Thomas' and Entenmann's a Kosher Tradition
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
behindnion the symbol U A PUBLICATION FOR CERTIFIED COMPANIES Reaching 4,000 Food Executives & Over 2,500 Companies Worldwide SUMMER 2002 Spotlight on OUCompanies Industry Trends 3 Bagels, Biscuits and other ® ® Baked Goods Thomas’ and Entenmann’s How to Keep Your Cakes Kosher A Kosher Tradition IN 1875, A YOUNG Samuel Bath Thomas arrived in America from Plymouth, A Kosher I 9 Clarifier England. Following his arrival, he Say Cheese! opened a bake shop in New York City, An in-depth look at producing a specialty line of products, the kosher dairy world including English Muffins. Both tex- ture and flavor of Mr. Thomas’ Eng- lish Muffins were unlike those of On the Road other muffins or cakes on the mar- 14 with the OU ket and the product quickly gained Oil, Oil, Toil a loyal following of customers. Word and Kashruth quickly spread about the excellence of An inside look at the RFR's life in Malaysia Mr. Thomas’ English Muffins. To keep and Indonesia up with demand, he added a second bak- ery near his original shop and began making wholesale deliveries by horse and wagon. Mr. Thomas died in 1919 and the business was inherited by his daughters and nephew. William. In Similarly, in 1898, William Enten- 1951, William, Jr. died mann arrived in America from Germany. and his sons, along He opened a bakery in Flatbush, New with their mother, opted York and began delivering cakes, bread to phase out the bread and rolls door-to-door in a horse drawn production and concen- buggy. He prospered and within a few trate on wholesale deliv- months his delivery routes and reputa- ery of cake products. tion for quality spread beyond the Brook- Today, the Thomas’ and Enten- lyn area. By the early 1900’s he had mann’s businesses are part of the George moved the business to the country – Bay Weston Bakeries family. A family which Shore, Long Island. His son, William, Jr., includes 14 baking facilities throughout WE WELCOME followed in his father’s footsteps and took the eastern half of the United States. In YOUR COMMENTS over the business, expanding through a addition to being an integral part of & CONTRIBUTIONS retail shop and 30 home and deli delivery George Weston Bakeries, Thomas’ and fax routes. It was in the retail shop where he Entenmann’s products are certified 212.613.0775 met his wife, Martha, who was then one kosher by the Orthodox Union ( ), a e–mail of the pastry saleswomen. The couple certification both companies have [email protected] had three sons, Robert, Charles and enjoyed for decades! CONTINUED ON PAGE 15 From the Editor OSHER CERTIFICATION is a never– In today’s market kosher is hot! ending process that calls for ongo- c King communication, clarification It is estimated that 95 percent of and education. There is just no substi- tute for communication. Indeed, the Americans know the word “kosher”d continued enlightenment and rein- forcement of the OU’s kosher stan- dards and policies and their effective In today’s market kosher is hot! It communication are integral to the is estimated that 95 percent of Ameri- OU’s mission. When you and your cans know the word “kosher”–albeit company’s staff and personnel have a with varying definitions. Kosherfest– greater awareness and understanding the annual international kosher food Orthodox of Kashruth [kosher law], everyone and food service trade show – attracts ultimately benefits. 15,000 food representatives from 45 Union We are particularly pleased to fea- states and more than 30 countries. ture in this issue an in–depth look at Representatives from more than 100 KASHRUT DIVISION the many facets of certifying the supermarket chains across the United RABBI MENACHEM GENACK Rabbinic Administrator ever–growing baking industry, while States and Canada converge on this RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT sharing several certified baking com- ever–growing kosher food “fair.” They Executive Rabbinic Coordinator Director, New Company Department panies’ feedback to their certification are testimony to an industry that has RABBI YAAKOV LUBAN program. Increased interest in the exceeded $4.5 billion in sales that Executive Rabbinic Coordinator pareve market as well as in the pas Yis- reach far beyond the traditional kosher RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRAN Senior Rabbinic Coordinator roel niche within the baking industry base. It is remarkable that a third of the Director, Review and Update Department moves us to include further insights food products produced in the United RABBI YERACHMIEL MORRISON into that market share. Additionally, States – or $130 billion worth – are cer- RABBI ABRAHAM JURAVEL Ingredient Approval Registry the need to better understand the tified kosher. This surge in kosher cer- many fine points and standards tification is led by the OU, the world’s I I I DR. CHAIM WASSERMAN involved in the OU’s certification of premiere kosher certification agency, Chairman, Joint Kashrut Commission the dairy industry prompts us to revisit certifying the highest percentage of DANIEL ZUCKER this vitally important topic in Rabbi kosher certified products. In order to Director, Business Management Ossey and Rabbi Gordimer’s piece, “A ensure that our companies better RABBI HOWARD KATZENSTEIN Business Manager Kosher Clarifier for the Dairy Industry.” appreciate the greater market share ANNA FULDA There is so much we need to say to that their kosher products can attain, Coordinator, Letters of Certification, Labels, Private Labels one another. All of our many certified we continue to present you with the companies, both big and small, have most extensive kosher marketing expe- I I I their own individual needs and con- rience. This issue features Milt Wein- RABBI EMANUEL HOLZER Chairman, Rabbinic Kashrut Commission cerns that are regularly addressed by stock of Grey Worldwide who our expanding and highly regarded describes why financially it pays to cadre of educated, trained and skilled become kosher. Please note the sidebar ORTHODOX UNION HARVEY BLITZ rabbinic coordinators in New York, that lists OU “Marketing Tips”, to help President and by the hundreds of energetic rab- focus your attention on how to attain RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH WEINREB binic field representatives visiting and increased benefit from your OU symbol. Executive Vice President inspecting the plants. Be assured how- DAVID OLIVESTONE Director, Communicatons and Marketing ever, that even as we grow and expand our scope and horizons, there is always Keep in touch! someone here to react and respond to BEHIND THE your needs and concerns. Our group UNION SYMBOL RABBI ELIYAHU SAFRAN leaders and senior management team Editor–in–Chief are eager to communicate, listen and PAMELA WEIMAN be responsive to assure your satisfac- Graphic Designer tion even as we maintain our highest Rabbi Eliyahu Safran standards. Editor/Senior Rabbinic Coodinator 2 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL SUMMER2002 INDUSTRY Trends r THE BAKING INDUSTRY e imBy Rabbi Yisroel Bendelstein An OU Pr NNOVATIONS IN BAKING have been quently, it is not unusual for a Iemployed by man since time bakery’s schedule A to contain immemorial. Upon the exodus more than 500 ingredients and of the Israelites from Egypt, the many in fact have more than Bible recounts that a new ‘ugos 1000. Moreover, the sources matzos’ or unleavened cake of these ingredients and was created unintentionally. oftentimes the ingredients In their haste to leave behind themselves are in flux. This in the shackles of Egyptian turn necessitates the kosher bondage, the Israelites baked coordinator at the company their dough in the desert sun to regularly update the sched- and thus created the venerable ule A with his/her respective rab- Jewish tradition of eating matzo binic coordinator at the OU. As the during the festival of Passover. The schedule A represents the basis of effects of this new discovery, daunting task to ensure kosher supervision, the bakery com- namely the category of flat and the kosher integrity of such a wide pany’s purchasing and receiving unleavened breads, led to a further variety of bakery products, but one personnel must be educated in the phenomenon called pita bread. that the OU is proud to provide maintenance of an accurate sched- Ever since those days of antiq- without compromising the highest ule A. Purchasing must base its uity, our so–called modern age has standards of kosher. There are a few orders on schedule A specifications seen one innovation after another reasons why the task is so daunting. and receiving must ensure that only in the baking industry; some by First and foremost is the number of those ingredients listed on the accident and some by design. ingredients that a typical bakery has schedule A enter the plant. It is Accordingly, the range of baking in its possession. The average bak- common knowledge that even if the products is nothing less than aston- ery’s schedule A is larger than that desired ingredient has been ordered, ishing when one thinks of the many of any other kosher industry. To in its wake may arrive an imposter varieties of breads, rolls, bagels, enumerate all of the possible ingre- with the same name that is not baguettes, buns, pizzas, pitas, wraps, dients used in a bakery would be kosher because the supplier pro- croissants, cakes, cookies, crackers, prohibitive and most likely take up vided a substitute source. For this muffins, biscuits, pies, donuts, this entire article. Suffice it to say reason, it is critical that the bakery’s kosher contact arrange periodic kosher orientations for purchasing The average bakery’s schedule A is larger and receiving personnel to explain c the workings of the schedule A, and especially so, if there has been any than that of any other kosher industry. d turnover in those departments.