Zachlawi Fig Arak
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behind the Unionnionsymbsymbolol Reaching 6,000 Food ExecutivesOver & 6,000 Plants Worldwide S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 Jelly Belly Candy Company Steps Up to OU Kosher Certification: Sunkist Fruit Gems and Fruit Slices Are Now Made by the Company Known for the Finest Jelly Beans N THE CONFECTIONERYWORLD, a few names stand out in the minds of consumers. Jelly Belly jelly beans are one of those confections that enjoy worldwide brand name recognition and loyal consumer following.The Jelly Belly Candy Company, which sets the standard in quality candy Imaking with its gourmet jelly beans, recently acquired Ben Myerson Candy Company of Los Angeles, and with it, the oppor- tunity to make Sunkist®Fruit Gems, Sunkist®Fruit Slices and other Sunkist branded confectionery delights, all of which carried the Orthodox Union’s kosher certification prior to the acquisition. “When we made the acquisition we felt the OU certification was important to maintain for these really terrific Sunkist licensed continued on page 36 APUBLICATIONFORCERTIFIEDCOMPANIES Spangler and the OU Make a Dandy, Candy Combination HE ADDITION OF THE OU SYMBOL on Spangler Candy Company packaging as a result of its Orthodox Union certification has had positive results on Spangler Candy’s flagship brand, Dum Dum Pops®, and paved the way for potential sales to Tadditional consumers with special dietary needs. continued on page 9 behindnion the U symbol From the Editor S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 Zachlawi Fig Arak Personal Notes KASHRUT DIVISION RABBI MENACHEM GENACK Rabbinic Administrator / CEO AVING BEEN NURTURED in the Ashkenazic (Eastern RABBI MOSHE ELEFANT Executive Rabbinic Coordinator / COO European) Jewish tradition, as both my parents were born in Director, New Company Department Romania, it was always a special treat for me as a little boy RABBI YAAKOV LUBAN to accompany my late father, a much sought-after rabbinic Executive Rabbinic Coordinator speaker in the early days of Israel’s statehood, whenever he RABBI DR. ELIYAHU SAFRAN Hwas invited to deliver lectures in Tel Aviv’s most prominent synagogues — Senior Rabbinic Coordinator including the Sephardic (Middle Eastern) synagogues. Vice President, Communicatons and Marketing I vividly recall strolling with my father and brother down Tel Aviv’s RABBI YERACHMIEL MORRISON Rothschild Boulevard where we lived, on the way to the renowned Ohel RABBI ABRAHAM JURAVEL Moed Synagogue where Tel Aviv’s Sephardic Chief Rabbi Toledano officiated, Ingredient Approval Registry where he awaited my father’s arrival to deliver his dynamic lectures several RABBI HOWARD KATZENSTEIN times every year. There was a unique aura, atmosphere and color to this Director, Business Management Sephardic spiritual home, which I sensed even as a six-year old. Years later in the mid-1960s, as an energetic teenager in a hot New York DR. SIMCHA KATZ City, I landed my first summer job, as a camp counselor at Camp Deal on the Chairman, Joint Kashrut Commission Jersey Shore, where Rabbi RABBI KENNETH AUMAN “Heshie” Weinreb, currently the Chairman, Rabbinic Kashrut Commission “ Orthodox Union’s thoughtful RABBI EMANUEL HOLZER Chairman Emeritus and creative Executive Vice President, served as head coun- selor. Again, it was my good for- tune to cross paths with a special ORTHODOX UNION - group of Sephardic Jews, who STEPHEN J. SAVITSKY President then discovered the Jersey RABBI DR. TZVI HERSH WEINREB Shore — which would eventually Executive Vice President become the ever-growing and DAVID OLIVESTONE revived Syrian community’s sum- Director, Communicatons and Marketing mer community. ”. Today, the Jersey Shore com- munity prides itself on syna- BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL gogues, schools, eateries, and structured organizational life serving thousands of RABBI DR. ELIYAHU SAFRAN summer inhabitants and a year round community, as well. But then, there was Editor—in—Chief no one as yet to meet the spiritual needs of the fledgling group. So when the STEPHEN STEINER Editor Sephardic representative called Camp Deal to inquire whether someone could PAMELA WEIMAN be sent to their prayer group meeting in the regal local town hall, it was my Graphic Designer good fortune to be selected. WE WELCOME Though not proficient in the Sephardic tradition, I read the weekly Torah YOUR COMMENTS selection and delivered inspirational talks. Perhaps more than I inspired the & CONTRIBUTIONS group, I came away uplifted and moved by their seriousness of purpose in fax prayer and religious motivation. Milton Levy’s note of appreciation to “the 212.613.0775 Ashkenazi young man who inspired the Syrians and got them going” is still e—mail filed in my special drawer. [email protected] continued on page 42 Transitioning Traditional Kosher Brands to the Mainstream There are two new truths in the kosher food industry. FIRST, kosher isn’t just gefilte fish and borscht anymore. AST YEAR MORE THAN 3,200 NEW FOOD PRODUCTS were certified kosher, according to a report by the Mintel SECOND, International Group, a consumer, media and market research firm. Today’s kosher consumer looks for and finds a typical kosher wasabi horseradish sauce, frozen wraps and whole grain shopper isn’t a Lnoodles on supermarket shelves. There are two new truths in the kosher food industry. First, kosher bubbie named isn’t just gefilte fish and borscht anymore. Second, a typical kosher shop- Sadie Rosenberg. per isn’t a bubbie named Sadie Rosenberg. She is Jessica Miller, a 25- year old college graduate, working at her first full-time job and keeping kosher in her first apartment. Or she is Maureen McCullough, a vegetari- an whose six-year old son has a dairy allergy.A landmark study,conducted By Gayle Schindler last year by Cannondale Associates, a leading sales, marketing and market research firm, found that 70 percent of “traditional” kosher consumers are 18 to 35 years old.The study also found an emerging and growing segment of consumers buy kosher products, not for religious reasons, but because they feel kosher products are cleaner, purer and higher qual- ity than products without kosher certification. Manischewitz, poised to celebrate its 120TH anniversary next year, is the oldest and most recognizable kosher brand in the country.Today Manischewitz is working to grow its product line with innovative new continued on next page S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 3 “Now we are preparing to release ready-to-spread frostings that are not just pareve, but high quality and good tasting.” continued from previous page products and get them placed along side their mainstream coun- The study also looked at several “perceptions” about kosher terparts, outside the “kosher aisle.” Jeremy J. Fingerman, presi- foods, including the idea that multiple brands of limited prod- dent and CEO of the R.A.B. Food Group which owns ucts represents “variety” in the marketplace. Not true. Manischewitz and several other leading kosher brands, was Consumers told Cannondale they want a “broader selection of recruited to his position from Campbell Soup Company,outside categories — not multiple brands.” Most notable is the catego- the kosher food industry.“Our ambition is to be the preferred ry called “need based” kosher consumers, those primarily non- specialty foods company — preferred by consumers, retailers, Jewish consumers who buy kosher food because they are lactose distributors and brokers,” says Mr. Fingerman. “We want them intolerant, dairy or gluten allergic or vegetarian. More than 80 to choose us not just because we’re the largest, but because we’re percent of these consumers indicated that they would be more the best.” likely to buy more kosher products if a wider selection of prod- Manischewitz sponsored the Cannondale study to under- uct categories were available. stand who kosher consumers are and how they shop and to Manufacturers, distributors and retailers can no longer understand the role of kosher within the broader “specialty assume that “if you build it, they will come.” Cannondale found foods” arena. “Manischewitz is an iconic brand,” says Mr. that in-store signage and displays are the number one source for Fingerman.“Now,” he adds,“we want to reassert our leadership information about new kosher products.Among Jewish holiday with kosher consumers and introduce new products that meet consumers, those that are primarily driven to look for kosher the general consumer’s needs and lifestyle.” products at holiday time, more than 85 percent find out about The Cannondale results proved true several feelings and new products in the supermarket.The percentages for all other suspicions that were growing at Manischewitz and in the indus- categories of consumers were not far behind. try. Mr. Fingerman notes,“Our research says that kosher certi- Manischewitz is working to find a balance between placing fication is perceived like the Good Housekeeping Seal of their products in the kosher aisle and shelving them with simi- Approval,” he says. “Kosher products are perceived as cleaner, lar, non-kosher products in the rest of the store.“It’s a dilemma,” purer, better products.” says Mr. Fingerman. “Customers traditionally look for gefilte Along with the company’s 120TH anniversary,2008 will also fish in the kosher aisle, not the canned fish section.We want to mark the 30TH year of OU certification for Manischewitz.“The draw more customers to the kosher aisle to familiarize them OU symbol is the most widely recognized and trusted kosher cer- with gefilte fish.” But he continues,“Pareve noodles should also tification,” Mr. Fingerman continues.“Our brands are enhanced be in the noodle section where mainstream consumers see them by having OU certification on each and every package.” as a choice among mainstream products.” Ron Wise, national director of kosher food marketing for Manischewitz’s new Whole Wheat Egg Noodles are a per- Distribution Plus, Inc. (DPI), one of the largest specialty food fect example of a product created to meet the needs of main- and cheese distributors in the country,“works with national cus- stream shoppers.