behindnion the symbol U A PUBLICATION FOR CERTIFIED COMPANIES Reaching 4,000 Food Executives & Over 2,500 Companies Worldwide

WINTER 2004 Spotlight on OUCompanies Industry Trends 3 Behind the Scenes of Flavor Companies

Test Your 8 Kosher IQ Nestlé USA: Providing Let's Talk 12 More Turkey Good Food for Kosher Life by Nicole Turner-Stone Resources for Success 27 ITH ITS ROOTS in providing brands include Nestlé® Toll House®, nutritious food products, Nestlé Nestlé® Nesquik®, Nestlé® Coffee-mate®, W ® ® ® was founded in 1847 when Nescafé , and Nestlé Carnation . Nestlé Henri Nestlé developed the world’s first USA is part of Nestlé S.A. in Vevey, infant food for babies who were unable Switzerland—the world’s largest Nestlé to breastfeed. Over 157 years food company with 2002 sales recognizedc later, providing the very of $57.6 billion. best in nutritious Nestlé USA and the that the OU food and beverage Orthodox Union (OU) have symbol is the products is still a a long-standing relationship most widely company priority. that dates back to the orig- Nestlé has been com- inal Nestlé Foods Corpora- known kosher mitted to making good tion, which was opened symbol and is food for all occasions in in the United States in life—from the first cup 1900. Kosher was a pri- highly regarded of Nescafé® coffee in the ority for Nestlé’s initial for the morning to an evening confections business certification treat with Nestlé® Toll in this country. The House® candy bars. Nestlé is company established standards it also known around the world a close relationship represents. for its high standards of qual- with the OU, which was ity. Therefore, Nestlé’s under- its local kosher certifying agency d standing of the integral role food as well as the largest such agency in the WE WELCOME plays in life, coupled with its devotion to United States. In addition, Nestlé recog- YOUR COMMENTS quality, spurs on its commitment to pro- nized that the OU symbol is the most & CONTRIBUTIONS viding kosher products. widely known kosher symbol and is fax Nestlé USA has been named Fortune highly regarded for the certification stan- 212.613.0775 Magazine’s “Most Admired Food Com- dards it represents. Nestlé acquired other e–mail pany” six years in a row. With 2002 sales companies through the years, and when [email protected] of $11.1 billion, Nestlé’s well-known they were consolidated into Nestlé USA

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From the Editor

T IS NOT SIMPLY a letter of understanding nor is it Ia mere affirmation of trust or faith between two trusting partners; it is a legally binding contract Increased familiarity by governing the “terms and conditions pursuant to c which OU will supervise and permit the certification” your plant’s staffs with of a given company’s products. It is the contract (“deemed to be executed and delivered in the State of your company’s OU con- New York and shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws and decisions of said State tract will undoubtedly applicable to contracts made and performed entirely within said State”) that legally binds the two signato- reduce kosher mistakes ries, the Orthodox Union and the company, whose signatures are now affixed to a seven-page agreement and misunderstandings. which “supersedes all prior written and oral agree- d ments between the OU and Orthodox the Company and may not Union be amended or modified Schedule A, and that all finished products bearing the except by a writing signed by OU or OUD symbol produced in the certified plant con- both parties.” form to Schedule B. But there is more about the con- KASHRUT DIVISION It is this contract, co- tract that must filter down and be made abundantly RABBI MENACHEM GENACK Rabbinic Administrator signed by the company and clear at the plant levels.

RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT the OU, which clearly enun- Your contract stipulates that OU-certified produc- Executive Rabbinic Coordinator Director, New Company Department ciates all policies and regula- tion is limited to the specific plant(s) mentioned in

RABBI YAAKOV LUBAN tions governing the kosher the contract (2a). Should your company manufacture Executive Rabbinic Coordinator certification of a given com- product at other facilities and seek to place the OU RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRAN Senior Rabbinic Coordinator pany’s products and thereby symbol on this product, it is required that the new Director, Review and Update Department permits the use of the OU manufacturing facility first become OU certified and RABBI YERACHMIEL MORRISON symbol which is “a registered authorized to produce the certified product. Place- RABBI ABRAHAM JURAVEL Ingredient Approval Registry trademark of the Kashrut Divi- ment of the OU symbol on product manufactured at

I I I sion of the Orthodox Union.” plants not authorized by an OU contract constitutes a DR. CHAIM WASSERMAN It is imperative that com- material breach of the original contract and is a viola- Chairman, Joint Kashrut Commission panies’ corporate officials, tion of federal trademark law. RABBI HOWARD KATZENSTEIN Director, Business Management usually involved in the exe- In order to protect the consumer, the mutual focus

ANNA FULDA cution of the contract when of our relationship, your OU contract contains a par- Coordinator, Letters of Certification, Labels, Private Labels finalizing its certification allel product clause. This means that your company with the OU’s New Company cannot manufacture identical product in kosher and I I I Rabbinic Coordinator, filter non-kosher versions, even if only the kosher variety RABBI EMANUEL HOLZER Chairman, Rabbinic Kashrut Commission down to the plant and man- bears the OU symbol. The purpose of this limitation is ufacturing levels the con- to safeguard consumers from accidentally purchasing ORTHODOX UNION tract’s contents and daily the non-kosher version of the product, mistaking it for HARVEY BLITZ President obligations. Manufacturing the kosher one. (It is our experience that consumers RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH WEINREB executives, quality assurance readily identify with products which are known to be Executive Vice President directors and plant managers OU-certified. When otherwise loyal consumers realize DAVID OLIVESTONE Director, Communicatons and Marketing must be enlightened about, that the identical product is not always kosher, their and made fully aware of, all trust in the product is challenged, and they view the that will ultimately be part brand as less “user-friendly.”) BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL of their daily responsibilities It is therefore important to assure that any new RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRAN in implementing and assur- manufacture of product which is identical to product Editor–in–Chief ing all of the contract’s obli- already certified be brought to the attention of your STEPHEN STEINER Editor gations. This will obviously rabbinic coordinator so that the OU can arrange for include the responsibility to the product, wherever it is made, to bear the OU sym- PAMELA WEIMAN Graphic Designer ascertain that all raw materi- bol. Sometimes increased sales of your new successful als in the plant conform to products may not call for new plants, but for more

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Behind the Scenes of the Amazing(ly secret) World of a Flavor Company by Rabbi Nathan Neuberger

OOD MANUFACTURERS READILY acknowl- notes,” “green notes,” “bottom notes” are central to Fedge the importance of flavors in the design of the experience of a flavor. And it’s finally a language a food product. Soy milk, for example, would of a poet and of a chef: caramelized, intensely never be the success it is today without the sophis- sweet, cooked, earthy, rancid, woody, tangy, linger- ticated flavor systems that mask the off-taste of nat- ing, even painty are some of the adjectives flavorists ural soy. Newer, more exotic, beverage flavors are use to describe their creations. Philosophers may the alpha and omega of the beverage industry. But debate whether any given individual’s experience of when you ask most people in the food industry a chocolate bar can really be communicated. But ask what goes into the flavors so critical to their prod- a flavorist and he will give you an entire lexicon. ucts, they will lack even an inkling of the basic Flavorists deliberately cultivate a low-profile. Fla- building blocks. vor houses are exceedingly secretive about what they In fact, the flavor industry is a closed book to do. Rarely have I visited a flavor company without nearly everyone outside this growing sector, but my having to sign a confidentiality agreement, even position here at the OU, together with the Director though we had already agreed to that through the OU of the Flavor Department, Rabbi Moshe Zywica, has contract. There are several reasons for their secrecy. afforded me an opening into the wonderful and First, ingenious methods of developing flavors mysterious world of flavors. While confidentiality are the trick of the trade of flavorists. Who would agreements limit discussion of some of the things I think that autolyzed yeast, converted from beer encounter in my job, some of my experiences can dregs, could be used in a cheese flavor? And, for be freely shared. those who think that natural vanilla flavor comes The first striking aspect about the flavor industry from a vanilla bean, just read US patent number is that the people involved in developing flavors— 6,235,507—natural vanilla flavor can also be devel- the flavorists— have a language all their own. It’s a oped by fermentation of ferulic acid—a chemical language of organic chemistry: strawberry flavor is derivative of rice. made of ethyl esters, amyl acetate, heliotropin, and Sometimes, ingenuity is expressed not by novel dozens of other obscure and not so obscure chemi- production methods but by putting together unusual cals. It’s a language of aroma descriptors: “top combinations of conventional ingredients. Any one of the flavors we certify is the result of a dizzying array of chemicals. Some of them distinguish them- Because every chemical selves precisely because, hidden in the myriad of thatc is detectable to the other chemicals, is an unexpected aroma that pro- vides an unexpected, barely detectable, “note.” human nose is considered a In fact, flavorists, concerned that some of their masterpieces will be copied by competitors, will meaningful part of the flavor, deliberately add flavor chemicals that help hide the true content of the flavor. Analysis of a flavor can be the kosher status of the entire done through sophisticated equipment called gas chromatography. Flavors may contain chemicals flavor turns on whether each that will deliberately obscure analysis of the true and every flavor ingredient content of the flavor. Some customers will specifi- is acceptable. d CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 www.oukosher.org 3

A Primer on Flavors and the Kosher Process: Yummy, This Tastes Good !

by Ilana Kurts

HETHER IT’S MAKING A TOAST at a holiday Wparty, or eating Grandma’s famous pot roast at a A simple family gathering, the acceptability of almost c everything that passes our lips is to some extent depend- natural ent on its flavor. The flavor industry, with about a $10 raspberry billion worth of annual global revenue, dedicates much time and resources to creating the perfect flavor for a flavored particular customer. drink that a consumer may The flavor industry is consumer-driven. Many peo- ple today do not have enough time to prepare a meal find on the shelf of a super- from scratch; and they are more interested in a fast, market can present a myriad nutritious, and tasty alternative. About 90 percent of the money that Americans now spend on food goes to buy of kosher concerns. processed food. Taste usually determines whether they d buy it again. The pasteurizing, canning, freezing, and dehydrating techniques used in processing destroy most material will be used in the latest and greatest flavors. of food’s flavor and so a huge industry has arisen in the Because most food and beverage manufacturers request United States to make processed food more palatable. kosher certified flavors from their flavor suppliers, the At the same time, the interest in kosher products is flavor chemist will not even evaluate a raw material rapidly growing. It has been estimated that about one- without a kosher certification. third of all shelf products in U.S. grocery stores are For a flavor to be kosher certified, the manufacturer kosher certified. Some people, such as Jews, Muslims, must provide a comprehensive list of every ingredient in Seventh Day Adventists, and vegetarians, adhere to the product, including stabilizers, preservatives, release kosher laws out of conviction. Much of the interest, agents, and flavors so that a kosher certifying agency is however, comes from people who feel that kosher certi- able to trace each ingredient to its original source. Addi- fied products are of higher quality. tionally, every step in the manufacturing process, every Kosher requirements add their own flavor to the fla- cleaning agent used on the processing equipment and all vor process. A simple natural raspberry flavored drink other products produced in that facility require close that a consumer may find on the shelf of a supermarket supervision. can present a myriad of kosher concerns. The beautiful After the detailed supervision is conducted by a par- crimson color of the raspberry drink may be contributed ticular kosher agency such as the OU, changes in the from carmine, which is derived from the dried bodies of ingredients or processes may be required before the insects. The raspberry flavor itself may contain civet, agency can do any further work. Once all is satisfactory which is derived from cats. Neither product, therefore, to the OU, the necessary amount of on-site supervision is kosher. will be determined. To obtain kosher certification, the Ultimately, the responsibility to set-up and maintain manufacturer must sign a contract agreeing neither to a kosher program falls to the quality control group or the change a formulation, nor to change the ingredient sup- regulatory group within a manufacturer. Oftentimes, pliers without prior or written consent from the OU. An selling flavors must be reformulated in response to the actual on-site inspector will be assigned by the OU to ver- demand. An approved raw material list should be avail- ify that the company is in compliance with the contract. able to the flavor chemist for new formulations. Due to The result of all this should be a product that satis- globalization and the desire for variety, the American fies the palate even as it meets the most stringent palate is constantly expanding and changing. Ethnic fla- requirements of Jewish law. vors and variances increase the multiple variables that the flavor chemists must take into consideration. Raw material vendors are constantly presenting new Ilana Kurts products to the flavor chemist, hoping that their new is associate flavorist at Danisco, USA.

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Flavors may contain chemicals that will deliberately obscure analysis ofc the true content of the flavor. Some customers will specifically ask that no such “masking” flavors be added to a flavor. d FLAVOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 cally ask that no such “masking” flavors be added to Finally, confidentiality revolves around source a flavor. materials and suppliers. Although recent legislation The final profile of the flavor is determined by designed to protect against bioterrorism has created how much of each one of the potent flavor ingredi- some hurdles in getting raw materials from some dis- ents is used. Items may be used at levels of parts per tant lands, the flavor industry continues to draw on trillion, and yet can still be sensed. They are sensed botanical and other flavoring materials from the far primarily by the olfactory system (that is, the nose) reaches of the earth. Essential oils, so central to fla- but are virtually undetectable in the lab, which can vor creation, can come from the Middle East, Africa, only detect parts per billion. As one flavor chemist, Europe, South America. Glycerin comes from surrounded by $750,000 of analytical equipment, Malaysia and Indonesia, oleoresins from India, fatty once remarked to me, “Nothing is more powerful acids, from Europe, citrus derived chemicals from than the noses God gave us.” Yes, flavor is detected South America. Flavorists will not turn any stone primarily by the nose; hence the phrase, “I have a uncovered in search of new and interesting flavoring cold and can’t taste anything.” Jewish law takes the materials. impact of flavors very seriously and considers as signif- icant any detectable (by the nose, that is) ingredient. KOSHER CERTIFICATION: The way a flavor behaves in a particular applica- A LEARNING EXPERIENCE tion is also part of the wisdom of flavor creation. While I have learned about a whole new world in the Certain forms of processing may allow for a time flavor industry, it seems that some of our contacts released, temperature released, or pressure released have also learned quite a bit since they became flavor with a long shelf life involved in kosher certification. Their education, like

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Rabbi Nathan Neuberger

Rabbi Nathan Neuberger was born and raised in Baltimore. He attended several prestigious yeshivas, including Ner Israel of Baltimore and Toras Chaim of Den- ver. He also studied in Israel at Yeshivat Hanegev and Heichal Hatorah Btzion for three years. He then returned to the United States to further his studies at the well-known Bais Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, NJ, where he studied full-time for eight years, mastering many subjects pertaining to kosher certification. Rabbi Neuberger received his rabbinic ordination from the Lakewood yeshiva. Seven years ago Rabbi Neuberger joined the Orthodox Union’s Kashrut Divi- sion as a rabbinic coordinator specializing in the certification of flavors. His

OU profile technical ingenuity and background in Jewish law made him most suitable to join the field of kosher supervision. Being knowledgeable about computers, he has orchestrated the installation of systems that have enhanced the OU kosher certification process. Aside from co-directing the flavor department with Rabbi Moshe Zywica, Rabbi Neu- berger has successfully managed several challenging projects, including serving as rabbinic coordinator for Campbell’s first kosher certified soup, Vegetarian Vegetable. Married with four children, Rabbi Neuberger resides in Lakewood, New Jersey.

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OU COMPANIES Speak Mother Murphy’s Laboratories

We have often heard that ac flavor house is one of the most challenging to certify because of the quantity of raw materials used in the flavor compounds we sell. by Pamela Murphy d OTHER MURPHY’S LABORATORIES, INC. aggressive quality control system to ensure consis- Mis a third generation flavor company spe- tency with every batch. cializing in the manufacturing of flavors As in 1945, today sees Mother Murphy’s focus and extracts for the baking, beverage, dairy, indus- to be on the customer’s need for a distinctive and trial feed, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and quality flavor in conjunction with excellent service tobacco industries. We have a staff of more than 75 and cost value. We have seen the refinement and individuals dedicated to serving our customer’s development of America’s flavor pallet and often very specific needs. Whether these needs are a spe- now, the taste of a product is the key to competi- cial spray dried flavor or a custom blending of a tive success. Why? Because it’s the element that the unique vanilla extract, our highly senses notice, and what the brain trained flavor chemists remembers. are always ready to Good taste is develop a flavor what this Murphy to suit a cus- family-held busi- tomer’s ness is all about needs. and our exten- Our manu- sive line of flavor- facturing facilities ings provides the are located in Greens- ultimate in quality and boro, North Carolina and we consistency. Whether natural or maintain sales offices in Chicago, Nashville, synthetic, liquid or powder, we have the flavor Atlanta, Dallas, Greensboro, San Diego, San Fran- chemists and flavor laboratory facility capable to cisco and two in New Jersey. Our manufacturing produce any custom blended flavor needed. With facility is HACCP approved and inspected often by more than 60 years of experience in the art and sci- various organizations (e.g., AIB) and it is main- ence of producing a quality flavor, our expertise tained for cleanliness to a very high standard. assures our customers that we can understand their Our plant in Greensboro is equipped with the specific flavor needs. Combined with personal serv- most modern equipment available for the labora- ice, we’re able to deliver all the ingredients that will tory as well as for production. As a result, Mother keep our customers coming back. Murphy’s can be responsive as well as competitive One of those services is our dedication to keep- in today’s ever-changing business climate. Even ing a kosher plant. With the Orthodox Union’s further, Mother Murphy’s has established a very help, we’ve been able to maintain a vast raw mate-

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OU COMPANIES Speak S&S Flavors

raw materials, all of which are kosher certified, chosen carefully in order to achieve the highest performance in the finished product. Our techni- cal staff is dedicated to formulating original flavors that capture the customer’s vision by combining their talents and experience with our extensive library of imaginative and unique flavors devel- oped over three generations. Our company has been built on quality and customer satisfaction first and foremost. We honor our commitment to providing satisfying solutions to each individual need. We welcome involvement in new and creative projects from our customers, OUNDED IN 1928 in Southern California by a both large and small, and guarantee the degree of FJewish immigrant, Sigmond Scisorek, an Aus- honesty, professionalism and expert service that trian who achieved his expertise in flavor our reputation and success has been built upon. chemistry as a young man in France and Switzer- We are grateful to have been certified by the land, S&S Flavors has a rich tradition for develop- Orthodox Union since the early 1940’s. We truly ing products of exceptional quality while believe that our association with this outstanding providing unsurpassed service to a variety of organization has been a tremendous contributor to industries our success in all phases of our business. We As a dedicated custom manufacturer, we spe- proudly carry the OU symbol on our products as cialize in creating proprietary and exclusive prod- an exclamation point and a testament to the ucts that have been developed with only the finest impeccable standards that the icon represents.

Gold Coast Ingredients

OLD COAST Ingredients, work quickly and efficiently with the Orthodox GInc., has been in business Union and our rabbinic coordinator, Rabbi Neu- since 1985 and has grown berger, thereby speeding the process of providing from a small niche supplier of clients with accurate Letters of Certification. specialty ingredients to a man- In the years that we have worked with the ufacturer of flavors, coloring Orthodox Union, we have witnessed a consistent products and fillings. improvement of procedures, understanding and We pride ourselves on our proactive kosher customer service while simultaneously maintain- program, which includes computerized applica- ing the highest standards demanded by our tion forms that come from the exact database used clients. for our formulas. Coupled with our bar code scan- ning system, we find that adherence to the kosher protocol has become automatic and allows us to James A. Sgro, President

www.oukosher.org 7

Now, for the moment of truth. How well do you really understand your OU kosher program? TEST YOUR kosher IQ by Rabbi Avrohom Stone 2. Definition #2 — SELECT ONE S A DEVOTED READER of Behind the Union Sym- SCHEDULE B Abol, you rightfully pride yourself on being a knowledgeable and savvy kosher food profes- A. What you look for when you can’t find your copy of sional. After all, BTUS has given you cutting-edge infor- schedule A mation on new developments in kosher food B. A list of things to do starting with the letter B processing, insight into the “how’s, what’s and why’s” C. What you look at to find out when “plan B” is to of those often confounding kosher rules, and back- begin ground into the basics of maintaining a smoothly oper- D. The OU authorized listing of products that you are ating OU kosher program. legally allowed to place the OU symbol on, and Now, for the moment of truth. How well do you which particular OU symbol is to be applied. The really understand your OU kosher program? Behind the Schedule B reflects exactly your OU Letter of Certifi- Union Symbol is pleased to present a short quiz that you cation. Whenever a new product or brand name is to can use to test your kosher I.Q. The questions on this test be produced by your company, you must make cer- have been developed by the OU team of social scientists tain to register it with your rabbinic coordinator first and have been carefully screened through focus groups to include it on this most important document. and analyzed to ensure accurate results. Submit your answers via e-mail to your company’s rabbinic coordina- 3. Like/Unlike Relationships tor to learn your score. Results will remain confidential. WHICH ITEM DOES NOT BELONG IN THE FOLLOWING LIST? 1. Definition #1 — SELECT ONE A. OU P (OU kosher for Passover) KOSHERIZE B. OU Pareve (OU kosher non-dairy/non-meat) A) U U C. OU D (OU kosher containing Dairy) B) The letters in the kosher alphabet that come after D. OU S (OU non-kosher containing bacon, lard, kosher “h”s pork or other such derivative) C) What a “kosherist” does when he instills kosher through application of kosher rules 4. Number sequences D) The process through which equipment or utensils WHAT NUMBERS COME AFTER that have become non-kosher are returned to a kosher (212), 563, 4000? state. This is normally accomplished through purging non-kosher absorptions through a heat process. A. 11/18 Kosherization frequently requires the presence of an B. .0003596 RFR to verify that the criteria of cleanliness and tem- C. 94% perature have been met. It is also used to return D. 38xxx equipment from a dairy status to a pareve status. (38 plus the 3 digit extension of your OU contact)

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5. Analogy #1 9.Word Problem #1

“OU RABBINIC COORDINATOR” IS TO Oliver’s Original Olives starts to produce private “YOUR KOSHER PROGRAM” AS label product for Carl’s Condiment Cuisine. He completes a private label agreement with A. peanut butter is to jelly himself, Carl and the OU. Business takes off B. itch is to scratch and now Carl wants Oliver to expand the C. Moe is to Curly private label line to include Carl’s Cured Capers. D. proficient, helpful, competent, energetic, expert, How many more private label agreements/fees must Oliver sign and submit? dedicated professional is to successful, consumer- oriented, industry-leading food producer A. 18; two for every day of the week and 6 for Wednesdays B. 197; one for every employee in Oliver’s plants 6. Analogy #2 C. Oliver must send $200 every two weeks to the OU office (attn: Rabbi Stone) until his last surviving “OU RABBINIC FIELD REPRESENTATIVE” great-grandchild turns 18 Q IS TO “YOUR KOSHER PROGRAM” AS D. none; once a company has created a private label A. peanut butter is to jelly relationship between itself, a private label customer B. itch is to scratch and the OU, that agreement will cover all private C. Larry is to Shemp label productions done by that producer for that cus- D. Superman is to Truth, Justice and the American Way tomer. Of course, OU needs to be notified of all new product names, varieties and other changes for each 7. Concept Recognition label, so as to authorize each item and issue a kosher letter of certification for it. That is done by submit- WHEN UNSCRAMBLED, THE LETTERS ting the “new product” form to your Rabbinic Coor- “SCHEDULE A” SPELL OUT dinator A. a city near a river in Albania B. an animal that lives near a city near a river in Albania 10. Word Problem #2 C. a plant that grows near an animal living near a city A group 3 ingredient arrives at your loading near a river in Albania dock. The label bears the brand name of your D. the name of the main document used in the OU distributor (but not the source name on the kosher system; the Schedule A lists every ingredient schedule A) and the packaging does not have in your facility and classifies it according to labeling any kosher symbol. An examination of the and usage requirements for use in the OU system. cartons shows that “020503B3:15KOSHER” is inkjetted on the boxes. In a properly-run kosher program, your next step would be to 8. If/Then relationships A. accept the ingredient because it says “kosher” in IF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE: the inkjet The OU certifies over 3000 companies B. check the floor of the delivery truck in case the These companies have over 6000 facilities certified kosher symbol fell off in transit The 6000 facilities are in over 68 countries C. do the Rabbi a favor and fill in the missing informa- The OU appears on over 275,000 items worldwide tion THEN... D. immediately put the item on hold and not allow it Your OU certified product bears the most respected to be received in the plant. The main stipulations of and recognized symbol of kashrut, thereby increas- a group 3 ingredient require the label to be exactly ing the size of your market and gaining the envy of correct as to product name, source and certification your competitors who weren’t as smart as you and symbol to appear on the packaging. Each kosher didn’t bother to try and become OU certified. symbol is trademarked and it is the underlying trademark protection that enables kosher agencies A. true and consumers to rely on the presence of kosher B. false symbols on the package. This, of course, does not C. don’t know eliminate the need to have a current and valid letter D. so obvious that even someone without any kosher of certification on file to validate every ingredient in IQ at all should recognize it the plant. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

www.oukosher.org 9

WE MOURN RABBI SYSHE HESCHEL

On December 23, 2003 the Orthodox Union family suffered a great loss. Rabbi Syshe Heschel passed away after sustaining severe injuries in a freak accident.

ABBI SYSHE HESCHEL was born Typical examples include, “Which Rin Vienna in 1930, the scion of brands of protein bars does the OU cer- distinguished rabbinic-Hassidic tify?” “Why isn’t pig kosher if it is one lineage. In 1939, as a young boy, he of God’s creatures?” “I accidentally emigrated to the United States with his cooked a product without a kosher sym- family. To fulfill his early aspirations bol. Are my pots no longer kosher?” and to pursue his love of writing and Whether basic or complex, each become a journalist, Rabbi Heschel question was given proper attention by attended Brooklyn College. He the “Webbe Rebbe.” Both gentle and The primary received his rabbinic ordination from witty by nature, Rabbi Heschel was able the famed Torah Vodaath Seminary in to write responses with an unmatched cfocus of his the 1950s. During the course of his sensitivity and uncanny sense humor. professional career, Rabbi Heschel held Whether joking with an inquirer that various positions in computer pro- his lengthy response “will take you for a professional gramming, education, and public serv- ride, but to where I am not sure,” or ice. The primary focus of his explaining how to check if a fish is and personal professional and personal life outside kosher and advising consumers when of his family was influencing, assisting, examining a swordfish to “just be care- life outside of and caring for others. ful and make sure it’s not alive,” his Rabbi Heschel joined the Orthodox humorous writing would bring smiles to his family was Union in 1998. During his tenure at people. the OU office, he managed the Ask the Rabbi Heschel’s writing also OU e-mail service, which earned him demonstrated a genuine respect and influencing, the title “Webbe Rebbe.” In this capac- empathy for the people who inquired ity, Rabbi Heschel became the voice of about OU policies and kosher law. assisting, and the Orthodox Union Kashrut Division Most recently, Rabbi Heschel received to the general public. Thousands upon several inquires from soldiers serving caring for thousands of e-mail queries pour into in the U.S. armed forces in Iraq. The the OU office. The sources of questions opening of his correspondence to those others. know no bounds, as the e-mails are questions beautifully demonstrated sent not only from North America but this attribute of the “Webbe Rebbe.” In d also from across the globe, including one e-mail response he began, “We numerous Middle and Far Eastern open with our prayers for the heavenly countries. The e-mails range from ele- protection of all good people in danger mentary consumer questions to and especially the brave and heroic involved matters of kosher law. American troops. May God protect all

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10 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER 2004

WEBBE REBBE As the Webbe Rebbe, Rabbi Syshe Heschel received several questions from the United States armed forces serving in Iraq about keeping kosher in that hostile environment. An example follows of a question and his response.

QUESTION: kosher products anyway. There are economic reasons I am a Jewish soldier serving in the U.S. armed forces, why they would, or why they would not. currently stationed in Iraq. I would like to know if I If you have a specific product and can identify may assume that products that are OU Kosher in the the plant and the expiration date we might ask the United States are OU Kosher overseas, even when the company to track down which product they shipped. OU symbol is not on the package. If not, may I We advise you to check which plant produced the assume something is kosher from reading the ingre- item. If the plant is located in the United States and dients on the label? I am also enclosing a list of the product sold on the commercial market is OU cer- ingredients. Are they kosher? tified, then the military product is kosher. However, if it is produced outside the United States you need to RESPONSE: check if that plant has certification. Before we address your questions, we would like to In regard to your list of ingredients, one cannot express our respect to you for your commitment to tell if a product is kosher or not kosher just by read- kosher under such difficult circumstances. May God ing the ingredients list. The reason is simple. Sup- give you and your family strength. pose you see in the ingredient panel ‘strawberry The OU requires that all certified companies flavoring’—the first image one has is of someone which manufacture a product that has a shelf life dunking a bag of strawberries in the brew for five and could be shipped to a market anywhere in the minutes or longer (something like a tea bag). The U.S., to produce the product under OU supervision truth is that ‘strawberry flavoring’ can be as far in all their U.S. plants. This is provided the plant pro- removed from a strawberry as pastrami is from milk. duces for the U.S. market. However, with fresh prod- Any particular flavor may be made up out of a com- ucts that do not have a shelf life, such as milk, dairy bination of chemical and so-called ‘natural’ ingredi- creams, breads and cakes, the emphasis is only on ents. (If one were to take an enzyme from a swine or the market. The OU restricts a company producing from any animal, they would be allowed to label the the certified product for a specific geographical mar- enzyme as an ‘All Natural Enzyme’!) Unless you ket not to bring a non-certified version of the prod- know the source of each ingredient, you would never uct into the same geographical market. know for sure if the ingredient were kosher or not. With regard to whether products produced for There are additional reasons why one can’t rely the military are kosher, the answer is the classic Jew- on what is listed. The FDA requires an ingredient ish response, “It depends.” that is at least two percent of the product (the per- For items produced in and for the United States centage varies depending on the food category) to market the OU has an “all or nothing” policy. How- appear on the ingredient panel. Anything less than ever, the company is permitted to produce the same the specific percentage point doesn’t have to be item for a foreign country market and not be kosher listed. Kosher law is different. Less than two percent as long as it does not bear the OU symbol on the of lard will still render the product non-kosher. package. Similarly, a company is permitted to pro- Moreover, the ingredient panel won’t tell you every- duce the same item in a foreign country plant and thing about the kashrut of the product, namely, on not be kosher as long as it does not bear the OU sym- which equipment the product was made and what bol. This is provided it is not the practice to regularly other products are made on the same equipment. So import such products to the United States. The you have to depend on the OU symbol. chances are 50 - 50 that a large conglomerate in the Sincerely, USA that ships for export or the military and decides The Webbe Rebbe to leave the OU symbol off the packaging will ship Editor’s Note: The answer was edited slightly for reasons of space.

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LET’S TALK MORE TURKEY By Rabbi Eliyahu Safran

This city (Izmir), one of Turkey’s most important csocioeconomic and cultural centers, also has within its borders the biggest gulf found along the country’s

Aegean coast. In this city, OU certification continues Taris figs thoroughly cleaned to be the kosher certification of choice.d

AST NOVEMBER It was Istan- Aegean,” where the golden beaches The third largest city in Turkey, Lbul; this past November we and uniquely beautiful inlets Izmir has a total land area of nearly were off to Izmir to observe stretch out side by side. 13,000 square kilometers and a pop- firsthand as the Orthodox Union’s Izmir is a region where its ulation of more than three million certification is sought out by addi- blessed soil bears grapes, figs and people. This city, one of Turkey’s tional companies in this beautiful olives next to the turquoise sea. It is most important socioeconomic and city and region with a 5,000-year a place where the love of heaven cultural centers, also has within its history. Joined by my wife Klari and encounters nature’s passion, where borders the biggest gulf found along our dynamic OU Rabbinic Repre- the mountains, plains, lakes, rivers, the country’s Aegean coast. In this sentative, Rabbi Yosef Tirnauer, we waterfalls and hot springs are city, OU certification continues to eagerly anticipated meeting with offered feely to mankind. Izmir is a be the kosher certification of choice. company personnel whose firms city rising from one of the most for- Tracing their family roots to fif- were recently added to the ever- tunate geographical locations, with teenth century Turkey, Moshe and growing OU roster in a city built at a history that stretches far back into Albert Hemsi established a family- the crossroads of civilization, ancient times, a cultural mosaic owned company in 1984, specializ- referred to as the “Pearl of the that connects Europe to Asia. ing in the export of top quality agri-

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Using the most up to date refining methods cat its recently completed state of the art plant, Taris Zeytin ve Zeytinyagi Birligi develops its refined olive oil without compromising or altering the natural properties of the oil.d cultural products, satisfying stan- dards of consumers seeking the finest of Mediterranean specialties. Seeing the inside operations of the Hemsi production plant and its 3000 tons capacity of fresh vegeta- bles, 250 tons of sun-dried toma- toes, and one million tins of ready meals per year, one is quickly impressed with the high quality, beautiful vegetable products exclu- sively used by Hemsi. The many vari- eties of pepper products, vine leaves and capers are in great demand throughout the United States mar- kets as Hemsi’s superb quality, sumptuous taste and OU symbol make for an excellent combination. As one of Turkey’s most respected companies, Taris, the first and biggest union of agricultural sales cooperatives in Turkey, is active in fig, raisin, cotton, olive and olive oil cooperatives in 65 locations in the Aegean and Mar- mara region of Turkey, encompass- ing more than 127,000 producer members. Through its enormous network of producers, Taris is able to serve all of Turkey and many countries throughout the world, Observing yet another phase of the Taris fig plant meticulous sorting and cleaning during November, 2003 visit are: (from left to right) Mr. Ismail Ciner, fig plant manager, reinforced by its “TS-EN-ISO-9002 Mrs. Klari Safran, Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Rabbi Yosef Tirnauer, Turkey's Orthodox Union Quality System Certificate” and in rabbinic field representative and Ms. Banu Er, Taris Export Chief. recent years with OU certification for its top of the line olive oils, olives, figs and raisins. Since its con- Zeytin ve Zeytinyagi Birligi (Taris extra virgin olive oil has inspired ception in 1914, when the fig pro- Olive and Olive Oil Union) devel- poets and artists of the ages in ducers of Aydyn formed their ops its refined olive oil without praise of the naturally pressed olives association, Taris has consistently compromising or altering the natu- gathered from around the skirts of grown as the idea of establishing ral properties of the oil. In varying the Ida mountains, rich in soils, agricultural sales cooperatives shades of yellow, the Taris olive oil pure springs and gentle breezes. gained wide acceptance. has low acidity which is comple- With a pure transparency and color Using the most up-to-date refin- mented with a light flavor and ranging from yellow to green, Taris ing methods at its recently com- aroma and is widely sought after for extra virgin olive oil flavor and pleted state-of-the-art plant, Taris frying purposes. It is said that Taris’ aroma is an essential element

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The OU key cis continuing to open many doors to an ever-growing roster of Turkish companies, as it maintains its highest and most respected standards of kosher certification. d TURKEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 acclaimed for its use in salads, sauces and cooking. In specimens in the Aegean region, packed and presented recognition of its uniqueness, Taris Special Extra Virgin as befits royalty. Olive Oil received the first place award at the Fertile The Ulukartal family has been active in the Turkish Mediterranean Festival organized by Le Conservatoire food industry for more than seventy years. Starting with des Cuisines Mediteraneeses, acknowledging the incom- their olive oil production, they are continuing their fam- parable taste of this oil resulting from the natural pro- ily history and tradition of providing stellar products for cessing of olives ranking among the world’s finest. consumers in Turkey and far beyond. The Verde trade- Taris’ green olives are picked ever so carefully during mark represents a product with a rich history of its own the plentiful harvests and meticulously selected, as well as an established brand in Italy. processed and fermented in brine. Finally, the pasteur- With this wealth of experience Verde A.S. has cur- ized green olives are packed in either jars or tins under rently become one of the leading establishments in the the most hygienic conditions. Taris’ black olives are Turkish food industry, with continued emphasis on the hand-picked, after which they go through careful selec- importance of hygiene, quality and health. Verde’s olive tion and classification. oils are produced in an updated, meticulously clean They are then fermented until the desired color and plant in the Ayvalik district, the region which produces taste is obtained and then are packed in jars or tins with the highest quality olives grown in Turkey. Within 24 brine. As no additives are used in the processing of Taris’ hours of harvesting, the olives are pressed at the plant black olives, the color may change from brown to black. location using the Pieralsi cold press method. Each day, Turkey is the motherland of figs, so acknowledged approximately 120 tons of olives are pressed at the Verde and praised in ancient civilizations and mentioned in plants, resulting in a yield of 25 tons of olive oil with a sacred texts. Dried figs with their rich nutrients provide storage capacity of 4,000 tons of olive oil in under- essential and natural energy for the human body, con- ground air conditioned storage tanks, especially pro- taining high levels of calcium and iron while also serv- duced for Verde A.S. Having attained its OU certification ing as a source of pectic substances. Taris Incir Birligi through the guiding hand and understanding of its (Taris Fig Union) distinguishes itself with the highest dynamic and creative General Manager V. Umit Etiz, a quality figs meticulously selected from the best quality respected Turkish entrepreneur, Verde prizes its OU sym-

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bol as it exports its fine olive oil products to the United fruit and vegetable company which obtained OU certifi- States, Argentina and Australia. cation this past year. Spending several hours in Mr. San- Founded in 1979 as a family owned and managed nav’s company on our last evening in Izmir, I probed as company, the family’s care and attention to details big to what prompts companies such as Sanex to seek the and small are evident in its ever growing market share OU certification. and top quality products, UGS Urla Food & Agricultural In his response, Mr. Sannav elaborated on the need Products Ltd. received its Orthodox Union certification to receive “general acceptance from the big industrial about a year and a half ago. With its processing plant corporations. As our business got bigger and we have located in Izmir’s Ataturk Organized Industrial zone, more class ‘A’ customers. . . we decided to get a more olives, stuffed vine leaves, and vine leaves are its domi- acceptable, distinguished, well-organized and institu- nant products. UGS products are represented in many tional certification. Upon a strict research that we have markets throughout the world including the United done with these criteria, we had found ourselves apply- States, Canada, Russia, Greece, Israel, Australia, France ing to Orthodox Union.” Mr. Sannav went on to express and other European countries. Since obtaining OU cer- concerns that in spite of the obvious business need for tification, requests for private labels with the OU symbol the “premier certification, “ the “probable high cost of have increased dramatically, particularly for its natural receiving the kosher certification from such a prime dolma (stuffed vine leaves), vine leaves in brine, and organization” was a cause for reservations. “These worries wide range of olives including kalamata, gaeta, nicoise have been washed away after the first visit of esteemed and country mix olives. Rabbi Tirnauer. It was not expensive at all. So, we have Wheat, the symbol of fertility, takes its color from jump-started our certification work and tried to fulfill the sun. Protein packed durum wheat acquires its life every requirement passionately.” from the ever rich soil of Anatolia’s abundant sunshine I was then eager to learn of the OU certification’ s and plentiful waters. It is from this Anatolian durum impact on Sannex’s business, particularly after finding wheat that all of Pastavilla Makarnacilik San. & Tic.A.S. out that Mr. Sannav systematically “prepared a text and multiple pasta products, many with Orthodox Union sent it to each and every customer with a copy of the OU certification, are produced at its technologically Letter of Certification.” It was indeed gratifying to return advanced Izmir plant. Synonymous with its delectable CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 taste since 1928 both in Turkey and throughout the world, Pastavilla has recently been acquired by TAT, one of the oldest, most respected and experienced food sec- tor companies in Turkey. It was almost time to bid farewell to our newly acquired friends in Izmir, all so respectful, friendly, help- ful and appreciative. At companies already certified by the Orthodox Union—including the ever-growing Sibas, Kukre vinegar and more—as well as at meetings with company representatives seeking out our kosher certifi- cation in the future, it was evident that the OU symbol consistently impacts on the growth and expansion of companies big and small in Izmir and elsewhere. Never- theless, the full impact of all that the OU represents to Izmir companies did not really hit home until meeting Mr. Yildirim Sannav, an energetic, success-oriented and insightful gentleman heading up Sanex Inc., an organic

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LET’S TALK MORE TURKEY In Turkey Avoiding Infestation Is No Figment of the Imagination

Q: What could be During our Izmir more natural, more trip, I came upon the pure, more kosher— OU certified Taris fig than fresh, raw pro- plant, which undoubt- duce? edly can serve as a model for the perfect A: Fresh, raw pro- kosher produce facility. duce which is free of Not only are the Taris any infestation. figs heavenly in their quality and taste, they Of course, most raw pass through such a rigid produce is inherently process assuring their Taris fig plant workers checking and rechecking the figs using the kosher. However, Aflatoxin control system. purity and cleanliness, it many fruits and veg- is truly astounding. etables are subject to insect and other infestation, which When the figs initially arrive to the to the Taris Incir would render the produce non-kosher, if not adequately Tarim plant (HACCP and ISO 9000 certified) they are dealt with. promptly inspected by the quality control staff to assure The Orthodox Union experts and researchers have they meet Taris’ highest standards. After reviewing and identified specific natural produce which is commonly registering these initial results, if the fig shipment meets infested, and consequently has implemented steps to the quality specs, the figs are then fumigated in vac- prevent infested product from entering the “kosher uum-operated fumigation tanks for two hours to assure food chain.” In some cases, the produce is cleansed that any insects or other living organisms are destroyed. according to kosher regulations, while in other cases, After the fumigation process, the dried figs are trans- the product is barred from use. ferred to the Aflatoxin control rooms.

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c These figs don’t only taste as if they emanate from the Garden of Eden; they have the standard of the Garden of Eden.d

Aflatoxin control rules call for all of the figs to be checked one by one under ultra violet lamps. Over 300 women each sit at their designated tables checking each and every fig, placing the rejected ones in red sacks which are picked up and delivered to the Aegean Exporters Union. Control groups circulate around the enormous ultra violet lit room, sampling figs from the Aflatoxin tables while checking the “checkers” performance, regis- tering and documenting their results and findings. After the meticulous Aflatoxin control is completed, the dried figs are washed with hot and salty water to fur- ther assure that the figs are purified from any dust or any other foreign materials. Quality assurance staff regularly controls the degree and salt rate of the water and again documents the results in official files. Following the washing process, the figs are again manipulated to further check their quality and appearance and then packed according to customers’ specs. During the packing process, teams of women continue to visually inspect the figs, before they are finally packed (in specially designed packaging according to customers’ requests) and passed through metal detectors before leaving the plant. Prior to shipping all packages are fumigated. Close to 700 people work in this fig plant. Each of These figs don’t only taste as if they emanate from them has a role to play in assuring Taris’ highest stan- the Garden of Eden; they have the standards of the Gar- dards guaranteeing the deliciously clean figs. den of Eden.

TURKEY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 to my New York office and soon after find Yildirim San- kosher frozen tomatoes. It was really a wonderful key for nav’s e-mail citing his customers’ enthusiastic and posi- opening many doors.” tive responses: “This is excellent news. Please therefore It was rather late when Yildirim dropped us off at the have the OU create a private label agreement for our hotel... after a long but most beautiful drive through brand of peppers so we can use the OU symbol on our breathtaking scenery and a reassuring dialogue confirm- packaging.” “Congratulations on your obtaining the OU ing yet again that the OU key is continuing to open kosher certificate. I am sure this was not easy.” “What a many doors to an ever-growing roster of Turkish compa- fantastic report! Congratulations Yildirim on your nies, as it maintains its highest and most respected stan- Orthodox Union certification.” “This is very good news. dards of kosher certification. Thank you for letting me know.” Mr. Sannav concludes his thorough feedback: “These are word by word quotes from the replies to our letter Rabbi Eliyahu Safran notifying our kosher certification and another customer is OU Senior Rabbinic Coordinator from France instantly approaching for a contract of and is Editor-in-Chief of this publication.

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NESTLÉ AND THE OU: A RELATIONSHIP BUILT ON COMMUNICATIONS

erhaps one of the most beautiful aspects of between the Orthodox Union and Nestlé should Pthe relationship between Nestlé and the OU be copied to both the plant and corporate levels. is the level of communication that has been The schedules A & B of the various Nestlé divi- achieved between both parties. Due to the size of sions are sent to the corporate QA managers for Nestlé USA and the many players involved, it is the corporate kosher files, and are forwarded to crucial to bridge all communication gaps. With their counterparts at the plants. the total commitment of the Nestlé team and The ultimate responsibility for confirming the through the guidance of Ken Mercurio, Director of accuracy of the schedules A & B rests with the cor- Regulatory and Nutrition, contact at Nestlé with porate QA managers. This is achieved through the OU New York office has reached unprece- proper communication and review between the dented heights. Glendale and Solon offices and the plants. In The QA managers at the plant level handle addition, copies of letters of approval and letters the day-to-day management of the kosher pro- of certification are sent to the corporate offices. The role of corporate has greatly centralized and enhanced communication between Nestlé and the OU. Moreover, it has created an excellent system The level of hard of checks and balances to monitor the Nestlé c kosher program. work and The primary kosher responsibilities of the cor- porate QA managers include supervising the implementation of kosher policy at Nestlé, commitment of addressing significant production issues, day-to- day management of certified co-packing plants, Nestlé to the OU and financial management. The handling of pro- duction issues at the plants is a prime example of clearly demonstrates the importance of good communication between the Nestlé corporate offices, plants, and the OU office. For example, if Nestlé were interested in why Nestlé is certifying an OU-D product as pareve, a change within the plant’s production scheme might be the very best. warranted. The mandate to pursue changes within d the production at a facility begins with corporate. However, the planning and implementation of gram at Nestlé. This typically involves the submis- the changes takes place at the plant level. Never- sion of new ingredients and products for approval theless, it is still necessary to submit the final to the OU office. Furthermore, the OU office usu- changes to corporate for approval. ally addresses issues raised during routine inspec- Both Nestlé and the OU have learned the tions with the plant QA managers. Nevertheless, value of open communication between both par- the Nestlé corporate offices in Glendale, CA and ties at all levels. This has led to an increased Solon, OH recognize the importance of monitor- organization and efficiency of the kosher program ing the maintenance of the kosher program in its at Nestlé USA. The level of hard work and com- plants. To ensure that ingredient and labeling mitment of Nestlé to the OU clearly demonstrates issues are properly handled, correspondence why Nestlé is ìthe very best.

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NESTLES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 in 1990, the relationship with the OU was carried over to other businesses as much as possible. Today, providing kosher products is still important to Nestlé USA. Kosher dietary laws significantly influence the food-buying needs of more than seven million consumers. Providing kosher products is another way Nestlé meets consumers’ unique needs. Nestlé USA’s kosher program covers a wide spec- fied corporate approach. This both aligns and ensures trum of food and beverage products from thirst the completion of all kosher-related obligations. It also quenchers and coffee break delights (including Nestlé® assists the growth of a strong relationship between the NESQUIK® flavored milks, Nestea® instant and regular company and rabbinical groups. Opportunities to coor- tea, Nescafé®, Taster’s Choice® instant coffee, Nescafé® dinate processes and contracts help reduce the cost of Frothé®, and Nestlé® Coffee-mate® coffee creamer), to Nestlé’s kosher program. Along with this, administrative tasty treats and baking pleasures (such as Nestlé® Baby systems have been created to ensure successful docu- Ruth®, Nestlé® Butterfinger®, Nestlé® Crunch®, Nestlé® mentation and maintenance of the kosher program. Toll House® Candy Bar, Nestlé Signatures TreasuresTM, Maintaining a tight process is key when so many differ- Nestlé® SignaturesTM Turtles®, and Nestlé® Carnation® ent players are involved. Clearly defined policies and evaporated milks). Nestlé USA also has kosher baby procedures ensure the integrity of the kosher program. products (such as GOOD START® ESSENTIALS and Richard Hutson, Director of Quality Assurance, over- GOOD START® ESSENTIALS SOY infant formulas) and sees all of the kosher labeling information for the Nestlé foodservice products (including Nestlé® Toll House® USA’s Confections & Snacks Division. He says the biggest cookie dough and Trio® gravies and sauces). challenge in obtaining and maintaining kosher status is Nestlé USA’s kosher program requires significant the availability of kosher raw ingredients. “Each product teamwork. The kosher status for each product is coordi- has a complex formulation that requires a multitude of nated among many people, including ingredient suppli- ingredients. Each ingredient has to be kosher. This can be ers, factories, marketing, technical services, quality a hurdle in achieving kosher status. Despite this obstacle, assurance, legal, and regulatory affairs. Each of these Nestlé USA strives to help brands that want their prod- groups is responsible for a piece of the process, and their ucts OU-labeled to achieve their goal.” expertise is essential for delivering the appropriately This goal has been the most difficult to achieve with manufactured and labeled kosher product. manufacturing facilities abroad. In some countries, the Coordinating the kosher program across so many significance of kosher practices is not well understood. It groups has several advantages. First it establishes a uni- can also be difficult to find kosher ingredients and local

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Rabbi David Bistricer BORN AND RAISED IN BROOKLYN, Rabbi David Bistricer received a BS degree in accounting from Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business in 1997. After completion of his undergraduate studies, he worked in public accounting at Edward Isaacs and Co., LLP, specializing in tax and fiduciary accounting. Rabbi Bistricer received his CPA license in New Jersey; he has been a member of the AICPA since 2000. Rabbi Bistricer received his rabbinic training and education at Yeshiva Uni- versity’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. During that time, he interned at the Max Stern Division of Communal Services, an affiliate of Yeshiva University. He obtained his rabbinic ordination in 2001 and joined the Orthodox OU profile Union’s Kashrut Division the following year. Aside from his responsibilities as Nestlé’s rabbinic coordinator, Rabbi Bistricer ably services a variety of industries including baking, salad, sauce, fish and pasta. Rabbi Bistricer has been a contributor of insights in Jewish law to Yeshiva University’s Torah journal, Beis Yitzchok. Married with three children, he resides in upper Manhattan.

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The Entenmann’s-Bakers Treat Connection: A Tale of Rugelach, Philanthropy & OU Kosher

Rabbi Kalman Scheiner, Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinator, kosherizing equipment and supervis- ing production at Baker's Treat Flemington, New Jersey plant.

By Stephen Steiner using the firm for a mission – that mission being to ERHAPS CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME, but in one assist women recovering from drug and alcohol abuse to Pnotable recent example it began in a bakery actu- learn a trade and to rebuild their lives. Consequently ally in two bakeries with a mighty assist from the many Bakers Treat employees – both in baking and Orthodox Union Kashrut Division. office positions, as well as trainees – are beneficiaries of The bakeries are the giant Entenmann’s, whose this ideal. All of them, according to Bakers Treat General mouth-watering products all bear the OU symbol; and a Manger Nancy Keyes, “are being prepared to be produc- small New Jersey specialty bakery and caterer, Bakers tive members of society.” Treat, whose recipes are seemingly one part flour and “The Barons are determined to make this vision one part social consciousness. happen. They see that the people who come here to Throw in 1,000 one-pound tins of rugelach, and the work are so dedicated. It’s not just a regular job for them tale is waiting to be told. where you come in and go home. You come here The story starts with Bakers Treat. Opened in 1999 inspired to be part of the solution,” Ms. Keyes explains. in Flemington, NJ and owned by Nancy and Stanley Moreover, she declares, all of the firm’s profits will Baron, Bakers Treat produces a wide array of delicacies, go into fulfilling the mission. including chocolate seven-layer cake, apple turnovers, But Bakers Treat is still a small firm. The Barons— croissants, fudge brownies, linzer torts and cheese cakes. “they are terrific marketers,” Ms. Keyes declares—recog- The products are sold at the bakery, and increasingly nized that pairing with a larger, better- known baker through catalogue sales, including the prestigious would boost sales and help more women. Through their Neiman-Marcus edition. acquaintances in the industry, the Barons last fall con- But Bakers Treat is not your everyday food manu- tacted Entenmann’s, which for years has been beloved facturer. The Barons have a philanthropic vision of by the kosher community. The idea was to use the win-

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ter gift season to sell rugelach, hand-rolled spirals of del- the executive pastry chef. Then the icate sour cream pastry, filled with pecan apricot or wal- production run began. Twenty nut golden raisin, and just demanding to be eaten. hours later, the thousand tins were When Entenmann’s learned about the project, man- in Entenmann’s boxes and loaded agement was pleased to become involved, says Maureen onto Entenmann’s trucks on the Sticco, Senior Product Manager at the firm. Research and way to market. development teams from both companies met and In each box, there is a Bakers Treat Mission State- worked together to develop the rugelach plan. “We ment. It reads: “Our mission is to donate 100% of our found value in this project and decided to move for- profits to programs for women in early recovery from ward,” Ms. Sticco declares. alcohol and substance abuse. Bakers Treat serves as a But the rugelach could only be distributed by Enten- training ground providing culinary and work experience mann’s if the product was certified as kosher—usually a for individuals as they free themselves from drug and time consuming process. And the winter gift season—a alcohol addiction.” perfect time for the rugelach sales—was quickly approach- For Entenmann’s, being involved in this kind of phi- ing. Thanks to the especially rapid response from the OU, lanthropy was a unique and appreciated experience, Ms. the philanthropic project was given a boost, all in keeping Sticco reports. “An opportunity to take on such a project with the Jewish tradition of tzedekah, or charitable giving. is very unusual. We feel really good to be able to partici- “We received their application in early November, pate with Bakers Treat in this effort and to support their went to visit the plant to determine what had to be good work.” done, informed Nancy Keyes and her Executive Pastry Looking ahead, since almost all of Bakers Treat’s Chef Heather Freeburg of what the process would be like, ingredients are kosher, it would not be difficult for other and got to work,” reports Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, Senior products to be sold under the OU label once the plant is Rabbinic Coordinator in the OU Kosher Division. Rabbi re-kosherized—and this is under consideration. Safran, together with Rabbi Sholom Lifschetz, Senior “The decision is up to us, the Barons would support Rabbinic Field Representative, determined that all of the anything we do,” Ms. Keyes, the general manager, says. ingredients in the rugelach were already kosher – in fact, “To become kosher, now we know what we have to do,” 95 percent of the ingredients used by Bakers Treat in all Ms. Keyes says. “Our job is to make Mr. and Mrs. Baron’s of its products could be certified as kosher. It was only vision happen. OU Kosher can help bring that about.” necessary to “kosherize” the equipment. On Sunday, November 30, Rabbi Kalman Scheiner, Stephen Steiner joined by Rabbis Gavriel Finkel and Elliot Cohen, arrived is OU Director of Public Relations at 9:00 a.m. in Flemington to supervise the koshering and Editor of this publication. process. As the staff watched with great interest, they lis- Rabbi Yerachmiel Morrison tened to Rabbi Scheiner’s explanations, “He kosherized serves as the Orthodox Union Rabbinic the oven, mixer, sink and tables,” reports Ms. Freeburg, Coordinator for Entenmann’s.

EDITOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 equipment. Your contract stipulates that the “company Might I suggest that your next in-house service semi- shall notify the OU prior to using any used equipment in nar focusing on OU Kosher begin with Rabbi Avraham the plant in order to permit the OU to determine the Stone’s multiple choice quiz featured in this issue, con- kosher status of that equipment.” (2c) tinue with a good review of the OU’s contract’s high- Do keep in mind that your contract clearly spells out lights, and conclude with a viewing of the Orthodox that “OU’s representatives shall have the right to inspect Union’s just released educational video, “The Kosher the plant at all times during regular business hours, and Standard—Implementing and Maintaining a Kosher Pro- whenever the plant is in operation, without prior notifi- gram in your Plant,” especially geared for plant personnel cation of the company.” (5a) Your plant ought to have and staffs. You might want to ask your RFR to be present. two or three personnel assigned to be available to Best regards. accompany the OU rabbinic representative on his plant inspections. Increased familiarity by your plant’s staffs with your company’s OU contract will undoubtedly reduce kosher mistakes and misunderstandings and avoid the unpleas- Rabbi Eliyahu Safran antness and expense of violations and possible recalls. Editor/Senior Rabbinic Coodinator

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MURPHY’S CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 rial list and to find not only raw each year much easier — it all comes materials that are kosher certified, on CD-Rom discs! We are now able but are of the highest quality. Rabbi to download all of Mother Murphy’s MARKETING Nathan Z. Neuberger is our Rabbini- OU Letters of Certification which cal Coordinator in New York and he means we are also able to send them TIPS has always been able to help us in out by e-mail. Our customers really If You’ve Got It— our quest to be a kosher facility. We like being able get such clean copies have often heard that a flavor house of the LOC’s from us rather than a Flaunt It. is one of the most challenging to faxed copy. certify because of the quantity of Given our location in the South, raw materials used in the flavor the challenge was also to find Ortho- FLetting your customers compounds we sell. Natural or syn- dox rabbis who are available to inspect know that you are OU thetic, powder or liquid, almost all our facility. There were none available certified should be as of our raw materials are kosher certi- in Greensboro but we have been lucky much a part of your to find two…one in Raleigh (Rabbi marketing strategy as Pinchas Herman) and one in Char- any other significant Now we have lotte (Rabbi Binyomin Weiss). benefit your product Fifteen years ago, kosher certifi- offers. severalc four-drawer cation meant a visit from New York every year or so and one manila cabinets to keep envelope listing those few flavors FBe sure the OU logo is that were being certified. Now we clearly visible in your track of the raw have several four-drawer cabinets to advertising—either on materials’ Letters of keep track of the raw materials’ Let- the product label or ters of Certification, Mother Mur- elsewhere in the ad. Certification, phy’s Letters of Certification, etc., Mother Murphy’s and we are inspected regularly by FFeature OU certifica- our two local rabbis. tion on your website Letters of We have seen our customers demand for kosher grow from just a Certification, etc., few accounts in the Northeast to FAsk our marketing and we are accounts all over the world. And as department how best our customer base has grown inter- to reach the kosher inspected regularly nationally, we have seen that new consumer—thousands by our two local customers always ask for the kosher of them contact us certification; when they see the OU every day about food rabbis. on our product, they know that the products they can d OU is a symbol not only of being buy, places they can kosher but of a quality product. shop and eat, and fied as well as FDA approved. Also, a In Mother Murphy’s lobby is a information about flavor house develops new flavors sign stating, “We are proud to be an kosher in general. every day, which means an ever- OU company.” This is indeed true— expanding Schedule B. This also we are proud to be a part of such a results in an expanding Schedule A prestigious organization. FPlan special promo- as we use add new chemicals to our tions around Jewish raw material roster. Rarely does a holidays: Passover Pamela Murphy week go by with out several new fla- (March/April), Rosh vors being sent in for certification. is Vice President of Mother Murphy’s Laboratories. Hashanah (Septem- Further, new advances in the ber) and Chanukah computer world have come to the Rabbi Nathan Neuberger (December) are the OU and we now receive our LOC’s serves as the Orthodox Union’s most widely observed. from the OU through e-mail. This rabbinic coordinator for has made renewing our certificates Mother Murphy’s.

22 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER 2004

If You Provide Kosher Food, Let the Consumer Know: ‘Your Meal Is Waiting’ by Elie Rosenfeld

EOPLE CONSTANTLY ASK ME, “So, what’s new in At Disney World in Orlando, there are two different Pkosher?” I usually respond by quickly naming a list but equally impressive concepts put into play. First, of products some famous, some not that have believe it or not, if you call ahead by forty-eight hours recently “gone kosher.” Some of the products represent a with a kosher request, Disney will serve you kosher meals move forward in kashrut and kosher/Jewish marketing; in any of their theme restaurants throughout the park. some merely represent another SKU with an OU. These are freshly-made, although sometimes frozen, In any case, after some recent travel for business and meals from a caterer in Miami. They come double some (thankfully) with my family, I have come to think wrapped ready to be heated and served. Secondly, within we are really on the verge of the next “new” in kosher: the Magic Kingdom Disney has one location (Cosmic foodservice. Many of you will pshaw that it isn’t new at Rays) that offers glatt kosher meals without pre-ordering. all. After all, hospitals and airlines and even non-kosher These examples indicate there is advancement from restaurants have for many years the schlepping along of kosher served kosher-keeping patrons. food when traveling, which the Nonetheless the scenes of public No fewer kosher consumer universally had attractions, such as sports stadiums, c to do in the not-so-distant past. offer a clue to a better kosher future. than half dozen But there remains an impor- Many have begun to seize the oppor- tant piece missing from expand- tunity that kosher service can bring baseball and football ing and completing the situation: them. There are no fewer than a half communication. dozen baseball and football stadiums stadiums now So much information about that now offer glatt kosher hotdogs the availability of kosher food at and other dishes, on separate, fully offer glatt kosher various places is by word of kosher supervised carts. This is an mouth or email alone. As more easy solution to the business issue of hotdogs. and more family attractions, having customers with money to d business hotels, and travel desti- spend, who are yet without product nations offer kosher food, the to buy. need is there to tell people about that availability. The The stadium response to how these patrons could be effort poured into acquiring kosher meals, the goodwill served has been, “If a consumer only buys kosher, sell developed by offering them and, most of all, the oppor- them kosher.” At first how to do this seemed a daunting tunity for the purveyor to build business is lost if the problem. The questions were and (for many would-be kosher consumer doesn’t know his meal is there waiting purveyors of kosher foodservice) remain: “How do I find for him. Marketing and advertising do work. A small kosher product?” “How do I keep kitchen utensils/ ovens message gets heard loud and clear, especially when you separate?” In the case of the stadiums, it was easy. The speak the one international language everyone under- only item people really want at a ballgame is a hotdog, stands...FOOD. and there is no problem finding kosher hotdogs to serve. Next, the cooking dilemma. Answer: Take a new hotdog cart and use it for kosher only, have the kosher supervi- sor lock it up after each event. Really quite simple. So what to do if you’re not in the sports business? Recent trips to two amusement parks offer two different Elie Rosenfeld approaches. Hershey Park in Pennsylvania found that so is the COO and principal of Joseph Jacobs Advertis- many of their visitors were looking for kosher food that ing, an 82-year-old agency specializing in helping they hooked up with the local Jewish community to mass-market brands communicate with Jewish con- have a full-time kosher counter right in the park with a sumers. He can be reached at 212.787.9400 x106 very extensive menu of freshly cooked items. This clearly or [email protected]. works for the local community and Hershey.

www.oukosher.org 23

TEST YOUR kosher IQ 13. Word Problem #4

IQ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 During the course of a normal inspection, the RFR and your QC manager discover an item in use that was not approved on the schedule A 11. Like/Unlike Relationships #2 and is possibly not kosher. As your company’s point person for kosher issues, your response is: Which of the following is not a trademarked kosher symbol? A. immediately assign blame on whichever employee is A. OK the closest at that given moment B. Kof K B. pretend you are a tree and hope no one notices C. Star K C. ban the RFR from the facility in the future until he D. Kellogg’s Special K apologizes and agrees in writing that he will never again discover another issue in your plant 12. Word Problem #3 D. proceed along a course of action that will provide the OU with the most information it needs to resolve the An OU rabbinic field representative has issue at hand, such as: getting purchase history for completed his inspection of a juice plant. Leaving the facility, he turns two blocks north this item, running a “where-use” to find out what the then proceeds another eight blocks west, finally ingredient has gone into, preparing copies of the for- going south two blocks and arriving at the next mulae the item was used in and names of all products plant he is to visit. What kind of facility is he made with this item. going to visit? A. a furniture factory Extra Credit: B. another juice plant Draw a smiley face. Connect the ends of the smile to C. a secret factory the eyes. Now, for all the points, tell us: D. any one of a variety of plants spanning the entire What is the happiest kosher symbol in the world? food and chemical industries. A rabbinic field repre- sentative for the OU has expertise in many areas of Good luck! the modern food industry and is at home in almost any type of production facility. Whether it is juices, Rabbi Avrohom Stone chemicals, baked goods, meat, confectionary, spices or anything else, the OU RFR applies his knowledge serves as rabbinic feld representative in the Tri-State area. His instructive and and experience to the supervision and smooth-run- entertaining feature articles appear ning of your kosher program. regularly in Behind the Union Symbol.

NESTLES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 Nicole Turner-Stone rabbis to work with. However, with and the local rabbis. According to the support of local leadership and Ken Mercurio, Director of Regulatory is Labeling and Nutrition Specialist for Nestle USA. employees, it is possible to have a and Nutrition Affairs, “With so successful kosher program. In addi- many factories and products across Rabbi David Bistricer tion, United States coordinators such diverse manufacturing lines, it serves as the Orthodox Union must learn to address language and is important to maintain not only a Rabbinic Coordinator for Nestlé . cultural barriers as well as allow for good relationship, but good commu- more time in the kosher certifying nication with the OU.” The kosher Rabbi Moshe Elefant process. team works diligently to actively Orthodox Union Executive Another key aspect to a success- communicate with the OU every Rabbinic Coordinator, served as ful kosher program, both interna- time there is a new ingredient, a new Nestlé 's rabbinic coordinator for many years. tionally and domestically, is a good co-manufacturer, or any issue the relationship with the rabbis. An agency should be aware of. The con- established relationship with the sistent dialogue allows Nestlé USA to rabbis must occur at the corporate continue producing so many differ- level as well as between the factories ent kosher products successfully.

24 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER 2004

FLAVORS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 mine, is born of pragmatic concerns: flavor-houses can *Communicating with the local OU rabbi when only be confident that they will comply with kosher equipment requires kosherization or productions regulations if they understand the requirements. need to be supervised The kosher program requires, first and foremost, *Review revisions of kosher certified flavors. that the purchasing agent be knowledgeable about the kosher status of the chemicals and other additives that The companies have handled these responsibilities are brought into the facility. Because every chemical that with aplomb. And they expect a lot from the OU in is detectable to the human nose is considered a mean- return! With the tremendous volume of production and ingful part of the flavor, the kosher status of the entire fla- the many applications that come in to the OU—some- vor turns on whether each and every flavor ingredient is times several a day from any given company—I have acceptable. Although companies typically do not divulge come to appreciate the urgent need for kosher certifi- percentages of specific ingredients, formulas are submit- cates as soon as possible...at the latest! The OU has tried ted for review before production. As a result, contacts at to accommodate those needs. With the installation of a flavor houses must submit sources of raw materials. This new web-based operating system, the service will hope- results in formulations that may list a 100 items with fully be even better. multiple suppliers/manufacturers per item. Learning about the flavor world has been a very Back here at the OU, such submissions generate so novel experience for me. And learning about kosher much work that an entire staff of able flavor analysts has been a novel experience for some of our flavor works full-time to be sure that all OU flavors will be associates. Because we work together, the OU and the kosher. Each ingredient submitted is reviewed and flavor agencies have developed strong and, in many checked with our database. If the ingredient does not cases, long-lasting relationships. exist on the database, or if a new source is listed for a previously-used ingredient, a review is done to see Rabbi Nathan Neuberger whether the new ingredient is acceptable. serves as Co-Director of the Orthodox Union Just as companies must be alert to submit all new Flavor Department, under Rabbi Moshe Zwicka. ingredients, companies must also be familiar with pro- Special thanks to Rabbi Gavriel Price for his insights cessing issues that impinge on kosher status. For exam- and help with all aspects of this article. ple, a dairy liquid that sits in situ (in its original position) for 24 hours in one tank renders that tank dairy. A pareve material could not be put into that tank without first kosher-cleaning the tank. General manu- facturing instructions are therefore also required in addition to the submission of ingredients. OU field representatives are dispatched periodically to manufacturing sites to audit inventory and oversee production. The thousands of flavor ingredients of a fla- vor lab are typically stored in small, generic, non- descript brown glass bottles, row after row of them, countless shelves of them. Review of this material requires patience and meticulousness. A summary of some of the responsibilities of the contacts at the flavor houses includes: *Understanding OU requirements *Educating staff—both flavorists and purchasing *Directing personnel in receiving or warehousing When attending your industry conferences or exhibiting at to check incoming raw materials that kosher spec- shows be sure to display your "We Are Proud to Be an OU Company" sign. Your marketing people and show organiz- ifications are met. ers ought to always have the signs in their show kits. They *Orchestrating scheduling are sure to attract the kosher buyers to your booth. If you of kosher productions need more copies of the sign, we will be glad to supply them. Email [email protected] for your copies.

www.oukosher.org 25

1201—A HIGH-HEAT NON-FAT DRY MILK BLEND/ WORLD DAIRY Your LOC: What’s in a Name? Plenty.

NE OF YOUR COMPANY’S major customers franti- customer keeps the order on hold until the OU issues Ocally calls your director of marketing asking for a an LOC which reflects the blend’s actual labeling. Letter of Certification (“LOC”) for a new blend What went wrong? which you manufacture. The order for this product has The OU issues LOCs based on its clients’ submissions. been placed on hold, as the blend seems to be non-certi- Each product title appears exactly as your company sub- fied. mits it to us. It is critical that your marketing and labeling “How could this happen? Our LOC indicates that staff work together with your company’s kosher contact this item is OU-kosher!” exclaims the director of mar- to assure that all product names submitted to the OU pre- keting to your customer. cisely match product packaging, and that all brand “It is not listed!” replies the customer. names (which change all too often) are accurate. It turns out that the product, packaged in boxes The OU office sends your company annual renewal labeled “1201-A High-Heat Non-Fat Dry Milk Blend/ forms, in which you are asked to confirm the list of certi- World Dairy” is listed on the OU LOC as “Non-Fat Dairy fied products (Schedule B). Please take the time necessary Mix 12-01/Dairy USA,” among dozens of other, similar to do this with utmost care, so that future time loss, aggra- entries. After a lot of research and much stress, both par- vation and business risk can be avoided down the road. ties realize that the product is indeed certified, but the

HESCHEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

of you, and bring you home soon in good health and in victory.” POLICY The warmth and concern expressed in this passage REMINDER were typical of him. The e-mail queries from Iraq also attest to the complicated and sensitive nature of some FCompanies are encouraged to maintain an questions Rabbi Heschel would receive. “What options updated file of kosher certificates for all raw are there for a kosher-observant soldier in isolated Iraq?” materials. Expired letters Gshould be replaced “Under what circumstances may something be assumed with current ones. Supplier names, product kosher, without the kosher symbol?” “Is it acceptable descriptions, and letter stipulations are often practice to judge the kosher status of a product by read- subject to change. A current LOC file facilitates ing labels?” This recent correspondence also attests to managing the accuracy of the Schedule A. the great responsibility that was carried on the shoulders of the “Webbe Rebbe.” Purchases of all new and used equipment Rabbi Menachem Genack, Rabbinic Administrator of F must be brought to the attention of your OU the OU Kashrut Division, commented after Rabbi Hes- rabbinic coordinator and field representative. chel’s passing: “Rabbi Heschel was an unusual person, a The OU may have to examine the history or use sensitive soul, a caring Jew and a gifted writer. He was of the equipment in order to evaluate how it respected and admired by all who knew him.” Rabbi’s could affect your company’s kosher program. If Heschel’s warm personality and sparkling wit were the equipment poses any concerns, the OU will encountered and appreciated by all. He will be greatly work with you to help resolve them before they missed. become a problem.

26 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL WINTER 2004

Y Resources for Success By Rabbi Reuven Nathanson

immediately sug- gested that the OUR company contact a YCOMPANY has plant a few miles away. taken a very impor- The product worked, and tant step in its growth by the marriage recently cele- seeking kosher certification. brated its tenth anniversary! The “system,” as you well know, includes (hopefully) fre- In addition to the knowledge base of your RFR, OU quent communication with your rabbinic coordinator headquarters, through its Ingredient Approval Registry (a/k/a your account executive at OU headquarters) and (IAR), can provide OU client companies with sources for site visits from a rabbinic field representative (RFR). ingredients that are already OU approved. The IAR has There is another benefit available to you through the over 200,000 ingredients in its registry, and quite often Orthodox Union that can save you thousands of dollars companies have saved considerable time by knowing up- and precious product development time. What is this front what ingredient sources are currently acceptable. A gold mine? It is your RFR! While we at the OU are mere phone call (or fax or e-mail) to your rabbinic coor- extremely meticulous about confidentiality, your RFR, as dinator can put you in touch with a world of these pre- a kosher food and production professional, has the approved OU ingredients. advantage of seeing numerous products being made that The OU is much more than a highly respected sym- may enhance your product line and marketability. bol on your label; it is also a very valuable resource to At a recent informal hallway meeting (all that was your team! missing was the proverbial water cooler), a plant’s direc- tor of research and development mentioned in passing that the plant needed to change an ingredient in one of Rabbi Reuben Nathanson its products and that it was having a difficult time find- serves as the Orthodox Union’s senior ing an acceptable substitute. Whatever it found thus far Rabbinic Field Representative on the West Coast. was expensive, difficult to obtain from the other side of the country, and did not perform as desired. The RFR sug- gested a product made in the plant’s state which the R&D G director had never seen. The end result? A trial was con- For applications ducted, and not only did the suggested ingredient work satisfactorily it was less expensive than the original. to certify The same director of R&D later pulled the RFR aside NEW COMPANIES and asked about a few other ingredients for projects that were not moving along as swiftly as planned. The RFR or was able to make some suggestions that were beneficial to the projects. Later, the company’s president told the ADDITIONAL RFR that the information he provided saved the com- PLANTS, pany at least $45,000 in development costs! At a different plant, there was a desire to launch a call Civie Birnbaum retail product bundled with an item that would be used at the together with the company’s products. The company was having a problem finding a source that would allow OU Applications Desk it to package the products together. Once again, the 212.613.8249 relationship with the OU accrued additional benefit to the company. The RFR was told of the situation, and he

www.oukosher.org 27

At the recent Kosher World Conference & Expo in held in the Los Angeles Convention Cen- ter on February 15-17, many OU certified com- panies proudly displayed Representing the Orthodox Union at the their OU certification, new Kosher World Expo were Rabbis including Campbell's Nahum Rabinowitz, New Companies Vegetarian Vegetable rabbinic coordinator; Noach Vogel and soup, Aaron's Meats, Reuven Nathanson, West Coast rabbinic Sadaf Mediterranean and field representatives; and Michael Morris, Galil Herbal Teas. rabbinic coordinator.

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