher consumers have come to rely on the kosher certification on major brand products, but the same companies that offer the kosher symbol on some products actually still produce products that are “treif.” Muslims recently learned that
Frito-Lay uses pork enzymes in some of its products but does not flag the unacceptable ingredient. A Frito-Lay spokesperson told a Muslim on-line newsletter that “Most cheeses are made using enzymes as part of the process to develop unique flavors, and depending on the flavor, enzyme sources may include vegetable, microbial and/or animal. Pork enzymes may be used in the milk that makes the real cheese for some of our cheese seasonings.” Since the cheese products are not kosher, it is not of concern to kosher consumers but it does point to the need for checking on kosher certifications on brand names like Frito-Lay. Kashrus agencies say that many manufacturers of snacks produce both kosher and non-kosher products.
Retailers Prepare for Shavuos/Memorial Day Holiday
New York…Retailers throughout the country are planning to features special displays for the Shavuos holiday (May 23-24), many including the customary dairy products that are eaten on the holiday. Some say that they would carry an increased supply of fresh and frozen fish, as well as such popular items as cheese blintzes and cheese cake. The fact that Shavuos is immediately followed by Memorial Days means that the retailers will also be promoting the customary deli products, particularly franks that are popular with kosher consumers for the Memorial Day holiday. The back-to-back holidays has also created somewhat of a boom in kosher hotel programs.
Here and There…
Jerusalem…The 2nd International Kashrus Convention opens here today until Thursday at the Renaissance Jerusalem Hotel. "We will be dealing with important issues that combine Torah, kashrus and technology,” said organizer Rabbi Aharon Nesher, Chairman of the Maskil L'David organization.
New Product Showcase…by Eda Kram
Two New Flavored Cookies from Osem USA
Osem recently introduced vanilla and cappuccino cookies that contain no preservatives, food coloring, or cholesterol and are suitable for vegetarians. Osem, like many Israeli food manufacturers have put the emphasis on the healthful features of their products. Israeli products have been in increased demand by consumers. Osem USA distributes to most of the ethnic/kosher food distributors, including Bloom (NY), Galil (NY), Kehe (Midwest), DPI (National), Kosher Brands (Southeast), Haddon House (NJ), Nuts & More (West), Quality Frozen (NY) and Certified Kosher (West). They supply thousands of independent grocery stores and kosher markets. The cookies are certified kosher by the BADATZ and the Orthodox Union. For further information please email: Blake S. Parton, Sales Manager at blake@osemusa.com or call 1-800-200-OSEM (6736).