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 noodlesL 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
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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. Regardless of this week’s diet trend, it is clear tomers (retail grocery chains) to bridge the gap” between tradi- that whole grains are healthier and here to stay. Manischewitz’s tional ethnic kosher and today’s modern kosher market. He edu- product is not only better for you, it tastes good and doesn’t have cates his sales teams and customers about kosher. “We want to the unpleasant grainy texture found in other whole grain pastas. bring non-traditional consumers into the kosher section, partic- Mr. Fingerman cites another example. “When Duncan ularly vegetarians and lactose intolerant/dairy allergic con- Hines changed its cake mixes formulation from pareve to dairy, sumers who are looking for pareve products,” says Wise.“There Manischewitz was the first to develop pareve cake mixes for the is also a correlation between the kosher shopper and the natural marketplace. Now we are preparing to release ready-to-spread food shopper,”he continues, again emphasizing a feeling he had frostings that are not just pareve, but high quality and good tast- that was borne out by the Cannondale study. ing.” He adds, “We prefer them to be in the mainstream aisle.
continued on page 19 4 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL Announcing a New OU Initiative with Forum Publishing Group, Inc.: CERTIFIED KOSHER
OU and Tribune Company Affiliate to Place CENTS-OFF COUPON INSERTS in Major Newspapers Nationwide, in Certified Kosher Marketing Initiative
OR THE FIRST TIME in the months to come, a weekend advertising insert with cents-off coupons will be “OU certified,” as it appears in major newspapers nationwide with the famed OU Kosher symbol displayed on every product. The inserts are a program of the Orthodox Union and Forum Publishing Group, a media company Fwholly owned by the Sun-Sentinel Company of South Florida, which in turn is owned by the Tribune Company of Chicago. The purpose is to provide a completely new avenue for food manufacturers to reach the niche market they are seeking. The inserts, to be called Certified Kosher, will appear in editions distributed in high density Jewish zip codes in the circulation areas of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Newsday (in New York City and Long Island), South Florida Sun- Sentinel, Baltimore Sun and otherTribune and non-Tribune publications. It will also appear in major Jewish newspapers, including the Jewish Journal of South Florida, a Forum Publishing Group paper, with a circulation of over 140,000 weekly.
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S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 5 WHO ELSE at your company (in management, marketing, production, sales departments) may benefit from receiving Behind the Union There is no doubt that kosher is one of the Symbol? hottest sectors in today’s food market.With this Do let us know at [email protected]. We will be pleased to coupon insert, you will have a great new way of add to our mailing list. telling the kosher consumer — who is always looking for new items — about your product.
COUPONS continued from previous page Marty Kaye, Forum’s corporate In a letter to OU certified compa- liaison, expects that the insert will nies, Rabbi Dr. Eliyahu Safran, Vice quickly expand beyond one million President of Communications and homes across the country in the initial Marketing of OU Kosher wrote, “As distribution. you well know,we at the OU are always The first insert is projected to exploring innovative ways to help you in appear before Chanukah, in December. your marketing efforts, and to assist you Once the program is underway, it will in bringing your kosher certified prod- also appear at Passover in the spring; in ucts to the public.” He added,“There is a summer edition; as well as prior to the no doubt that kosher is one of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) in hottest sectors in today’s food market. When attending your industry September. With this coupon insert, you will have a conferences or exhibiting at The insert will combine the mar- great new way of telling the kosher con- shows be sure to display your keting expertise and reach of the sumer — who is always looking for new “We Are Proud to Be an OU Forum Publishing Group and its sister items — about your product.We recom- Company” sign. Your market- companies and the brand name of the mend that you consider being part of ing people and show organiz- OU, the world’s largest and most this exciting new venture.” ers should always have the respected kosher agency.The OU cer- Commenting on the program, OU signs in their show kits. They tifies more than 400,000 products man- President Stephen J. Savitsky declared, are sure to attract the kosher ufactured in 80 countries worldwide. “The OU certifies so many iconic buyers to your booth. If you The multi-page insert will include brands that are found in coupon need more copies of the sign, a half-page segment providing kosher inserts — General Mills, Drakes, Chock we will be glad to supply them. information from the OU. As with the Full of Nuts, Heinz, Hellman’s, kosher market as a whole, OU certified Nabisco’s Oreos — that it is appropri- Email [email protected] products are widely consumed outside ate to offer these brands and others the for your copies. of the Jewish community, with sales to opportunity to appeal specifically to the Jews and non-Jews growing by 15 per- kosher consumer.The coupons may be NEW BEAUTIFUL cent annually, according to knowledge- cents off, but the results, we are sure, SIGNS NOW able sources. will be big dollars for the advertisers.” AVAILABLE
6 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL CERTIFIED KOSHER
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S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 7 CERTIFIED KOSHER
Welcome to Forum Publishing Group, Inc., home to more than two dozen community and niche newspapers. Forum covers communities across South Florida, from Palm Beach County to Miami-Dade County, with a total weekly distribution of more than 680,000. 2XU ÁDJVKLS SXEOLFDWLRQ WKH -HZLVK -RXUQDO FRYHUV IURP 7HTXHVWD WR 6RXWK %HDFK DQG HYHU\ZKHUH LQ EHWZHHQ :H SXEOLVK WKH ODUJHVW ZHHNO\ -HZLVK QHZVSDSHU LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'LYLGHG LQWR VL[ ]RQHV WKH -HZLVK -RXUQDO SURPLVHV WR GHOLYHU QHZV ORFDOL]HG IRU HDFK VSHFLÀF FRPPXQLW\
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8 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL SPANGLER continued from cover
“Spangler Candy name of the business was Company sells products changed to Spangler Candy all over the world, and Company, reflecting the we often hear products that had become its from consumers sole focus. asking whether our Dum Dum Pops joined products are kosher,” said Pat Hurley, the fold in 1953 when the Spangler Candy’s Director of Technical Spangler brothers bought the Services and International Sales.“We pre- trade name and equipment from the viously were certified kosher pareve, but Akron Candy Company, building it into the OU symbol takes us to an even high- the company that now makes nearly two er level.We knew it would be a challenge billion Dum Dum Pops each year. that would be worth the effort. Now we Known as “the little lollipops that bring take calls from consumers who just want big smiles,” today Dum Dum Pops is a to thank us. Retailers — both national well-recognized brand and Spangler and regional — also appreciate that prod- Candy’s flagship product. Dum Dums The kosher certification process was ucts meet the specific needs of so many of often are used as small expressions of not difficult for Spangler Candy.“I found their customers.” kindness and gratitude, whether as give- it easy to get our factory certified,” Mr. At Spangler Candy Company, eight aways at the doctor’s office, rewards from Hurley said. “Today many of the high- million Dum Dum Pops® roll off the pro- parents for good behavior or perfect-sized end ingredient suppliers furnish kosher duction lines every day! In 2006, Spangler customer thank-you’s, earning the dis- products and it was only a matter of Candy, makers of Dum Dum Pops® and tinction of “America’s Favorite Giveaway checking our current ingredients to veri- more candy canes than anyone in the Lollipop.” fy that they fit the kosher qualifications. world, celebrated one hundred years in In 1954, the Spanglers purchased the The formats were straightforward and business. machinery and trade names of the A-Z easy to work through.” Spangler Candy is a privately owned Candy Company, then the largest manu- Rabbi Mordechai Teren, OU RFR, company that has been manufacturing facturer of candy canes in the nation. shares Mr. Hurley’s enthusiasm.“Spangler and marketing candy since 1906. Products Today, Spangler Candy manufactures has demonstrated a true interest in doing include lollipops, candy canes, and marsh- three million candy canes a day at two things right. They are an exceptional mallow circus peanuts. Spangler’s most locations, Bryan, in Ohio, and in Juarez, company and I have enjoyed working familiar brand names are Dum Dum Mexico. with Pat Hurley and his assistant Pops®, Dum Dum Chewy Pops™, Saf-T- Dean L. Spangler, grandson of Omar DaWanda VanBuskirk. They are unsur- Pops®, Spangler® Candy Canes and Cane Spangler, presently serves as President and passed in maintaining the kosher files and Classics®. Spangler also manufactures, CEO of Spangler Candy. The company have developed an excellent kosher facil- markets, and sells the licensed brand manufactures eight million Dum Dum ity,” he declared. names of Jelly Belly® Candy Canes and Pops every day in 16+1 flavors from “Orthodox Union certification is Disney® licensed characters on select Butterscotch to Watermelon and more, just one more benefit to our candy candy items. plus the famous Mystery™ flavor. items,” said Jim Knight, Director- Spangler began in 1906 when Arthur In October, 2006, Spangler Candy Marketing at Spangler Candy.“Part of the Spangler acquired the Gold Leaf Baking Company’s manufacturing plant in Bryan reason that Spangler Candy Company has Powder Company for $450 and moved and its co-manufacturing facility in Juarez been able to stay in business for one hun- the operation to his hometown of Bryan, were both certified kosher by the dred years is that we are attentive to the Ohio. He changed the name of the com- Orthodox Union. This certification desires and demands of the marketplace. pany to Spangler Manufacturing allows Spangler products to be consumed This certification is another means to Company, and continued making baking by all who observe kosher dietary laws, as help us continue to do that.” powder, baking soda, corn starch, laundry well as others with special dietary Jelly Belly® is a registered trademark starch, spices and flavorings. Arthur’s requirements, such as Moslems and Se- of the Jelly Belly Candy Company. brothers, Omar and Ernest, eventually venth Day Adventists. In addition, certifi- ©Disney joined him in the business. In 1911, cation serves as a guide to millions of Ernest suggested the company enter the individuals who are vegetarians or lactose candy market and the company intro- intolerant. All Spangler products made in RABBI YONATAN KAGANOFF duced the Spangler Cocoanut Ball, Bryan and Juarez are kosher except for serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic coordina- Spangler’s first candy brand. By 1920, the circus peanuts. tor for the Spangler Candy Company.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 9 THE OU’S SPICE MAVEN
TELLSEVERYTHINGYOUEVER The spice products certified by the Orthodox Union WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT include tropical aromatics (pepper, cinnamon, cloves, etc); leafy herbs (basil, oregano, marjoram, etc.); spice PARSLEY, seeds (sesame, poppy, mustard, etc.), and dehydrated vegetables, among others. Spice companies typically SAGE, produce blends such as curry and chili powders, poultry seasoning and all sorts of other custom blends.
A spice is defined as a food seasoning made from plants. Spices which have a sharp taste are valued for their flavor and fragrant spices for their ROSEMARY smell.The most common spice seasonings include pepper, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, mustard, and cinnamon. Spices have little in common except their use.They come from dif- ferent parts of the various spice plants. For example, cloves come from the &THYME bud, cinnamon from the bark and pepper and nutmeg from the fruit of By Rabbi Israel Rothenberg each plant. Ginger comes from the root and mustard from the seed.
10 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL OU PROFILE
RABBI ISRAEL ROTHENBERG, who joined the Orthodox Union in 1997, was born and bred in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, NY. He attended various yeshivas in Brooklyn; Yeshiva M’kor Chaim in Lakewood, NJ; the Brisk Yeshiva in Jerusalem; and the Kolel Zichron Shneur in Rockland County, NY. He received his rabbinic ordination from Lakewood’s prestigious Beth Medrash Govoha Rabbinical School. Before coming to the OU, Rabbi Rothenberg taught kosher law to post-gradu- ate students, and Judaic Studies on the high school level in Rockland County and at the Yeshiva of Stamford, CT. He has also taught at the Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim. He lives with his wife and three children in Spring Valley, NY. At the Orthodox Union, Rabbi Rothenberg services the spice, cereal and detergent indus- tries, and serves as rabbinic coordinator for major companies including Mead Johnson and Ross Labs.
A particular spice can come from different regions. ural dried state. Spice dehydration is done either in the field, a Consequently, the flavor, aroma, consistency and overall quality process known as sun drying, or through air drying in hot air of the spice can vary dramatically, depending on the location drying tunnels. Drying reduces moisture content making the where it is produced due to variations in climate, soil, seed har- spices less costly to ship. vesting and storage. Spice companies receiving the dried product follow Spices play an important role in the different ways foods are through with an extensive process of cleaning and decontami- prepared. For example, spice rubs have gained new popularity nation of any undesirable adulterants.Whole spices in particular with chefs. Rubbing in dry mixtures of spices before cooking are well cleaned and selected for their appearance, since they are meats, fish and poultry can create deeper flavor than marinades, usually meant to garnish as well as to flavor. sauces or basting liquids.Also, rubs can be used with a variety of The spices pass through metal detectors and destoners to different cooking methods, such as grilling, roasting, sautéing remove foreign material.They are then sifted through many sift- and braising. Toasting dried seeds, such as sesame, cumin, and ing screens so that small contaminants or insects will be fennel, can release maximum aroma and flavor from the seeds. removed. Many spices are micro-biologically cleaned as well. For textural and visual decorative appeal, it is not uncom- Due to the aggressive cleaning processes, the problem of non- mon for chefs to sprinkle the spices used in the dish around the kosher insect infestation in spices is virtually non-existent. rim of the plate.These are only a few of the innovative ways that Grinding spice breaks down some of the protective cell foods are being prepared with spice. structure of spices, making them ready to deliver flavor quickly Many of the spices imported from countries in the Middle and blend easily into a product.The finer the grind, the quick- East and Far East are picked by hand, dehydrated, packed in er and more complete the flavor release. The proper degree of burlap bags and shipped to their destinations in the whole nat- continued on page 29
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 11 OUCOMPANIESSPEAK
ADDING SPICE TO LIFE: GEL SPICE COMPANY PROUDLY DISPLAYS OU SYMBOL ON ITS PRODUCTS
EL SPICE COMPANY is a family-owned busi- Celestial Seasoning All Natural Spices to take advantage of this ness which for over a half century has devel- growing trend.All of these new items are introduced with OU oped a tradition of superior quality and fresh- certification.We wouldn’t consider introducing a new product ness. We search the world over for the finest without OU certification and its seal of approval. quality spices, seeds, and baking ingredients. Gel Spice brands include: Gel, Spice Supreme, Spice Time, FromG the time our spices arrive and are processed at our plant Sauce Supreme, Chef Select, Spice Select, Spice Pride, and in Bayonne, NJ, quality and freshness are Celestial Seasonings in a variety of foremost in our commitment to our spice, seed, and baking formu- customers. “AS PART OF THAT lations—all, of course, OU. In addi- As part of that commitment, every tion, Gel Spice Company also pro- item Gel Spice manufacturers has the COMMITMENT, EVERY vides numerous private label items OU “Seal of Approval.” OU certifica- with the OU certification, as an tion on the package is as important to ITEMGELSPICE important and fast growing part of our success as the superior ingredients MANUFACTURERS our business. in the package. Not only does the OU symbol demonstrate the superior quali- HASTHE OU RABBI ISRAEL ROTHENBERG ty of Gel Products, but it is also a key serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic marketing tool with our customers and ‘SEAL OF APPROVAL’.“ coordinator for Gel Spice Company. consumers. Our products do not leave the plant without the OU symbol — it’s that important to our business. Current trends in the spice industry involve Natural, Organic, and Spice Grinders. Gel Spice Company is at the forefront in this movement with new and innovative spice grinders; we recently introduced a full line of
12 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL OU CERTIFICATION ENHANCES R.L. SCHREIBER, INC.’S QUALITY CULTURE Schreiber, Inc. is a food base, spice and specialty food compa- ny founded in 1968 to serve the food service industry. Our core . .business values are to sell high Rquality products andL to back them up with excellent customer service.This foundation has proven to be a strong and timeless philosophy that continues to be a formula for success regardless of the product or service being provided. Our business was built on supplying the food service industry through a national network of independent distribu- tors that service our loyal clients from coast to coast. Our cus- tomers include individual and chain restaurants, cruise lines, cafeterias, schools, casinos, home cooks, caterers, specialty shops and major national retailers. Our company has continuously and enthusiastically expanded to meet the changing needs of existing customers and to welcome opportunities to serve new markets.The need to become kosher certified became a natu- ral progression for our business and became more important as we expanded by servicing chain operations and provided pri- vate labeling for retail customers. R.L. Schreiber, Inc. has been OU certified for the majori- ty of its spice products since April 15, 1997.The OU was the logical choice because it is the most widely respected and trust- ed kosher certification trademark and is a natural enhancement to our corporate commitment to product quality.
RABBI ISRAEL ROTHENBERG serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinator for R.L. Schreiber, Inc.
“THE OU WAS THE LOGICAL CHOICE BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST WIDELY RESPECTEDANDTRUSTED
KOSHERCERTIFICATIONTRADEMARK.“ S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 13 OUCOMPANIESSPEAK
THE FLOWERING OF LA FLOR: A SPICE COMPANY BLOSSOMS UNDER OU CERTIFICATION
A FLOR PRODUCTS CO., INC. was founded in During packaging we are constantly monitoring the prod- Brooklyn, NY in 1963 by two brothers, Ruben ucts for any imperfections. This enables us to ensure that our and Froilan Latorre.These two pioneers, over forty customers will consistently receive the best possible quality years ago, created the first Hispanic spice, season- products. Our quality control department works rigorously to ing and condiment company in the Northeastern maximize production efficiencies, and most importantly, prod- LUnited States. uct safety. Satisfying a void that existed in the Hispanic marketplace, In 1987, La Flor made the decision to obtain kosher certi- they initially began selling to the local independent retailers, fication for all the products its packages and manufactures. In such as bodegas and grocery stores. La Flor has since greatly seeking to obtain this certification, we found that the most rec- expanded its presence in the marketplace, with its products now ognized and respected certification available was that of the sold and available in an extensive array of retail channels Orthodox Union. throughout the United States and 15 countries worldwide. By obtaining certification from the Orthodox Union, La La Flor’s brand of products has become a household name Flor became one of the first Hispanic companies to incorporate for the finest ingredients to use when the OU symbol on all its products.This cooking. Whether it is an Adobo sea- has made it possible for our company soning, black pepper, garlic powder, to pursue new markets and to appeal to marinades or herbal teas, La Flor has “LA FLOR IS PROUD a much larger audience. Over the years, become the consumer’s brand of choice La Flor has been able to observe a for quality. TO SAY THAT ALL OUR direct correlation between the addition La Flor begins producing its prod- PRODUCTS,PRESENT of OU certification and consumer sales. ucts by globally procuring the finest We believe that maintaining OU quality ingredients. Once these ingredi- ANDFUTURE, WILL certification for our products not only ents are approved by our quality control indicates and symbolizes a standard of department, the production process is DISPLAY THE OU quality, but also belief in a practice to initiated. provide our customers with the best If we are blending our own propri- SYMBOL OF QUALITY“ possible ingredients and products etary seasonings we send the key ingre- available. La Flor is proud to say that all dients to the blending room and moni- our products, present and future, will tor this process until we are satisfied display the OU symbol of quality. with the product’s uniformity and fla- vor. Upon completion of this process, we send this finished blend to one of RABBI ISRAEL ROTHENBERG our high speed production lines and serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic begin the packaging process. coordinator for La Flor.
14 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL WHAT’S NEW WITH NU? A SPICE COMPANY GROWS, WITH ITS OU CERTIFICATION
ROMTHE TIME OF THE ANCIENT GREEKS, when the spice trade between the Mediterranean and the Far East was first established, spices and oils have been used for a variety of reasons: personal, com- mercial and religious. Today one can barely walk Finto a store without seeing a product that in some form or fash- ion was created using a basic spice or blend.That’s why Henry Goldstein saw his opportunity and purchased non-kosher Nu Products in Ridgefield Park, NJ in 1994. At the time, Nu Products had 19 customers and four employees and was billing $700,000 a year. Mr. Goldstein’s kosher meat processing background, along with his prior seasoning sales experience, helped him make the decision within 30 days of the purchase closing to apply for OU certification.According to Mr. Goldstein,“The OU’s level of recognition and general approval would bring an instant level of credibility needed to help grow the business from Day One.” Four months later, with approval complete, Mr. Goldstein started to change the face of Nu Products. Now, 13 thirteen years later, the company is positioned to be one of the significant players in the kosher spice business with sales expected to top $7 million in 2007, with 40 percent to busi- nesses requiring kosher certification. “I saw tremendous business opportunities in the kosher market that were open for the taking,” Mr. Goldstein explains. “I had found my niche in this market, and the potential for growth was endless.” TOP: Mr. Goldstein, standing next to Kosher for According to Mr. Goldstein, kosher certification is yet Passover inventory, explaining company procedures. another level of inspection that provides a product with its MIDDLE: Nu Products production worker screening products unique perspective. Even non-kosher companies regard OU as part of extensive quality control systems at the plant. certification with the utmost regard because they recognize BOTTOM: Company food technologist creating new that kosher certification is one more step in the food process flavor system for one of Nu Products’ customers.
continued on page 23
“THEOU’SLEVELOFRECOGNITIONANDGENERALAPPROVAL WOULDBRINGANINSTANTLEVELOFCREDIBILITY NEEDED TO HELP GROW THE BUSINESS FROM DAY ONE.“
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“WE WORK WITH THE OU TO MAKE SURE OUR EMPLOYEES UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE DEPEND ON FORAN TO PRODUCE OUR PRODUCTS PROPERLY SO THAT KOSHER OBSERVANT CONSUMERS CAN BUY THEM WITH CONFIDENCE.“
FORAN PUTS SPICE IN THE OU ORAN SPICE COMPANY is a business that consumers know by taste instead of name, and a business that the food indus- try knows by reputation for quality and responsiveness. The flavor, spice and heat inF many OU certified food products that consumers enjoy every day come from Foran Spice Company. added, “OU The company supplies hundreds of branded and pri- certification vate-label food companies who use Foran’s spice blends, represents to consumers that a food product meets spices and herbs to flavor their products. Countless strict quality and food safety requirements. Our OU OU-certified brands of sauces, dressings, baked goods, certification gives our food industry customers confi- snacks, ethnic foods and more all rely on Foran’s con- dence that their food products using Foran spice tribution to their unique flavor characteristics. blends, spices and herbs will deliver a quality final Founded in 1953, family-owned Foran Spice product to their consumers.” Company has grown into one of the spice industry’s Foran procures spices and herbs from throughout most respected members. Owner Patricia H. “Patty” the world. Parsley from Israel, whole black pepper Goto (née Hauser) now sits at the helm of this grow- berries from Indonesia, chili peppers from India, car- ing business, following in the footsteps of her father away from the Netherlands... over 1,700 spices, herbs, and spice industry leader, Ralph Hauser, who retired flavorings and other ingredients in their various forms from Foran in 1996 after growing the company for 43 are the palette from which Foran creates its artful spice years.April, 2007, marks completion of the company’s and herb blends to flavor thousands of food products. fourth plant expansion, with plans for the next expan- Foran’s capabilities set it apart from other spice sion stage already being contemplated. companies in several ways. Foran not only blends but Under Patty Goto’s leadership, Foran continues a also grinds its spices and herbs, offering a distinct long, mutually beneficial relationship with the advantage for its customers. It’s a matter of freshness... Orthodox Union that is entering its twelfth year. as soon as a spice or herb is cracked or ground in “OU certification is important for Foran. Our com- some way it begins to lose flavor as the essential or pany enjoys a long-standing reputation for outstand- volatile oils begin to dissipate once exposed to the air. ing quality and integrity among food manufacturers, By grinding its own spices and herbs, Foran products and we believe OU certification enhances our repu- start fresh in terms of flavor characteristics and inten- tation because OU stands for that same level of out- sity, thereby maximizing flavor characteristics in the standing quality and integrity,” said Ms. Goto. She continued on page 23
16 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL “OUKOSHER’SSLOGAN,‘WEARE PROUD TO BE AN OU COMPANY’, SCHIFF FOOD PRODUCTS SAYS ALL THERE IS TO KNOW SPICES UP ITS ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP CUSTOMERS’ WITH THE OU.“ BUSINESS
CHIFF FOOD PRODUCTS CO., INC. of North Bergen, NJ, found- ed in 1949, is one of the oldest spice trading companies in the New York Metropolitan Area. The company relocatedS to its new facility in northern New Jersey in 1998. Schiff buys spices, seeds and herbs in many countries of the world, as well as in the United States, and brings them to the company warehouse in container loads, where they are stored until they are sold. All incoming goods are tested by Schiff’s laboratories along with certified labs. The company “processes“ some of the goods, meaning that it grinds and repacks them. The customer base around the United States, in South America, Israel and China, consists mostly of food manufactur- ers. Some product is sold to traders who re-sell it to chain stores and other outlets. President and CEO David Deutscher, son of the co- founder of the company,declares,“OU Kosher’s slogan, We Are Proud to Be an OU Company, says all there is to know about our relationship with the OU.At the company,we have been aware for many years, beginning with Rabbi Alexander S. Rosenberg’s (OU Kosher’s first Rabbinic Administrator) pio- neer work, that certification by the Orthodox Union is a great asset to our business.When customers ask for a kosher certifi- cate and we submit our list of products under supervision, there is never any question.We also carry a line of products certified by OU for Passover use,” he said. “Through the efforts of plant manager Gary Gordon, and controller Jerry Bechhofer, we have an excellent working arrangement with the OU.We expect that it will continue for years to come,” Mr. Deutscher declared.
RABBI ISRAEL ROTHENBERG serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinator for Schiff Food Products.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 17 SOLBEVERAGE BOOM continued from DIOS page 14 A HEALTHY CONNECTION TEQUILAThe Move Away S A HIT — NOT IN RECORD STORES, BUT IN LIQUOR STORES — FOLLOWING OUfrom CERTIFICATION Trans Fats & Your OU Kosher
Program by Rabbi Chaim Goldberg
VERY GENERATION has different challenges to Whenever significant changes happen in the world of food address.While this is true in every area of life, it is manufacturing, experts here at the Orthodox Union are at the particularly true of how people relate to food. front lines of the action, in this case having processed literally When the Republican Party in 1928 produced thousands of requests relating to changes in trans fat content. a campaign poster promising “a chicken in every There are several areas of the trans fat changeover that can pot,”E they were appealing to the base survival instinct in the affect the kosher status of your company’s OU certified prod- nation’s voters by suggesting that a Hoover presidency would ucts. They include the following: bring enough prosperity to guarantee quality food for all. Fortunately, most of us no longer face the specter of a INGREDIENT CHANGES Many manufacturers found that dearth of good food. It is precisely the opposite, an abundance they need to change suppliers of ingredients in order to comply of food, which is making headline news. Rates of obesity have with trans fat regulations. Those new suppliers, as with most skyrocketed, and we are bombarded with media stories of vari- changes of supplier, need to be submitted to the OU for review. ous diseases related to over-indulging in decadent foods. In many cases, the change was just a different product from the All of the attention on eating habits places increased pres- same manufacturer. In that case, a submission of the Request for sure on food manufacturers to balance their desire to provide Ingredient Approval form should accompany the letter of the customer with the foods their target audience wishes to certification showing the name of the new ingredient to be used consume, against the corporate stewardship (and in some places in the plant. government regulation) to keep foods “healthful.” The latest effort to address the health standards of our food has been to reduce and eliminate trans fats from our diet.These LABEL CHANGES Did your company need to eliminate a trans fats, primarily from partially hydrogenated oils, have been product, or rename a product in order to comply with trans fat linked to a variety of health maladies.Efforts to eliminate trans fats restrictions? If so, the change in label name needs to be forward- from products have sent manufacturers scrambling for substitute ed to the Orthodox Union to update both your company’s let- ingredients, changes in processing methods and to the print shop ter of certification, and the product listing on floor making changes to labels to comply with new regulations. www.OUDirect.org.
The aging process takes at least three years.
18 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL MANISCHEWITZ continued from page 4
A landmark study found that “While every generation has its ‘food challenges,’ we here at the 70 percent of Orthodox Union are proud to be at the “traditional” kosher forefront of assisting manufacturers consumers are to provide healthful, kosher 18 to 35 years old.
food to all residents There is already mainstream behavior for finding those products in the regular aisle. of planet Earth.” We want kosher and mainstream customers to see the new products where they expect them to be.” FORMULACHANGES Some producers may need to Regardless of where they appear in the substitute ingredients with something that contains dairy,or may store, everyone agrees that the future will have been manufactured on dairy equipment. In that case, not bring kosher certification of more main- only would the new ingredient need to be submitted for review, stream products and innovation by tradition- but the status of the product may need to change from OU al ethnic food brands. Says Ron Wise, “We Pareve to OU Dairy. Labels would need to then use the OU-D work with vendors and manufacturers to symbol, instead of the plain OU. develop products that will go in all areas of the store.” PROCESSING CHANGES Though less common, some Yakov Yarmove is corporate category companies needed to bring in new pieces of equipment to manager for ethnic and specialty foods at produce the correct end product.Whenever new equipment is SuperValu, the second largest grocery retailer brought into the plant, your company’s Kosher Coordinator will in the country,which owns Albertstons,Acme need to contact your Rabbinic Coordinator here at the and Jewel-Osco, among other chains. He wel- Orthodox Union. Often used equipment needs to be kosher- comes the growth and change in the kosher ized, or proof of the equipment being new needs to be sent to food industry.“We are taking kosher shopping the OU office. to a whole new level.We want to apply every- While every generation has its “food challenges,” be it the day supermarket standards to kosher.” lack of food four score years ago or the abundance of it today, As Manischewitz moves into its 120TH we here at the Orthodox Union are proud to be at the forefront year and beyond, it will apply the lessons of assisting manufacturers to provide healthful, kosher food to all learned from the Cannondale study. Mr. residents of planet Earth. Fingerman notes, “The challenge is to be innovative with new products. We will RABBI CHAIM GOLDBERG accommodate broad consumer trends, like has been serving as an Orthodox Union rab- whole grains, to meet the growing health binic coordinator since July 2002, specializing in needs of all consumers. Our products will companies producing fish, potatoes, oils and fla- look fresh and contemporary.” He finishes vors. His most recent feature “The Kashrut Side by saying, “There is a role for kosher foods of Private Labels,” appeared in the Winter 2007 far beyond Jewish households. Kosher can issue of BTUS. Rabbi Goldberg’s speaking abilities are being tapped by OU Kosher, which play a large role with mainstream consumers has sent him to visit many schools as part of its highly successful as well.” “Coming to Schools” program. S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 19 A NATURAL (AND PROFITABLE) MATCH
By Bayla Sheva Brenner
“Congratulations!” and “Mazal Tov!” For the past decade-and-a half, kosher and organic — two prominent consumer interests — have enjoyed a highly compatible meeting of certifica- tions in North America’s marketplace. And professionals in the food industry see this consumer crossover as a mega-trend that’s here to stay.
According to a recent survey by Mintel Interna- tional Group, Ltd., a consumer, media and market research group, more than a quarter of Americans (28 percent) are actively seeking out kosher prod- ucts. And a Whole Foods Market survey indicates that almost an equal number (27 percent) are consuming organic and “natural” foods. “When these two populations come together, it’s a win- win situation,” says Steve Easterbrook, President of the Canadian Food Distribution Group at Sun Opta Inc, Canada’s largest distributor of kosher foods, a multinational company that operates in natural organic/kosher and specialty sectors of the food industry. Over the past 15 years, the rate of increased sales in the organic food market actually surpassed overall growth in United States’ food sales. Main- stream establishments across the country are more than eager to meet the demand, as customers
20 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL “According to a recent survey more than a quarter of Americans (28 percent) are actively seeking out kosher products and an almost an equal number (27 percent) are consuming organic and ‘natural’ foods.”
enue and public interest in The organic companies’ rigorous healthful eating contin- adherence to government regulations, ued to rise. In 1992, Irwin which includes a National List of Allowed D. Simon, a pragmatic and Prohibited Substances and meticu- visionary and President, lous record keeping, makes kosher super- CEO and Chairman of the vision a natural addition.“They are more Board of Hain-Celestial, turned one of readily understanding of our requirements America’s pioneer health food companies and inspections,” says Rabbi Abraham into a health food empire. Hain-Celestial Gordimer, OU Rabbinic Coordinator(1) Group, Inc. bought over forty companies (RC).“Overall, it’s a big plus.” over the last 14 years. So, what’s behind the consumers’ “He foresaw that this would be a pressing need for dual certification? interested in kosher/organic items flock great base for a new (expanding) market,” “People want a trusted food source,” to designated natural foods sections — says Benjie Brecher, Senior Vice- explains Jim Pierce,“certification czar” at delighted that they no longer have to buy President, Special Projects and Operations Organic Valley, the nation’s leading inde- their “regular” groceries in the supermar- Snacks. “He believed in organic and nat- pendent and farmer-owned organic dairy ket and their organic provisions in off- ural foods and built (up) the company on cooperative, and manufacturer of the top- the-beaten-track specialty stores. One that (belief).”With forty new companies selling organic milk along the Eastern simply has to walk down the natural purchased, numerous factories around the seaboard. “There have been instances foods aisles of any Wal-Mart, Kroger, world, and 33,000 stores across the coun- (involving food-industry breeding meth- Publix or Albertson’s to notice that try, the Hain’s health-food peddling has ods) that have bolstered organic. In 2002, kosher/organic has definitely “arrived.” gone global. “We believe that eating the introduction of recombinant Bovine healthfully is the way of the future and we Growth Hormone (rBGH), a synthetic are investing in it,” Mr. Brecher declared. growth hormone used in dairy cattle to AMERICA’S Busy getting the next generation off make them produce more milk, lit a fire HEALTH FOOD PATRIARCH to a healthy start with their lines of under organic dairy.All of a sudden, con- The concept of returning to a purer, less kosher/organic baby food, Earth’s Best, a sumers could not be assured that the con- processed daily diet captured the coun- Hain-Celestial company, Baby’s Only, a ventional milk they were buying didn’t try’s attention in 1926, when Dr. Harold Nature’s One brand, and Bobobaby, in contain this hormone.” Hain, an early advocate of the benefits of Canada, all meet the federal organic stan- According to Mr. Pierce, many of ingesting natural foods, successfully ped- dards, put into law on October 21, 2002. them turned to organic milk, which pro- dled his fresh-pressed carrot and celery The law requires that organic foods must hibits the use of synthetic hormones, and juices. After 27 productive years, he sold be certified by an agency accredited by expanded the organic market overnight. Hain for $100,000 to a pharmacist and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As “Consumers want to know that what entrepreneur by the name of George with every organic certified operation, they are buying is minimally processed Jacobs, who traveled the country influ- the company must manufacture products and (manufacturers) use the minimum of encing health-food storeowners, cus- without the use of potentially harmful chemical input.” tomers and intrigued passersby. His synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertil- Carmelle Druchniak, senior commu- enthusiasm paid off. By the time his son izers, and the food cannot contain genet- nications manager of Stonyfield Farms, sold the business in 1982, it had yielded ically engineered ingredients (GEIs). In the world’s leading organic yogurt manu- $45 million in sales. addition, a product can only display the facturer, concurs. “People are more con- Hain Pure Food Co. changed hands a USDA seal if 95 percent of its ingredients cerned about what’s on their plate, where few more times over the years, as its rev- are organic. it comes from, and how it is made. continued on next page (1) [The OU account executive who serves as the primary and central contact for all of a client’s kosher needs, handling all ingredient, label and product approvals, as well as all billing issues.] S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 21 ORGANIC continued from previous page
They’re asking more questions about kosher-aware market that,” she says. “It’s driven by health con- and a demand for it,” cerns; also, people are savvier these days says Peggy Gnoza, and want to know what they’re getting director of quality at for their dollar.” Aurora. “Our intent was to have the high- est standards and the THEPOWEROF OU tied in perfectly.” DOUBLESYMBOLSUPERVISION Organic companies welcome the Apparently, the fact that organic/kosher OU’s comprehensive supervision. “The products are generally more expensive certification and follow-up process is very than their less-natural counterparts has stringent,”says Renee Sweany,Marketing not deterred consumers from Associate for Endangered Species, pro- buying them. “Business is ducers of natural chocolate bars.“It makes booming,”says Ms. Druchniak. us feel good about the quality of the cer- “There is an (exceptional) tification. Since we both have the same care and quality that goes objective, providing quality kosher prod- with kosher products as well ucts, we try to be very responsive in pro- as organic products.The pri- viding what the other needs.” mary reason is that it is seen Responding to America’s catapulting as a quality product.” interest in kosher/organic, overseas man- Companies and con- ufacturers are shipping their wholesome sumers alike are investing in wares to our shores. Ali Suman, President this quality match. VitaSoy of Organic Juice Imports (of Elite USA, makers of soymilk and Naturels) in Turkey, producers of 11 dif- other soy products since 1979, ferent flavors of organic juices, introduced hired a fulltime employee ded- continued on page 40 icated to kosher and organic quality assurance. “The strength and power of those symbols is increasing,” says Pam Dietz, marketing director. “They matter.” The organic food industry caught on early that kosher certification would substan- tially increase their market draw.“We talk to consumers all the time,” says Ms. Druchniak of Stonyfield Farms. “We col- lect their email addresses and often con- duct surveys to find out what product features matter most to them — dairy free, gluten free, or low fat. According to our most recent data, kosher came in number three. Usually it’s calories or fat; Post the OU logo – kosher is a big deal.” In line with these results, when one of the world’s Aurora Organic Dairy, a Colorado based best-known manufacturer for private label organic milk, began promoting its service to symbols of added major supermarket chains — including attention to quality – Costco, Safeway, Wild Oats, Wal Mart, on your website. Target, Publix, Win-Dixie, Giant, Meijer, and Topco — they all required OU certi- Ask Suzanne Beck at [email protected] or fication on the products.“There’s a more Aviva Stadler at [email protected] to send you a beautiful, hi-res OU logo. 22 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL ISYOUR OU KOSHER NU continued from page 15 > PROGRAM which guarantees the quality of a most cases, client orders can be deliv- RUNNING SMOOTHLY? product. In the public mind, kosher ered in days rather than weeks. It is this products generally are recognized as expertise that enables employees to When your company’s kosher program runs smoothly, everyone wins.The company’s reputation will be respect- having a higher level of quality. deal personally with every customer, ed in the kosher market, rabbinic inspections are more Today, the business of spices has while every order is given the highest efficient and, in the long run, paperwork is significantly changed as part of a complex system level of quality assurances available. No minimized. The following steps can ensure that your that supplies snack food, meat, mari- custom formulation is too difficult for kosher program is in the best possible shape. nade, stuffing and both fresh and the Nu Products team. Internal prod- F Be sure that purchasing of ingredients conforms to processed food product companies. uct development teams can work one- those listed on Schedule A (the ingredient list). Mr. Goldstein terms his operations, on-one with customers to develop Before ordering an ingredient that does not appear on Schedule A, please fax or email a copy of the “technical seasoning blends for the custom formulations to fit any need, new ingredient’s kosher documentation to the OU processed food business.” Whether it’s small or large. Items are created based for prior approval. flavoring, marinades, curing or smok- solely on customer requirements and FAlways apply for and obtain approval of new labels,in- ing, Nu Products will deliver based on specifications; they are manufactured and house or private, before placing the OU on the label. a client’s specific requirements. It is this packaged according to specific client F Inform your rabbinic coordinator before any changes tactical growth approach that has requests on an order-by-order basis. that may affect kosher issues (e.g. installation of new allowed Nu Products to move to a Custom blending, consistency, equipment,cutting or connecting lines,modification of CIP procedures, changes in production sequence,etc.). modern 20,000 square foot facility in exceptional client servicing and prod- F So too, be sure to tell your company’s rabbinic coor- South Hackensack, NJ with a staff that uct quality are the characteristics that dinator of any changes in personnel relevant to the has grown to over 50 and a customer Henry Goldstein envisioned and built kosher program so that this information can be base of more than 250. In this new into the infrastructure as he was fash- promptly recorded in our database. facility there is a full technical staff, as ioning the Nu Products Seasoning F Carefully verify that Schedules A and B accurately well as quality control, production Company to be part of the growing reflect your company’s ingredient inventory and all development, sales and management world of OU Kosher. packaging/ labels that bear the OU symbol. personnel. F Be sure that receiving personnel check all incoming Spices are spices, correct? Perhaps, RABBI ISRAEL ROTHENBERG deliveries against Schedule A to assure conformity with the kosher specifications and requirements of but what separates Nu Products from serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic all ingredients. A column on the receiving log with other suppliers is quality of service. In coordinator for Nu Products. the heading “Schedule A Kosher” is quite useful for this purpose.
FORAN continued from page 16 F R & D and experimental ingredients must also be submitted to the OU for prior approval, unless an food products that depend upon the OU requirements are important express arrangement with your Rabbinic Coordina- tor stipulates otherwise. Use of such ingredients Foran’s spices for their unique taste. and how people depend on Foran to when uncertified, even for test purposes, may com- According to Greg Gamble, produce our products properly so that promise the kosher status of equipment, and tracking Foran’s Director of Technical Services, kosher observant consumers can buy and reporting them unnecessarily burdens your staff who heads Research & Development, them with confidence.” and our rabbinic field representatives. “When new customers come to us “Foran’s relationship with the F Make sure to obtain letters of certification (LOCs) they always want to know if Foran is Orthodox Union is a collaborative from the OU for your products, and carefully make OU certified, as OU certification is partnership,” offers Patty Goto. “We’re sure that the LOCs exactly match product labels. These letters are extremely valuable in marketing respected in the marketplace. Our abil- pleased to work with OU’s Rabbi your products. Please make sure that your distribu- ity to demonstrate many years of OU Israel Rothenberg to ensure that our tors also receive copies of your LOCs in order to certification to our customers and individual spice blends always satisfy maximize distribution to kosher clients. prospective customers adds to their kosher requirements, and we benefit F Be sure that your certified products (retail and industrial) respect for Foran Spice and to their from the assistance of the OU’s Rabbi carry the OU symbol.This will not only benefit you in willingness to partner with us in the Shlomo Newmark who helps us make business,but will also make your products easily identifiable as meeting kosher specs by kosher supervisors and con- development of new spice blends for certain that our manufacturing facility sumers throughout the world. their products.” and processes consistently respect and FA labeling checklist should ensure that the OU sym- Tom Mayer, Foran’s Director of adhere to kosher laws.” bol does not appear on products not authorized to Manufacturing Operations, declared, bear the OU symbol. “Producing product that meets kosher F If you have any questions about your company’s requirements is an important focus at RABBI ISRAEL ROTHENBERG kosher program, call your rabbinic coordinator. It is Foran.We work with the OU to make serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic his job to assist your company and to provide the sure our employees understand why service you deserve. You can reach him at OU coordinator for Foran Spice Company. Headquarters, 212.563.4000.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 23 THE CHINA SYNDROME: BOOMING IN FINANCES AND IN KOSHER TOO
“the world’s center of gravity is shifting from west to east,” said Professor Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, and chairman of an annual Summer Davos summit to take place in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian, this September.
By Rabbi Mordechai Grunberg
HINA’S TRADE SURPLUS is pumping cash into the world’s fourth largest economy, stoking inflation, fueling overcapacity in certain indus- tries, and creating asset bubbles in both the property market and more recently, the stock Cmarkets.The trade surplus in China rose tenfold this year and is now over one trillion dollars — while the United States has a deficit in the trillions. Anheuser Busch, the world’s second largest brewer, will double the number of Chinese cities in which its Budweiser brand is sold. China is the world’s largest beer market, in which annual sales in 2006 reached $10.8 billion. Aside from being a world economic and military super- power, China may be or already is the next “melting pot” — and I don’t mean it in the context of koshering utensils, which I will get to later in this article.When I used to sit in a hotel lobby or travel on any Chinese domestic airline a few years ago, I only heard Chinese being spoken. Today I hear every other language except, seemingly, Chinese. What used to be a six-hour journey to get from point A to point B now takes me three hours due to the rapid development of the country’s infrastructure, such as its superhighways, bridges, tunnels and airports. El Al has increased its flights from Israel to mainland China to seven times weekly,and on some those flights I hear Chinese being spoken.While connecting to the Internet was once only available in the business center of Chinese hotels, it now is available in all hotel rooms, and even on the road with
24 mobile CDMA, thus enabling me to submit my reports from of course had a shelf life of a year). Food anywhere and everywhere in China with great dispatch. So it is manufacturers worldwide are constant- no wonder that the OU is receiving dozens of new applications ly building new plants in China and monthly,and that the word “kosher” has become part of the ver- working out joint ventures with nacular, at least in the food industry. Chinese plants. It is no wonder that as the Chinese middle class keeps Whenever I read statistics I growing by the millions, major companies like General Motors find the numbers in China stag- are still in business due to domestic car consumption in China gering. For example, it was just alone. Known as the world’s factory, what isn’t made in China? reported that this was the best And even if it may not be made in China, it probably is still year for theVolkswagen China assembled in China; and even if it is not assembled in China, it plant, which increased sales in still may be packed in China. A well-known candy company 2006 to 711,000 vehicles, up manufactured six metric tons of OU certified candy at its 50 percent from the previous United States plant and shipped the candy in bulk to a candy year; the rest of the automo- packer in China to be packed in retail packages under OU spe- bile industry had similar cial supervision, and then shipped the finished product back to increases, meaning that con- the plant in the U.S. for distribution and sales in the American sumers in China are purchas- market. So the product traveled around the world just to be ing about 2,500,000 new cars packed, since it proved to be cost efficient for the company (and per year. In November, China brought in all forty-seven African leaders for a weeklong “friendship summit meeting” in Beijing, for which they literally rolled out the red carpet, resulting in billions of dollars in bilateral trade agree- ments in that one week. Today in China we have close to 300 plants certified by the OU, which is about as many plants as the OU certified globally when I first started working there in 1981. At this rate, we can see growth over the next five years well into the thousands and in just about every type of food product as well — fish, poultry, and even beef products, because it is just a question of time (and a short time, that is) when a kosher certified slaughter house will be approved for mass production for export. Cows, bulls, chick- ens and hens are plentiful in China; they just have to figure out how to grow turkeys so that all types of raw material would be available to kosher meat entrepreneurs. Among the most popular items being processed in China are IQF (individual quality frozen) and BQF (bulk quality frozen) fish, such as pollak, red snapper, sole, tilapia, salmon and haddock, which is then packed in consumer sizes. (These fish generally have the skin intact on one side.) The OU currently certifies some of the largest multination- al food companies which have joint ventures or are wholly owned in China.These include Archer Daniel Midland (ADM), with an investment of over $240 million; and COFCO (China Oil, Foods and Cereal Corp), the largest government conglomerate in China, which owns Eastocean Edible Oil, which is OU certified. There are now many more food trade shows taking place in China at which we have the opportunity to make available to LEFT PAGE TOP: Lechem mishne and fish on the griddle plants gathered under one roof the advantages of the kosher TOP: Rabbi Grunberg at trade show in China market. At present we participate in the three big shows in BOTTOM: Nalati grassland Kozk bread oven continued on next page
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 25 continued from previous page
LEFT; Nalati grassland Kozk farmers with managers of Yipin casein plant; MIDDLE: Nalati Kozak farmers’ tents; RIGHT: Nalati Kozak family baking bread on side wall of bread oven heated with wood sticks
China: two food addi- time of the Olympics or be subject to a result of miscommunication or some tive shows and one having their license revoked after testing misunderstanding. pharmaceutical show. by the authorities. Chances are that there are food addi- We also now have a I find it so much easier to communi- tives from China in most of the kosher working relationship cate to the plant people since most plants certified foods we eat, as many of the with SGS, which certi- which apply for kosher certification do so large companies are asking their buyers to fies plants in China for for marketing in the United States. This source out raw materials from China.As a the safety and quality of means that they have employees who result, the request for kosher products their systems and prod- speak relatively good English and are from Chinese plants actually is at the ucts, and which is like the specifically hired to deal with the global behest of the end users in the United “Good Housekeeping” market. In a situation in which there is no States. In recent months, however, plants symbol in China.We were English speaker in the plant, then Mr. have been applying directly on their own recently invited to partici- Zhu Yannan, manager of the OU Beijing realization that if they do get OU certifi- pate in seminars organized office, will assign various staff in the dif- cation, they will have an additional around the country by SGS, ferent regions of China to accompany me advantage when offering their products in which gives the OU the opportu- to the plant. the large North American kosher market. nity to publicize its work in China. Recently I had to kosherize some Rabbi Donneal Epstein, who heads Some of the giants in the enzyme steam kettles and steam retorts at a plant the Asia desk at OU headquarters, asked industry, such as Genencor and in Fujian Province.When I outlined in an me to make a presentation last year at the Novozyme, have plants in China and email the requirements of the cleaning CNAC, which is the governmental body enjoy global marketing of their OU cer- procedures which must precede the actu- in Beijing which authorizes certifying tified products from these plants. al koshering, I wrote, “The equipment agencies to operate in China. I didn’t As China braces itself for the after cleaning must look like and feel per- know exactly how to respond to the upcoming 2008 Olympics, the Chinese fectly brand new,BEFORE we can begin CNAC’s leader’s question on where the are preparing the environment in terms the kosherization process.” When I basis of kosher law comes from, as I thought that perhaps it would involve an issue of religious expression. In any case,I , told the minister that Jewish and Chinese “c cultures have much in common, as they c are both extremely old and both went . through great persecution. ” We had a great leader named Moses of greenery and controlling pollution. arrived, I was amazed to find that I was who took the Jewish people out from There are now even special seminars not able to tell the difference, and the Egyptian persecution, and in one of what given by behavioral specialists to teach cleaning job was so thorough that I said is known as the Five Books of Moses, out- better living habits, such as no spitting in they made the equipment look even bet- lined the kosher dietary laws, such as not public, no cutting in lines and the like. ter than new! Food industry personnel in mixing meat and milk, not eating certain There are smoke-free zones as well, with China take kosher requirements very types of fowl and fish, etc. At the end of offenders subject to heavy fines and pos- seriously once they know what is expect- the meeting, the minister publicly sible imprisonment. Cab drivers will be ed of them. I find that every so often announced that we should keep up our required to know basic English by the when there is an infraction, it is generally good work in China; just recently our
26 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL Beijing office received official correspon- RABBI MORDECHAI GRUNBERG Yadin. Rabbi Grunberg graduated from dence to that effect. This is precisely the has been associated with OU Kosher since Queens College in NewYork with a B.A. in reason why, within a few years, we will 1981, serving as a long-time rabbinic coordi- Accounting and subsequently received a Masters have several thousand plants in China nator, until he settled in Israel, from where he Degree in Business Administration from providing kosher certification from food has been traveling as a rabbinic field represen- Adelphi University. He is also the recipient of additives, to crackers and cookies, to tative to Asia, India, Madagascar and an authorization in all areas of kosher slaughter snacks and chips, to meat, poultry & Bulgaria. Born and educated in New York rituals from the well-known academy in fish—and yes, even to products certified City, Rabbi Grunberg studied at the famed Jerusalem headed by the late chief rabbi Pesach for Passover, which will commemorate Rabbinical Seminary of America-Yeshiva Zvi Frank. Rabbi Grunberg currently visits Chofetz Chaim, from which he was awarded the Exodus from Egypt, thanks to Moses. China on a regular basis to service the growing the advanced rabbinical ordination of Yadin numbers of OU applications from that country.
A FINE CHINA FOR THE KOSHER PALATE: OU Business Is Booming in the Steadily Growing Giant
HE SPECTACULAR GROWTH of the Chinese tified food additive plants: DSM Citric Acid,Wuxi Bio Products economy has been news for some time.The real and Wuxi-Syder Bio Products. Our rabbinic field representative, news is that it is about to grow even bigger.This Rabbi Mordechai Grunberg, has excellent relationships with all year China will overtake the United States as the of them. (Minna of Wuxi-Syder Bio Products, for example, world’s second largest exporter. Many experts recently conveyed to the OU the company’s sincere apprecia- haveT expressed the opinion that next year it will overtake tion for outstanding customer service.) Germany as the world’s number one exporter. Another area in which China is growing by leaps and The growth has brought on even more foreign investment.To bounds is the dehydrated vegetable business. Dehydration tech- encourage this, the Chinese government has invested heavily in niques have improved dramatically over the last decade or so. developing infrastructure, to the extent that China, with its 486 The old fashioned method left approximately 30 percent of the airports, is now one of the easiest countries in the world to travel moisture in the dehydrated items. Newer methods have pushed around.The easier it is to get around, the easier it is to do business. these numbers down dramatically.The drier the item, the longer One of the main areas of Chinese exporting enterprise the shelf life. Chinese companies have been very involved in affects kosher consumers, namely,food additives.These additives developing and trying new methods on an industrial scale.The are substances added to food either to preserve flavor, or results have been dazzling, as the world market cannot purchase improve its taste and appearance. Food additives, for example salt Chinese dehydrated vegetables fast enough. and vinegar, have been used since ancient times. Over the last The Eastern Province of Shandong, besides being historic century many more have been discovered, of both natural and and attractive, also hosts some two dozen OU certified dehy- artificial origin. There are many hundreds, if not thousands, of drated vegetable facilities. In the city of Qingdao alone there are food additives on the market. The following is a partial list of 13 and in the city of Linyi there are eight. Relevant data shows categories of food additives: that the economy of the province is keeping its momentum, Acids; Anti-Caking Agents; Antioxidants; Antifoams; especially Qingdao, where attractive incentives attract foreign Bulking agents; Flavors; Flavor Enhancers; Flour Treatment investment. Agents; Preservatives;Thickeners Just over a decade ago, the concept of kosher was almost Due to China’s economic prowess as well as its genius in unheard of in China.Today,however,it is almost a household word creating efficient mass products, it is becoming the major source in the food industry. From Qingdao Huajie Food we hear, “It of supply in the food additive arena. It has, moreover, increased seems that we have already entered the gate of world buyers…Our its monitoring of product safety in order to maintain a qualita- export value is increasing rapidly since OU certification.” tive edge in the market. As the Chinese market continues to grow, the OU’s goal is Among the almost 300 OU certified plants we have in to be there to help it along. China, several are located in the lovely province of Jiangsu, located in the middle of China’s Eastern coast line along RABBI DONNEAL EPSTEIN the lower part of the famed and fabled Yangtze River. It is a heads the OU Kosher Asian Desk, processing and region known for its lakes and rivers, as well as mountains. It is servicing applications from China and throughout the also very historic. Far East. In recent years, Rabbi Epstein has processed One of the “smaller” cities in China is Wuxi, with a mere several hundred applications of companies that have attained OU certification in this part of the world. 4,000,000 inhabitants.Wuxi is also the home of three OU cer- S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 27 Going kosher has become good business in China
But factory managers the largest kosher trademark, is on to be shipped to the U.S. for sale. In have little knowledge of pace to double in one year the 300 one case, Freundlich found himself Jewish dietary laws. plants it has certified in China. at the crossroads of centuries-old Every two weeks we get applications tradtion and 21ST century shipping: “There’s no way to make from 15 or 20 new plants,” said He faced thousands of ponds of a pork dim sum kosher,’ Union Rabbi Mordechai Grunberg, Alaskan fish but had no way to a rabbi must explain. who oversees factories across China. know that each fish met the kosher BY EVAN OSNOS Until recently, China’s underdevel- standard of having fins and scales. Chicago Tribune oped infrastructure made it nearly I checked 37,000 fish, scraping each impossible for rabbis to crisscross one with my fingernail, over three BEIJING — Rabbi Shimon the nations inspecting factories to days,” said Freundlich, who moved Freundlich picked up the phone in ensure, for example, that there is no to Beijing six years ago to found the Beijing, and a Chinese factory boss pork or shellfish anywhere near a Chabad Lubavitch of Beijing, an launched into his pitch. He wanted production line. Grunberg learned ultra-orthodox synagogue and com- to join the growing ranks of Chinese that lesson in 1981, when he visited munity. Factory owners say that a exporters who have earned a kosher Shanghai to inspect a citric-acid growing share of U.S. importers seal of approval. He promised to fol- plant. “I got to the hotel and I had no demand a kosher seal, which only a low the rules and to welcome sur- telephone, nobody spoke English, mashgiach can provide. Even as the prise inspections. So, the rabbi there was no contact to meet me, and U.S. Jewish population declines asked, what’s the product? “Tables there were rats,” he said. “I went through intermarriage and aging, a and Chairs.” Although more enthusi- right back to the airport and just 2005 survey by market researcher astic than knowledgeable, China’s waited for the flight back to New Mintel International Group found factory owners are clamoring to go York.” He did not set foot in China that 15% of U.S. shoppers buy kosher. In an odd-couple embrace again for 21 years. kosher food all the time, and an that only global commerce could additional 58% occasionally do. produce, more than 2,000 Chinese A link in supply chains Most are not Jews but tell pollsters plants have been certified in the last Today, Grunberg can journey to the that they consider most kosher food decade under Jewish dietary laws in Tibetan plateau to watch nomadic to be healthy and safer. That’s hope of tapping a world trade sector dairy producers and ensure that no enough to convince Hu Yalong. estimated at $150 billion a year. milk is added from non-kosher ani- “The Chinese people don’t know Among them, as many as 50 facto- mals. The next week, he can be in much about Jewish culture, but it ries also have been certified to the China’s frigid north, checking for doesn’t affect the fact that we still stricter standard reserved for insects in a garlic storehouse. The want to do business,” said Hu, gen- Passover, rabbis say. China is churn- sudden demand for certification also eral manager of Anhui Great Nation ing out a growling list of kosher underscores China’s unique role in Essential Oils Co., which earned a products, including candy, canned global supply chains. Shipments of kosher certificate last year for its vegetables and unpronounceable frozen fish from Alaska and peppermint-oil additives. enzymes. The New York-based Greenland come to China for pro- Reprinted with permission of the Chicago Tribune; Orthodox Union, which administers cessing and kosher inspection, only copyright Chicago Tribune; all rights reserved.
28 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL SPICES continued from page 11 milling is determined by the nature of the food product being spiced and the desired effect. Many spice companies add anti-caking flow agents in pro- duction in order to reduce caking or moisture and allow the spices to flow freely. Flow agents may not be part of the final product, yet they do come in contact with the spices themselves, the line, a mixture of the two seasonings would result in a dairy and so kosher anti-caking agents must be used.Typically, a silica presence in a chicken seasoning. Of course, an inadequate clean- gel (sodium silicate) is added or silicon dioxide.These agents are ing between non-kosher and kosher would have severe and seri- of no kosher concern. However, calcium stearate, magnesium ous consequences. Therefore, all company cleaning procedures stearate, and potassium stearate can and have been used as effec- for spice blending equipment, such as ribbon blenders and fil- tive anti-caking agents. Stearates are typically derived from non- ters, must be approved by the rabbinic coordinator to confirm kosher fats but may also be of vegetable source, as well. that the cleaning adheres to OU Kosher guidelines. Therefore, even so-called, “pure spice” must be scrutinized to Plant personnel who routinely consult the Schedule A may determine the existence of anti-caking agents, which are not notice an intriguing comment attached to spices. An accompa- necessarily declared in the product data sheet. nying caveat to a particular listing may state “product from Israel In industrial quantities, the spice customer can opt to have requires rabbinic certification.” You may wonder why Israeli the supplier pre-blend seasonings required in a product formu- produce, specifically,is subject to kosher restrictions.The answer lation (plus other related ingredients) and deliver them in either is that due to the sacred nature of the land, special laws govern bulk or batch packs.The seasoning mix may be all ground spice, all agricultural products. The fulfillment of the requirements permitting consumption of Israeli pro- duce must be verified by the exporter In our days of unlimited access to global spice markets with a kosher certificate. All OU spice companies — and for and advancements in food science and technology, spice that matter any company receiving Israeli company research and development departments are produce — should order an abundance of product this year in order to maintain exploring and developing new taste and aromatic experiences. their production and/or distribution come September. The reason is the Biblical injunction concerning the all spice extracts, or a combination of both. Pre-blends eliminate Sabbatical year.The Sabbatical is basically a year of resting and the need for a spice mixing room in the food manufacturer’s refraining from all agricultural work (planting, harvesting, etc.) plant and utilize the specialized skills and equipment and quality of the Holy Land. controls that a good spice processor brings to the blending craft. The Sabbatical year occurs once every seven years. The Spice seasonings merit special kosher attention and require coming Jewish Year 5768 — corresponding to September 2007 kosher certification. Cheeses, (kosher) bacon bits, and flavor through September 2008 in the secular calendar — farmers in dehydrates, such as dehydrated chicken, meat and cheese pow- Israel will be observing the Sabbatical year. Kosher laws restrict der — all kosher-sensitive ingredients — can be added to the the consumption of Sabbatical produce to specific conditions blend. Interestingly, even liquid flavor such as wine, vinegar, and and guidelines. Israel is a major supplier of parsley, paprika and brandy can be added, and the blend will retain its powdery bay leaves. Hence the country of origin is a major issue of para- nature with the addition of anti-caking agents.These added fla- mount concern, and the conscientious receiver of spice products voring agents, which are generally not kosher, may be listed must be scrupulous to verify the kosher status of the Israeli spice. generically in the product data sheet as natural flavors.The OU It is interesting to note that no one spice is used alone in requires that each formula be submitted to the rabbinical coor- food preparation. Rather, the magic of a spice is its reaction to dinator for review and verification of the kosher status prior to other spices, and other ingredients, and the food it is used in. certification.The OU is, of course, careful to protect the confi- When a spice is combined with another spice, the resulting taste dentiality of such formulas. is very different from that of either spice individually. However, the kosher concerns for seasoning extend beyond As the world grows smaller and different cultures meet, the the status of the ingredients in a particular blend.A well-known opportunities for spice combinations creating new tastes kosher principle is the separation of dairy and meat. A kosher become limitless. In our days of unlimited access to global spice crisis occurs if a non-dairy seasoning specifically made for markets and advancements in food science and technology,spice chicken is blended on the same production line as a seasoning company research and development departments are exploring blend containing dairy ingredients.Without a proper cleaning of and developing new taste and aromatic experiences
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 29 An Ingredient for Success: THE IAR ENSURES STANDARDS THAT THECONSUMERASSOCIATESWITH OU KOSHER CERTIFICATION
By Rabbi Raymond Morrison
VEN A CURSORY GLANCE at a Schedule A (a tus of your product, which from our point of view would list of authorized ingredients to be used in a have the most negative repercussions, and which in the most manufacturing facility) will demonstrate a serious of circumstances could lead to a recall of products — most important feature of Orthodox Union a situation that none of us would welcome. The process of kosher certification. In the column which lists review is designed on the basis of graduated investigation of theE certification of the various ingredients, you will note that the product and agency.In most circumstances, it will not be they are not all exclusively under the aegis of the Orthodox necessary to follow every step of the review process. Union. Far from it! Many of the ingredients will be under Our first step will be to make contact with the agency the certification of various kosher agencies, both located to learn broadly of its methods and standards and to make within the United States and beyond. acquaintance with the personnel involved. We also need to There are, in fact, a very large number of kosher agen- learn the system they have devised to ensure the kosher sta- cies, numbering literally in the hundreds, spread throughout tus of the products in question. It should be stressed that this the world. With many of these agencies, the Orthodox step can prove a more daunting task than would normally be Union has built a very close working relationship over many apparent. In defining many of these certifications, the word years. A reciprocal relationship has developed in which they “agency” could be a misnomer; they are often one-man have become familiar with the standards we require, and we operations and it is frequently difficult to make contact, espe- have a comprehensive understanding of their methods and cially if the “agency” is located overseas. standards. When dealing with ingredients certified by these Once the initial contacts have been made, with the plant agencies, we will, in the main, be able to recognize immedi- and products discussed in detail to the extent that plant con- ately that an ingredient will meet the standards we espouse, fidentiality concerns will allow, a written report will be and recognize as well the very rare circumstance when it requested if necessary from the agency.When the report is might fail to. received, it will be presented to the Orthodox Union However, when dealing with one of the many hundreds Ingredient Committee, which will decide on the basis of the of agencies with which we have no longstanding arrange- information provided if the product can be accepted, if it ments of reciprocity, the situation becomes markedly more should be rejected, or if we should proceed with an in-situ complex.The kosher consumer has come to expect — and inspection by an OU representative.All of these steps can be indeed, is entitled to demand — that the Orthodox Union extremely time-consuming, as there are numerous factors maintain the very highest standards of kosher certification. that must be taken into consideration and deliberated upon. How can we guarantee the maintenance of these standards if We live in an age in which technological advancements we allow the usage of ingredients certified by agencies whose in food production have been little short of dazzling.We have standards are unknown or, worse, suspect? The IAR to assess if the agency in question has the personnel proper- (Ingredient Approval Registry) has been given the mandate to ly trained to deal with the technical situation at the plant in ensure that no ingredient used in OU-certified products can question. We also need to ensure that the kosher standards compromise the kosher standards that the consumer has applied by the agency conform to our own. In good con- rightly come to associate with OU kosher certification. science, we cannot take this for granted. In my frequent vis- When the IAR is presented with a letter of Kosher its to plants that manufacture widely divergent products, in Certification from an agency with which we have no reci- so many of these facilities what I have found most impressive procity, a process of research is immediately initiated. are the laboratories attached to the Quality Control I must stress that this research is by no means perfunc- Departments. Despite guarantees and specification sheets tory, but is conducted with utmost seriousness. We well provided by manufacturers, companies still find the need to understand that a wrong decision could affect the kosher sta- investigate, analyze, and assess the quality of an ingredient for
30 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL themselves. The IAR, as a division of OU Kosher, has very much the same responsibility vis-à-vis kosher status. If it is determined that an in-situ inspection is required, one of our senior rabbinic field representatives will be assigned to the task.You will appreciate the enormous amounts of ground- work that are necessary to gain the acquiescence of all parties to OU PROFILE the conduct of such a review, and then to take care of all logis- tical requirements for the visit, which can frequently be to the RABBI RAYMOND other side of the globe. Once the review has taken place, we MORRISON await a detailed report from the RFR, which the Ingredient Committee will once again meet to discuss in detail.The review Educated at the Rabbinical could indicate a clear-cut basis to approve or reject the product. College of Telshe in Wickliffe, Occasionally, some suggestions will be made following the Ohio, and a native of report to the certifying agency; if these are implemented to our Johannesburg, South Africa, satisfaction, it will then be possible to approve the product. Rabbi Raymond Morrison served For the most part, the system works flawlessly in practice as senior minister of the Port and I find it gratifying at how quickly we are able to reach a decision. There are occasions, however, where certain factors Elizabeth Hebrew Congregation, founded in 1862, the second-old- est congregation in South Africa. When dealing with ingredients certified In this position, he was responsi- “ ble for providing a full range of by these agencies, we will, in the main, be able community services and also served as the representative of to recognize immediately that an ingredient the Jewish population on civic and government committees and will meet the standards we espouse. organizations. ” Since 1994, Rabbi Morrison has served as rabbinic coordina- may contribute to a delay, even an extensive delay, in the tor at the OU, initially assigned to process. It may be difficult to reach the relevant agency, and the conduct of a lengthy dialogue on the relevant issues can be the baking, spice and pickles fraught with delays and miscommunications. Frequently, the industries. For the past decade he concerns that need discussion are so complex and subject to has been director of the debate that a quick decision is just not possible, nor would it Ingredient Approval Registry, indicate a truly responsible manner of dealing with those issues. even while continuing as RC for a In such circumstances, we ask for your understanding and wish large number of companies with- to emphasize that in ensuring consistency in the maintenance of in the baking, beverage and the highest standards of kosher supervision, our mutual interests candy industries; they include the are best served. Coca-Cola Company, Coca-Cola For us, these efforts at review, despite the long, difficult Enterprises and George Weston hours they frequently necessitate and the myriad complex issues Bakeries, manufacturer of such that we are compelled to confront, offer a genuine sense of sat- brands as Thomas’, Arnold and isfaction in that what we are doing both provides a real service Entenmann’s. to the companies we certify and also maintains and enforces equitable kosher standards.This is, of course, a responsibility that Rabbi Morrison and his wife, is ongoing as we reach out to constantly broadening circles in Chaya Yona, a fifth generation the exercise of our responsibilities. In the fulfillment of this Israeli, have five children and mandate, we can say with the poet,“Our joy is in doing, not in three grandchildren. having done.”
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 31 Rabbi, Wine is Fine, but Liquor? I N T E R E S T I N G K O S H E R I S S U E S I N T H E L I Q U O R I N D U S T R Y By Rabbi Aharon Brun-Kestler
Of late, there have been many articles in these pages about liquor companies choosing OU kosher certification.When a company chooses to “go kosher,” a tremendous amount of research and work goes “behind the Union symbol.” For a company to proudly bear the OU on its products, every aspect of the product and its manufacture is reviewed to make certain that everything complies with kosher law.
There are many questions that come up when certifying liquor companies. In order to understand the issues, it is important to first understand something about liquors — what they are and where they come from. In this article, I will focus pri- marily on cognac and brandy.Many of the issues, as I will also discuss, also affect other liquors and their certification. Sought after by connoisseurs, cognac is one of the gourmet items of the liquor world; the finest cognac commands prices in the hundreds of dollars per bottle. Actually, cognac is but one specialty name for brandy — which is liquor, made from distilled wine — and refers specifically to grape brandy originating in the Cognac region of France. In the U.S., the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms defines brandy as “an alcoholic distillate from the fermented juice, mash, or wine of fruit or from the residue thereof…” “Brandy” or “grape brandy” refers specifically to distil- lates made from wine.“Fruit brandy,” on the other hand, may refer to brandies “from the fermented juice or mash of whole, sound, ripe fruit, or from standard grape, citrus, or other fruit wine...”
32 BEHINDTHEUNIONSYMBOL As soon as we are dealing with grape-derived alcohol, juice or wine is pasteurized at 175° F, it is considered cooked certification becomes complicated. Because grape juice and and many of the handling stringencies are removed. One inno- wine are traditionally sacramental items, Jewish law requires vative process pioneered by the OU to address this problem is that they are made in a controlled kosher fashion. Essentially, called “hot bricking.” The grape juice is immediately pasteur- all kosher wine and grape juice manufacture requires direct ized following the crush, thus significantly simplifying the pro- involvement by trained rabbis. From the moment the grape is cessing of kosher production and concurrently helping to crushed, the juice or wine must be handled solely by religious- lower the cost. ly observant Jews. Since wine production takes place during As you can imagine, all of the pasteurizing and processing the autumn season and invariably during the High Holy Days, equipment must be koshered prior to production. This requires rabbis involved in wine making often spend their holidays experience and training, in addition to copious amounts of away from family and friends, boiling water, combined with much patience and care. When working long hours to ensure producing distilled spirits such as brandy, the koshering process Essentially, all that the product is not com- becomes both fascinating and technically challenging. promised. Distillation is, essentially, the process by which liquid mixtures kosher wine Many fine wines do not are separated by heat fractionation. Water boils at 100° Celsius and grape juice use any heat during processing (212° Fahrenheit); alcohol boils at 78.3° Celsius (173° to protect the natural yeasts. Fahrenheit). Other “notes” or fractions have other boiling manufacture Today, however, most grape points. How do we separate them? juice and wine is flash pasteur- The original liquid is heated in a still, which is a special- requires direct ized along the way. Long ago, ized tank or column designed to optimize the removal of the our rabbis observed that desired fraction. For example, if we heat a liquid containing involvement by “cooking” wine rendered it alcohol to 78.3°C, the alcohol will vaporize and rise as steam. invalid for libations and other That steam is then captured and condensed. Done enough trained rabbis. religious purposes. Once grape continued on page 50
SPRING 2007 33 OU COMPANIES SPEAK
ANTICIPATION IS BUBBLING OVER FOR ZACHLAWI FIG ARAK
HERE IS GOOD NEWS in the world of high alembic — attest to the Arab origin of producing the many quality alcoholic beverages! After going intoxicants found in western lands. through almost two years of regulatory compli- Not often served by itself, Arak is usually accompanied by ance checks and bureaucratic red tape, the kibbe (ground meat stuffed in a torpedo-shaped barley/dough Atlantic Bottling Company, which according to capsule) or lahmagine, (mini tamarind-flavored meat pizzas), AlcoholT Beverage Control is the only operating distillery in the which are known as mazza (traditional Sephardic hors d’oeu- State of New Jersey, has finally received a government license vres). A dinner invitation to friends and colleagues who savor to produce the much awaited Zachlawi Fig Arak. alcoholic drinks always begins with this gourmet ritual. After a You ask, then, what is Arak? Arak - commonly referred to few ounces of Arak and the consumption of the tasty mazza, as arack or arraki — is called “milk of the lions” by populations the guests are happily sated. When the main course of the meal in the Middle East. It has been given this nickname because of continues on page 43 its highly potent and lethal character. Arak is traditionally an aniseed-flavored colorless spirit which turns to a milky-white liquid after water and/or ice are added. It is believed that the Arak is among the first liquors devel- oped by the Christian and Jewish minorities in the Middle East. The art of distillation was initially discovered in the early Middle Ages by the 10th century Arab alchemist, Albukassem. However, the Arabs did not use his invention to produce alco- holic spirits since in Islam, liquor is forbidden. Hence, his dis- covery was employed to distill perfume from flowers and to produce kohl - a women’s eye cosmetic where a black powder is liquefied, then converted to vapor and allowed to re-solidify. The Arabs carried the art of distilling kohl to Spain from where it spread to the remainder of Europe. In these Christian lands, it took on a much different use -- the production of liquor. With the utilization of this method of producing hard spirits, the Arabic name al-kohl, which became alcohol, was adopted due to the similar method the Arabs used in manufac- turing this cosmetic. The words in English relating to the art of distillation, besides alcohol — like alchemy, alchemist, and
34 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL OU COMPANIES SPEAK
HERE ARE THE COLD FACTS ABOUT ICEBERG VODKA CORPORATION
Many years ago, the Earth’s snow was truly pure. Millennia later, compacted behind giant glacial walls, this snow remains pristine, frozen and protected from all outside impurities. These naturally pure ICEBERGS are harvested and blended with triple-distilled Canadian Sweet Corn. The result is a unique premium vodka that is best served in its natural icy state.That is the essence of Canadian ICEBERG Vodka Corporation.
Canadian ICEBERG Vodka Corpo - BERG Vodka is supported by both a ration is the manufacturer and exporter 1998 Gold Medal and Best Buy designa- of multi-international award-winning tion as awarded by the World Spirits Canadian ICEBERG Vodka. In addition Championships (Chicago) and a 2000 to ICEBERG Vodka, the company also Silver Medal as awarded by the Inter - produces ICEBERG Gin, ICEBERG national Wine and Spirits Competition Silver Rum, and ICEBERG Gold Rum. (London). In 2001, ICEBERG Vodka The company was incorporated in 1994 was ranked Number One in an inde- and is privately owned and operated. pendent taste testing carried out by Wine Access Magazine (Canada). Most recent- OUR PRODUCTS INCLUDE ly, in January 2004, ICEBERG Vodka was rated first overall by the Greater ICEBERG VODKA is triple-distilled, fil- New York Tasters Guild against all other tered four times and priced for the pre- premium vodkas. mium market. The alcohol is of the high- est quality: neutral grain spirits from ICEBERG GIN, new in Spring 2006, is a Ontario, Canada sweet corn (GMO triple-distilled London Dry style and is free), and blended with 100 percent ice- priced for the premium market. Ultra bergs. When melted, these icebergs result smoothness and an incredibly soft palate in water as it is supposed to be — pure, make this product unique among all pristine, and totally free of all man-made other styles. contamination and pollutants. ICE- continued on page 43
SPRING 2007 35 “The commitment by jelly belly candy company to the ou’s highest standards has been evident throughout the certification process, involving cooperation and involvement of all key company officials”
JELLYBELLY continued from cover candies. It was a good match for our company — many “There is robust international appeal for kosher people are surprised to learn we make more than one foods. The acceptance of the OU mark is strong, and we hundred confections in additional to Jelly Belly jelly expect to see new opportunities to build our interna- beans, our flagship brand,” said Robert Simpson, tional distribution with the presence of this mark,” said President, Jelly Belly Candy Company. Sharon Duncan, vice president, sales, International Divi- “Our company had used another kosher certifica- sion at Jelly Belly. tion for two decades for Jelly Belly jelly beans, but in the FAMILY MAKING CANDY SINCE 1869 consolidation of manufacturing for the Sunkist licensed confections, it seemed to be the ideal opportunity to seek The sweet beginnings of Jelly Belly Candy Company are OU certification for Jelly Belly beans as well,” Mr. traced back to a German family named Goelitz. In 1869, Simpson said. just two years after arriving in America, Gustav Goelitz The company’s gourmet Jelly Belly jelly beans are bought an ice cream and candy store in Belleville, Ill. and expected to receive the OU certification later this sum- set the family on its candy making course for generations mer, as will the broad range of quality confections that to follow. His brother, Albert, joined him in the business includes chocolates, licorice, mellocremes, sour candies and was sent out in a horse drawn wagon to sell their and confections for the seasons. sweets to nearby communities. “We produce such a large variety of confections and Then the second generation of the family jumped use so many different ingredients that seeing the process on the bandwagon of confectionery manufacturing by through to certification is a significant undertaking. creating a new type of candy called “buttercreams.“ Working together with the Orthodox Union to certify the While most of America knew hard-boiled candies, the two manufacturing facilities has been a cooperative effort,” new style sweet was soft, rich and smooth. The best said Michael Bianco, vice president of manufacturing. known candy of this type is Candy Corn, a sweet the “The commitment by Jelly Belly Candy Company family began making around 1900. These candies carried to the OU’s highest standards has been evident through- two more generations of the family through the Great out the certification process, involving cooperation and Depression and two world wars. involvement of all key company officials,” said Rabbi Dr. Today, the descendants of Gustav Goelitz, the fourth, Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s Vice President of Com mu - fifth and now the sixth generations of the candy family, ni cations & Marketing and Senior Rabbinic Co ordinator. are carrying on the tradition of making premium candy. The company is also rapidly expanding distribution, JELLY BEANS, especially in the international arena. The market for kosher certified products outside the U.S. is growing 15 AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL percent a year. Many consumers choose kosher for reli- The first jelly bean appeared in America in the mid- gious requirements, while others choose kosher for the 1800s when the penny candy craze prompted candy higher qualitative or for a variety of dietary reasons such makers to began experimenting with sugar candies. The as allergies, dairy free and vegetarian concerns. jelly candy, likely inspired by Turkish delight, was shaped
36 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL cooked up so he could serve red, white, and blue beans at his inau- gural parties.) Diplomats and world leaders clamored to have Jelly Belly beans. They were also the first jelly beans in outer space. Free floating, weight- less, Jelly Belly beans were sent on the space shuttle into a bean and given a soft shell Challenger in 1983 as a presidential surprise for the astronauts. using a French process called “pan- Today, Jelly Belly is the world’s favorite gourmet jelly bean, ning.” The first jelly bean was a novelty from an American the bean of choice for all those with the most discerning tastes, candy maker whose name has since been lost in time. and made in fifty amazing and tasty flavors. The company Fast forward a century and the idea for a premium jelly released Pomegranate Jelly Belly beans earlier this year. bean was born when a Los Angeles candy distributor suggest- “Seeing how much time and manpower it takes to produce ed a jelly bean made with natural flavorings to the candy mak- a single jelly bean has been amazing. The company’s emphasis ers at Jelly Belly (formerly Herman Goelitz Candy Co.). The on quality standards for thousands of ingredients that are need- company known for making the very best candies seemed the ed to produce such a range of flavors is impressive,” said Rabbi best place to bring the idea to life. Zalman Thaler, the local Orthodox Union representative. Creating “true-to-life” flavors was a natural evolution. The To the surprise and delight of Jelly Belly bean fans, the candy makers cooked up a recipe for a new style of jelly ancestors of Gustav Goelitz continue to cook up some of the bean — intensely flavored throughout, with natural ingredi- best loved candies in the world under the Confections by Jelly ents for flavoring whenever possible. In 1976 the first eight Jelly Belly. Today the company known for taste defining Jelly Belly Belly flavors came to market: Very Cherry, Lemon, Cream beans, still makes Candy Corn and produces more than one hun- Soda, Tangerine, Green Apple, Root Beer, Grape and Licorice. dred other mouthwatering candies, including such delights as They remain some of the most popular flavors in the Jelly Belly chocolates, licorice, sour candies and confections for the seasons. bean collection to this day. The flavors of the little beans with the great big taste began RABBI KALMAN SCHEINER to acquire fans. Soon Jelly Belly beans became the favorite serves as Orthodox Union rabbinic coordinator candy of President Ronald Reagan, who made them a staple in for the Jelly Belly Candy Company. the Oval Office and on Air Force One. (President Reagan’s passion for jelly beans inspired Blueberry flavor, which was
SPRING 2007 37 A PASTEURIZER SPEAKS OUT: Being Kosherized and Loving It
By Rabbi Avrohom Stone
STAINLESS STEEL glittered everywhere at the recent Academy of Process Equipment Arts and Sciences annual OSHKER awards ceremony, held last fall in Los Angeles. The foremost names in kosher dairy and juice equipment were all in attendance, and your trusty Behind the Union Symbol reporter was right there with them, carefully monitoring the movements of the biggest batch tanks, cookers and fillers in the industry. After the gala, we caught up with one of the most famous — “the Pasteurizer Formerly Known as HTST.” “Press,” as he is called by those who work with him, played a key role in a recent, multimillion-dollar kosher juice production at Changeover Foods. We cornered the big guy at one of the heavy metal events held after the gala, and he agreed to answer a few questions for his biggest fans — you, the readers of BTUS.
BTUS: Hey, Mr. T, what’s cookin’? Howyadoin’? before. It challenged me like I have never been challenged HTST: Cool, man. Although a good part of me is hot. before. It’s called kosherization. And, by the way, call me by my first name. High. BTUS: Wow! Kosherization! Our readers have heard about BTUS: All right, High. that. It’s not everyday that a piece of equipment has to go HTST: And hello to you too. through that process. Tell us about it. Did you have to be pre- BTUS: Ok. So, High, we know you’ve had a lot on your plates pared for it? recently. Could you share with the BTUS readers some HTST: Prepared for it?! Man, did I have to be prepared! Kosher - inside information about your part in the recent kosher pro- ization is not something that you can just snap your fingers (if duction? you have fingers) and do. It’s a metamorphosis, a process, a HTST: Well, I can’t reveal any details about the actual produc- transformation. You have to go through multiple steps. tion — proprietary, you know - but I can talk about what BTUS: But why did you have to go through that whole they put me through to prepare me for it. It was a part I process? Was it like you had to have some kind of special found totally draining, something I had never been through motivation?
38 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL “I’m a much more effective pasteurizer now, in manifold ways, for having worked under the direction of such a consummate professional.”
HTST: Of course I did! The part I was going to HTST: Not one degree less, mind you. That rabbi insisted. play in that production was unlike anything I had Wouldn’t settle for anything but boiling. And, let me tell you, ever been used for in the past. Remember, I was it was intense. Believe me, to reach such a temperature, you now going to be playing a dual role. You know, have to pull out all the stops. The pressure they need to put one day I’m acting as a non-kosher pasteurizer, you under to get to boiling can be overwhelming. In fact, the next day (Editor’s Note — two days later) a when my peeps heard what I was going to have to go kosher one. That’s not a simple transformation. through, they were scared I was gonna blow a gasket! Not to Process equipment can’t just jump back and forth worry, though. That rabbi knew what I was capable of. from non-kosher to kosher! That’s a radical change for any Everyone was surprised at how chilled I was by the end! piece of production machinery. BTUS: Were you the only one who went through this? BTUS: So what did you have to do? HTST: Not by any means. My entire entourage was a part of HTST: It’s not so much what I had to do, as it was all the things this. Everyone from Serge Tank, who feeds me my lines, all they had to do to me. They even brought in a special rabbi the way to Phil Erble at the end, and every pump and pipe to direct my kosherization performance and, let me tell you, in between, plus the entire supporting cast (iron). And don’t by the time he finished with everything, I was boiling over! even ask what they wanted to do with Diatomaceous, my BTUS: For instance? long time agent. HTST: Well, first they had to remove any trace of my past non- BTUS: One final question, High. What was it like to work with kosher work. Having worked in the industry for so many the rabbi? years, you can imagine that I have quite an extensive non- HTST: Awesome! Just an absolutely unbelievable experience. kosher production history. They put me through the full I’ve worked with a lot of people in my career, but never with CIP — you know, the serious allergen one — and when they someone like him. Right from the beginning, he had this finished with that, they flushed and bled me. That was really vision of exactly what the kosherization needed to look like, some experience. It took awhile to empty all my systems and, and he didn’t stop until he got me to where he wanted me. by the time they finished, I was, like, totally drained! When we did a couple of (wet) dry runs beforehand, I didn’t BTUS: And then you got kosherized? seem capable of performing at such a high level. But, work- HTST: Are you kidding? No way, Rabbino! Like I said, get- ing together with my engineers, and under his direction, they ting ready for kosherization takes everything out of you. found new ways to tweak my performance to get the most After I was completely cleaned and emptied, I had to rest for out of me. I felt regenerated after the whole experience. I’m 24 straight hours. And when that rabbi said rest, he meant a much more effective pasteurizer now, in manifold ways, for rest! I mean, he wouldn’t allow anything in my system. No having worked under the direction of such a consummate water, no product, no caustic, no acid — not even a little professional. I can’t wait to work with him again. juice. Dude, I was, like, completely dry! For a whole day! BTUS: Well, High, thanks for talking to our readers, and best of Three full shifts! The whole 24! luck with your kosher project. BTUS: Did that go for the hot water set too? HTST: No problem, Rabbi Dude. And by the way, I really love HTST: You bet! That was the first thing they drained, although your publication. I wish there were a hundred more just like it. that they refilled that right away. HTST: Man, it’s like my (Plant) Manager says - In a high ener- BTUS: And, after the 24 hours down, then you were kosherized? gy industry like ours, you can never have too many BTUS. HTST: Correct-o-tivo. The actual kosherization was absolute- More power to ya! ly intense. They filled me up with fresh water and then boiled me out at 212°. Holding tubes and all. Ran that water RABBI AVROHOM STONE, right through my whole system for about 10 minutes. whose instructive, enlightening and entertaining articles have appeared Warmed me all over. Didn’t miss a spot, either. I even had it frequently in Behind the Union Symbol, serves as OU rabbinic field running through my divert valve and out my return chiller. representative in the Tri-State area. He travels extensively throughout the BTUS: This was all done at 212°? country to conduct OU educational seminars to educate and reinforce OU Kosher standards and policies to certified companies and plants.
SPRING 2007 39 “It makes us feel good about the quality of the certification. Since we both have the same objective, providing quality kosher products, we try to be very responsive in providing what the other needs.”
ORGANIC continued from page 22
his com- NOT ONLY pany’s products to FOR VEGETARIANS U.S. food stores You don’t have to be vegetarian to shop over a year ago, organic. The carnivorous among us can after acquiring OU supervision. also find kosher/organic meat and poul- “Cust omers and companies prefer it,” he try in local supermarkets. Thanks to Wise says. “I just got back from the Annual Organic Pastures, American households Natural Food Expo West, in California. have been enjoying kosher/organic Kosher had its own booth. We want to go chicken soup for a decade and a half. on a national scale. I’m talking to distri- Back in 1992, when Brooklyn-based bution companies to (feature the prod- Rachel Wiesenfeld’s husband lost his ucts) in kosher supermarkets as well.” computer programming job, she acted on Rabbi Mordechai Kuber, Israel an idea for a natural kosher poultry busi- kashrut coordinator for the OU, works ness and discovered some untapped with over 90 companies that export to entrepreneurial skills. “We’d get into our the U.S. Included in those shipments are station wagon, hitch a trailer on the back, scores of organic products, including and go up to the farm, four hours from Halutza organic olive oil; Edward and New York to pick up chickens,” she says. “(At Sons herbs; Prinir tomato sauce; Yehuda first), business was a struggle.” They consid- and Aviv matzot; merlot and chardonnay ered giving up. Today, the company processes wines from Gush Etzion Winery; and 10,000 chickens in an average week. Tropical Source pareve chocolates, to Meat and poultry earn the organic name a few. seal if, during breeding, the animals have Some of America’s most established been spared growth hormones or antibi- companies have incorporated kosher/ otics, are fed natural grain and permitted organic into their trusted lineup. Heinz to “free range,” to roam. “The benefits are recently introduced its Heinz Organics clear,” says Joe Moyer of Pleasant View food products, featuring tomato ketchup, Egg Farm in Pennsylvania, which raises baked beans and spaghetti, which were all Wise’s certified organic poultry and eggs. immediate best-sellers. “These chickens are healthier, taste better
40 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL and have no chemical residues in them.” a level of security, knowing there are Add to the kosher/organic poultry list mechanisms checking to make sure that Aaron’s Best, from Rubashkin’s Agri Pro - the quality of their products are intact.” ces sors, found in many supermarkets, FoodProcessing.com recently pro- including Trader Joe’s. claimed that two of the top trends in food Post the According to Rabbi Seth Mandel, processing today are organic and kosher. OU RC, organically raised animals have a “I’ve heard from many (kosher foods) OU logo — higher percentage of kosher. “The more retailers that consumers are asking for the animal is taken out of the way God organic products,” says Menachem one intended it to live, the kosher yield Lubinsky, who runs Kosherfest, the of the world’s declines,” he says. “If an animal is suffer- world’s foremost kosher food trade show, ing from stress, the first place it shows up and the largest gathering of people inter- best-known is in the lungs. That’s what glatt means; the ested in the kosher industry. “Many large lungs are smooth; the animal is healthy.” retailers, such as Shop-Rite, have posi- symbols of “People are looking for healthier tioned their organic and kosher aisles added alternatives,” says Jennifer Williams, close together.” Operations Director at La Siembra, a Which continues to prove — it’s a attention company offering the consumer an alter- perfect match. to quality — native to conventional cocoa and sugar BAYLA SHEVA BRENNER products. La Siembra recently sought OU on your supervision. “The dual certifications, of is Senior Writer in the OU Communications kosher and organic both offer consumers and Marketing Department, and is a website. frequent contributor to this publication.
Ask Suzanne Beck at [email protected] or Aviva Stadler at [email protected] to send you a beautiful, hi-res OU logo.
SPRING 2007 41 OU FEATURED
COMPANIES ON EDITOR continued from page 2 OUKOSHER.ORG! Decades pass… My beloved wife immigrating from Europe communicates a need to be near the ocean. AN “Perhaps you know someplace not too far where I can enjoy the ocean and its healing powers”? she asked. And the Jersey Shore it was, on Ocean Avenue, INVITATION! where God’s waves neighbor on one side, and across the way Cedar Avenue Synagogue, where rich and colorful Syrian /Sephardic traditions abound and Arak is the As part of the new www.OUKosher.org website, drink to have. So for lengthy and beautiful summers we are highlighting OU Kosher certified compa- now, our generations-long Ashkenazic heritage takes a break, and our Syrian/Sephardic brethren take front row, nies and brands as an “OU Featured Company.” sharing a heritage and tradition ancient and meaningful. This brings me to the OU’s newest certified liquor Each featured company or brand on the website product, indeed unique, historic, a delicacy — Zachlawi www.oukosher.org Fig Arak, the finest gourmet Arak in the world, distilled includes a corporate or product image, a descrip- by hand from luscious fruit and fresh botanicals — pro- tion of the company, product, or brand, as well as duced at the Jersey Shore’s Atlantic Bottling Com - pany. Soon after seeing the very first ad announc- a link to the company or brand website. ing the upcoming Zachlawi, I sensed that this finest of liquor products needed to join the ever- If you are interested in having your company be growing list of the best among liquor companies attaining the coveted OU symbol. It’s more than one of our OU Kosher featured companies, please two years later, and Atlantic Bottling has ven- contact your Rabbinic Coordinator or Rabbi tured to produce this little-known, under- appreciated category of liquor as an Eliyahu Safran, Vice President of Marketing, artisainal product, hoping to awaken at [email protected], or 212.613.8115. a sleeping giant. Happily, Atlantic Bottling will soon be introducing additional OU certified liquors. Currently featured companies can be seen Zachlawi can now be found here: http://www.oukosher.org/index.php/ on better liquor store shelves as EDITOR continued from page 2 connoisseurs of elite liquors hail it as consumer/featured_companies/ refined and sophisticated, destined to join the winning team of liquors. Bottled in a stunning- ly attractive bottle akin to a fig, Zachlawi Fig Arak now has a permanent place of honor at my Sabbath table all year long, even if my Cedar Avenue Synagogue friends are only summer neighbors. And the privilege of having acquired the trust and friendship of Zachlawi’s refined and inspiring grand brew master, Mordechai Marty Kairey, helps me better appreciate why this “milk of the lions” will always reign supreme. L’Chaim — Cheers!
RABBI DR. ELIYAHU SAFRAN Editor in Chief/Vice President, Communications and Marketing, OU Kosher
42 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL “Being affiliated with the OU is like hooking up to a live wire of kosher resources and guidance. The support given by OU greatly exceeded our expectations.”
ARAK continued from page 34
is finally served, the food is hard- Slowly, the demand for Zachlawi has brought it to Maryland and ly touched. Sipping on Arak while Canada as well. consuming these appetizers is It was reported that enthusiasts in Lakewood were buzzing always thought of as the highlight of about the news of Zachlawi’s first batch. According to an inside the meal! source, this phenomenon can be explained by a growing Atlantic Bottling has ventured to pro- Zachlawi folklore: It is has been said that that when a northern duce this little-known, under-appreciated cate- wind blows in Lakewood, one can actually catch the smell of fig gory of liquor hoping to awaken a sleeping giant. Although fermentation in the air! many people of Mediterranean descent would recognize Arak, it The company’s first copper pot-still bubbled with the arti- is only enjoyed by few. Atlantic Bottling believes that the lack of san-prepared brew in early September as a limited batch of only popularity of Arak is due to the commercialization and poor about 500 bottles was carefully prepared. The Orthodox Union, production values (e.g., using very low end ingredients such as we have learned, is not just for the big players. At first, Atlantic artificial flavor and molasses spirits) of larger, mass production Bottling thought the OU was too big for this small, gourmet companies. Arak therefore developed a commercial image as a company. However, aside from being an internationally recog- peasant’s liquor and fell by the wayside. Despite commercialized nized symbol of kosher standards, which would be critical in our Arak, there have always been among Sephardic and Moroccan niche and widespread markets, OU is not just about consumer Jews of previous generations many home distillers making a craft recognition. Being affiliated with the OU is like hooking up to Arak. This delicacy was something shared only with close friends a live wire of kosher resources and guidance. The support given and family. The practice of making a home distillate is now an by OU greatly exceeded our expectations. With much gratitude icon in history. Besides being illegal, home distilling is highly we salute the Orthodox Union for being there for us. dangerous, as ethanol has a flash point at room temperature. L’Chaim! Atlantic Bottling, located on the Jersey Shore, has taken this For distribution information contact ancient art and brought it to the marketplace. Initial distribution Zachlawi’s Brand Manager: Allied Importers USA began in Brooklyn, the Jersey Shore area and Lakewood, NJ. 718.472.1155 [email protected]
ICEBERG continued from page 35
ICEBERG SILVER RUM and ICEBERG GOLD RUM “People throughout the world are are both new products, launched in October, recognizing the quality and value in 2006. These two new rum entries are made from ICEBERG Vodka. It is becoming a truly a blend of two, five and seven-year-old Demerra rum, which is the slowly mixed with pure great Canadian success story.” ICEBERG water. The results are the world’ first truly clean and crisp tasting rum, with no burn or aftertaste. ICEBERG Vodka is marketed through our network of sales Besides being produced with the agencies and distributors in Canada, the United States, Mexico, highest grade Canadian sweet corn, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Iceland, Israel and Europe. neutral grain spirits and the world’s ICEBERG Vodka was launched in Israel in February, 2005 purest water, ICEBERG is also certi- to great acclaim at a dinner attended by 2,000 people. The dis- fied kosher by the Orthodox Union; tributor in Israel, Spats Industries, sold out its entire inventory ICEBERG, in fact, was one of the within two days! earliest OU certified vodkas. All ICEBERG’s communications emphasize quality, purity and aspects of our products from the ice- clarity. Our point of difference is our distinct, chiselled ice- berg water, the corn and blending shaped bottle, which combined with our revolutionary state of have met kosher requirements as set the art clear ice-textured see-through label, reveals a cool, clean, forth by the Orthodox Union. Even and clear iceberg landscape. the bottling has been OU approved. “People throughout the world are recognizing the quality Having OU certification means that and value in ICEBERG Vodka,” declared David Hood, Senior we are held to a standard higher then Vice President of Vodka. “It is becoming a truly great Canadian ISO9001 or HACCP. success story.”
SPRING 2007 43 DON’T LOOK NOW, BUT NANOTECHNOLOGY DEALS WITH SUBSTANCES YOU CAN’T SEE, BUT HAVE AN IMPACT ON KOSHER!
By Rabbi Eliyahu W. Ferrell
Many years ago, a book and movie named “Fantastic Voyage” made a big impact on the entertainment world. “Fantastic Voyage” dealt with a group of scientists shrunk down so small that they could enter a sick man’s bloodstream and heal him. And so they did.
44 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL OU PROFILE
RABBI ELIYAHU W. FERRELL
While attending Yeshivat Kesser
consumer when oxygen is Torah in Queens, NY, Rabbi Eliyahu W. We all thought of this as seeping into the package); Ferrell was awarded his Bachelors pure science fiction. And indeed, no one Filter with micro-sieves Degree in Psychology from Queens has yet figured out how to shrink a (e.g., to remove pathogens and lactose College of the City University of New human being. However, we are already from milk and caffeine from coffee); York. He subsequently received ordina- creating tools on the microscopic scale. Fine-tune the qualities of a food (e.g., That is the domain of nanotechnology. nano-capsules can be produced in such a tion from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Nanotechnology is the control of way that they burst open at different Theological Seminary of Yeshiva matter on the atomic and molecular scale microwave frequencies and release only University. He has served as a pulpit and the engineering of functional systems those colors, flavors, and nutrients the rabbi at the Downtown Talmud Torah and devices on this scale. To give you an consumer chooses); and idea of how small this is, imagine the Improve emulsification (e.g., nano- Synagogue in New York City; taught at width of a human hair. It would take the particles and nano-encapsulated sub- the Frisch School in Paramus, NJ; and widths of literally tens of thousands of stances can mix into what they would not since 2000 has taught at the Passaic these nano-devices or nano-particles to equal mix into on the macro-scale — including Torah Institute, also in New Jersey. That the width of that single hair! oil and water!). Nanotechnology is what is called a Not surprisingly, nano-spheres and same year he joined OU Kosher as a “general purpose technology,” i.e., it nano-encapsulated substances are on the rabbinic coordinator, now impacts on almost every industry. Food- radar screen of the OU. These items must specializing in chemicals and assisting producers (such as Heinz, Hershey, Tate & measure up to kosher standards no less in areas of kosher education. Lyle, Nestlé, and Unilever) have already than any other ingredients in an OU-cer- In addition, Rabbi Ferrell served as taken notice. There are two main vehicles tified product. The spheres, the capsules, for using nanotechnology in the manu- and the capsules’ contents may not neces- Kosher Director at two outreach facture of food. A company may produce sarily be composed of kosher-approved summer camps in the Former Soviet a nano-encapsulated substance, i.e., a sub- substances. Union, and is the author of articles on stance in a capsule on the nano-scale. Or The interesting wrinkle in addressing various Torah topics. Rabbi Ferrell and it may produce nano-spheres, i.e., a sub- kosher concerns generated by nano-tech- stance manufactured on the nano-scale. nology is that nano-products are invisible his wife, Aliza, have four What kind of changes could be to the naked eye. Although Jewish law is children and reside in Passaic. wrought by nanotechnology? The use of Divine in its origins and authority, the nanotechnology can do the following: adjudication of questions is left to human Increase shelf-life (e.g., by protecting scholars, applying the revealed axioms to nutrients from degradation through the best of their understanding. An aspect microscopic non-kosher particle is a non- nano-encapsulation); of this focus on human judgment and kosher mixture, because the detectability Increase absorption by the body perception is that kosher law views as (with unaided human senses) of a parti- (e.g., nano-scale carotenoids being used inconsequential an item that is sub-ocu- cle’s effect is inimical to the particle’s as additives in lemonade, fruit juices, and lar. The discussion among authorities in (legal) inconsequentiality. This topic is still cheese); Jewish law stems from the fact that the in the investigative stage and continues to Allow the control-release of sub- effects of nano-particles are discernible to be reviewed and analyzed by OU’s senior stances (e.g., by putting a distasteful — the unaided eye/nose/tongue even if the kosher experts. but healthful — additive in a nano-cap- particle itself is not. Although a given par- The OU stands ready to assist all of sule that only opens in the stomach); ticle may be permissible due to its sub- its companies in using top-of-the-line Warn of spoilage (e.g., by creating ocular character, one might aver that a technology while maintaining top-of- “smart” food packaging that warns the mixture that is detectably affected by a the-line kosher standards.
SPRING 2007 45 K O S H E R F O O D F O R T H E P R I N C E T O N T I G E R How the OU Partners With the Dining Hall at the
RECOGNIZED GLOBALLY for academic excel- Ivy League lence, Princeton University is a vibrant commu- nity of scholarship and learning. Princeton simul- taneously strives to be one of the leading research universities and the most outstanding undergrad- Campus uate college in the world. As a research university, it seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding, and in the education of grad- uate students. At the same time, Princeton is dis- tinctive among research universities in its commit- ment to undergraduate teaching. It should come as no surprise that when Princeton decided to seek new certification for its kosher dining center it turned to the Orthodox Union. OU Kosher is the world’s largest and most widely recognized kosher certification agency, and it makes sense for the premier Ivy League univer- sity to ask for certification from the premier supervising agency. It is well known that a campus dining facility is a special environment. When a Jewish student group decides at the last minute to have an event outside of the building, it is of the utmost impor- tance to have access to kosher food. When Hillel
46 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL “The Orthodox Union has definitely enhanced the dining experience at runs a Shabbat 300 event — the target the Center for Jewish Life.” number of how many students Hillel hopes to attract -- there must be a great deal of quick thinking on the part of the Princeton) and Rabbi Leonard Steinberg we get high quality sushi and a sushi chef OU to assure that those 300 Jewish stu- (OU rabbinic coordinator) have been to feed 230 Jewish students?” he recalls. dents experience an amazing Shabbat proactive rather than reactive dealing “I put in a call to Rabbi Steinberg, with great tasting kosher food. with the issues that exist in a university and he got back to me right away with an The Princeton Center for Jewish Life setting. The Orthodox Union has defi- OU certified catering company that spe- Dining Hall is much more than a cafete- nitely enhanced the dining experience at cializes in Asian food. Students are still ria or a campus eating place or a caterer - the Center for Jewish Life.” talking about that program, and with the - although it is all those things. What hap- When Princeton Dining has an issue, help of the OU I was able to run a great pens when the OU and the Center for the staff knows it can count on Yossi Adler event that saw as many as 80 non-reli- Jewish Life partner? The multiplicity of to deal with it immediately, and that if he gious students eat in the succah, who needs requires inventiveness on the part doesn’t have an answer, there will be a never would have considered coming of the OU to maintain the highest kosher quick response from Rabbi Steinberg at without the draw of sushi.” standards without limiting the function- OU headquarters. Rabbi Joshua Ross, the Stuart Orefice, the Director of ing of the dining hall. Donna Pilenza, the Torah Educator assigned with his wife Princeton Dining Services, makes it clear Princeton Dining Area Manager, is a Rivky to the OU’s Jewish Learning Ini - how Princeton evaluates the OU’s pres- good person to ask. tia tive on Campus program at Prince ton, ence. "It has been a rewarding experience “It has been a pleasure working with especially appreciates the benefit of hav- and extremely professional relationship the Orthodox Union at the Center for ing the OU around to assist his programs. between Princeton University and the Jewish Life. The OU’s true strength lies in “When we decided to run Sushi in the OU,” he declares. “Our program would its strong communication skills,” she says. Succah we knew we would have an not be successful without the assistance of “Yossi Adler (the OU mashgiach at instant hit on our hands, but where would Orthodox Union."
JLIC: At Princeton & 12 Other Campuses A Young Rabbinic Couple Provides an Atmosphere of Education and Community in a Secular College World
NOT ONLY does Prince - Maryland, the University of Florida, the University of Illinois, and ton have OU certification UCLA. The program will come to Johns Hopkins in the fall. for its kosher dining hall, JLIC, now in its seventh year, operates in coordination with but the Orthodox Union is Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life and the Torah Mitzion also present at Nassau Hall organization. It is staffed by a young rabbi and his wife, many of via an acclaimed program, whom are also graduates of secular campuses, and features inten- Jewish Learning Initiative on sive study of Jewish texts; Sabbath and holiday observance; daily Campus, found at 13 colleges synagogue services; mentoring and good companionship. It is across the country, includ- dedicated to the enhancement of Orthodox communities on ing Prince ton’s Ivy League campus by promoting positive growth and identity among Jewish counterparts Yale, the Uni - students, therefore serving as one of the incubators of the future ver sity of Pennsylvania, and of Orthodoxy. The program is open to all Jewish students, regard- Cornell. less of level of observance. Rabb Ori and Lea Melamed are JLIC is also found at The couples serve as role models who open their homes to the JLIC couple at Rutgers. Brandeis, the University of students for Sabbath and holiday meals, and who provide a link Massachusetts/Amherst, New York University, Brooklyn College for students on secular campuses to the yeshiva environment they of the City University of New York, Rutgers, the University of experienced before going to college.
SPRING 2007 47 > OU/SGS Partnership T O E N A B L E S I M U L T A N E O U S K O S H E R S U P E R V I S I O N A N D C E R T I F I C A T I O N A U D I T S The Orthodox Union recently entered into a partnership with SGS, a global leader and innovator in food safety/quality management system auditing, certification, inspection and testing. This new exciting partnership offers OU clients the added benefit of having kosher supervision and HACCP certification audits performed simultaneously, reducing costly down time and duplication.
“The key reason for investing in management systems and the complicated by the proliferation of parallel standards such related certification should be business improvement and com- as HACCP, EUREPGAP, GMP, IFS, and BRC, as produc- pliance to legislation”, says Jeffrey McDonald, Executive Vice ers are pressured by retailers or other stakeholders to imple- President, SGS Systems & Services Certification in the May ment specific standards. Due to the lack of consolidation of issue of Food Safety Europe magazine. He supports consolidation these standards, companies have been forced to undergo of food safety standards as it would benefit all the stakeholders several audits, most of which focus on the same issues. A within the industry. very common problem among food processors is trying to Below is a Q & A with Mr. McDonald on consolidating understand what the requirements for compliance are in food safety audits: the face of this explosion of standards and regulations. Can you outline the current major issues food Have any new techniques or developments processors and manufacturers face when it comes to improved your ability to carry out accurate carrying out food safety auditing and certification and reliable auditing? globally? The single biggest initiative that could assist certification Many food processors face the challenge of an ever chang- bodies in carrying out more accurate and reliable auditing ing environment. The growing number of recent, high pro- is the recent release of the ISO 22000 Food Safety Man - file food scares, along with rapidly changing regulations, age ment Systems standard. The comprehensive ISO causes much confusion in the market. The problem of 22000:2005 standard includes the key requirements of all adapting to a volatile regulatory environment is further the major food standards. It covers a wide scope of activities
48 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL “The key reason for investing in management systems and the related certification should be business improvement and compliance to legislation”
and also contains a requirement for continual improvement. to verify compliance and institute corrective actions where The challenge with reference to any industry consolidation gaps in the system are identified. under a specific standard depends on the actual support and The second step is to have an audit conducted by an inde- recognition received from the industry. Early trends tend to pendent, third-party certification body. The key objective suggest that producers and suppliers of food products are during these audits is to check that the organization’s man- very supportive of the standard. For many, having to com- agement systems conform to a specific standard. Once an ply with multiple standards means significant amounts of organization has passed this final step, a certificate is issued redundancy. Suppliers recognize that the ISO 22000 stan- and regular surveillance audits are performed, usually annu- dard covers all the areas within the supply chain, requires ally, to verify that the system is being sustained. The actual compliance to all relevant legislation in regions or countries cost of the final audit is a much smaller percentage of the where products are sold and stipulates that client require- overall cost compared with the investment made to estab- ments related to food safety are met. This standard encour- lish and implement the system. The majority of standards ages a streamlined food safety system. that require things like management review, internal audit- SGS issued its first ISO 22000 in November 2005. ing, specific programs for corrective and preventive action Why was the standard introduced, and what impact focus on an overall quality assurance. The purpose is to pre- has it had on the food industry so far? vent problems from happening before they occur. In sum, there are two aspects to consider — implementing SGS has already issued ISO 22000 certificates in several a system as a business tool and not simply to meet the countries. We are currently working with some of the requirement of a piece of paper or a standard, and also to world’s major food producers and manufacturers in ISO select broad-based standards that have wide acceptance 22000 certification and we expect that there will be pres- rather than focusing on getting a certificate that may attest sure for these producers to cascade the standard down only to meeting the specific requirements of an individual throughout their supply chain throughout the world. The client. Unfortunately, as some producers are still being asked support from producers and manufacturers has also gener- only to get the piece of paper as evidence of standard com- ated a lot of discussion at the retail level. Some of the small- pliance, they tend to seek the quickest and the easiest way er retailers are saying they will accept ISO 22000, but some out, thereby undermining the whole objective of streamlin- of the big retailers continue to back the traditional retailer ing standards. schemes such as BRC and IFS. Those who do take the time How are regulations likely to change in the future, to understand the ISO 22000 standard find it really does and how are the changes or trends likely to impact cover all the key requirements of all the other standards, and on both companies such as SGS and your customers? more. It does include improvements which a lot of the other specific food standards don’t necessarily cover. I don’t know in detail how regulations are going to change. Complying with standards can be a financial burden What seems to be quite clear, however, is that governments on those in the food industry. Would you agree with are going to continue to support food standards. They are this and what strategies would you advise to help structured in such a way as to ensure that organizations mitigate these costs? comply with those standards and meet the safety and leg- islative requirements for that particular region, as well as Complying with any management system standard requires areas to which they export product and it essentially satis- some financial investment. The financial investment fies the interest of the stakeholders as in any country. These required is in acquiring the relevant knowledge of the stan- groups have a vested interest in making sure legislative rules dard’s requirements and then adapting and designing are being adhered to. One of the areas that SGS will focus processes and systems to meet these requirements. on is the continual training and development of our audi- Compliance to such a standard is thus a two-step process. tors. We also offer comprehensive training courses to our First, people need to be trained to document, design and customers on food safety and quality standards. implement the new system. Once systems have been imple- mented, organizations carry out internal audits and checks RABBI GAD BUCHBINDER is the OU liaison for SGS. He may be reached at [email protected].
SPRING 2007 49 continued from page 33
times, one can achieve a liquid which is For example, one can make Passover- 95 percent pure alcohol, referred to as acceptable alcohol from sweet potatoes, “neutral spirits” or “everclear.” Alter - but certainly not from wheat. A factory natively, one can have stills where the using milk-derived alcohol might well ren- entire mixture is boiled at 100°C, but dif- der all of its products and equipment dairy. ferent collection points are made at dif- Many distilled spirits are — like ferent heights in the stack. Because the brandy, scotch, bourbon and whiskey — different fractions have different boiling traditional brews where the end product As you can see, points and weights, some are present in is far from “neutral;” that is, the entire there are many higher concentrations at different heights process is designed to enhance flavors and in the column. There are, as you can characteristics of the original ingredients interesting imagine, several variations on this theme, rather than remove them. Sometimes the challenges including systems that use vacuums and processes themselves, as opposed to the other modifications, all of which affect ingredients, raise kosher concerns. For “behind the how the machinery is koshered. For example, all of these products are aged to example, does one kosher the equipment meld and mellow the various “notes” (fla- Union symbol” with the vacuum on or off? Does the vors) and give the products a distinct pro- when it comes to presence of a vacuum affect the required file. This aging is done in oak barrels or koshering temperature? How does one casks. Kentucky Bourbon must, by law, be liquors. You can be get boiling water 150 feet up a distillation aged in first use oak casks. Most scotches column? Over the years, the OU has seen and whiskies, however, are aged in second assured, however, thousands of variations on these themes use casks — often from wine. Some of that whatever they and has developed the expertise to assist the world’s finest scotches and whiskies companies with innovative solutions. gain part of their signature finish from are, the OU has Alcohol distillation is, of course, not aging in sherry, port, or Madeira casks. confronted them limited to wine. In fact, the mother liquor The result — there are many questions can be almost any starch or sugar and about the contribution the original wine and is prepared to neutral spirits are derived from a plethora may have on the final product. Other of sources. In the United States, the questions that arise with these seemingly work with your majority of neutral grain spirits come non-problematic brews include the use of company to solve from corn. In Europe, there is an abun- flavors and colors to blend or enhance dance of wine production as well as cere- some products. them, if it is al grains such as wheat and rye. In New Most liquors are a base spirit (usually Zealand, there is so much excess milk that a neutral spirit) combined with essences, possible to do so. it pays to manufacture food grade juices or flavors. A coffee liquor, for ethanol, and in the world’s sugar growing example, may be little more than coffee regions there is plenty of sugar cane or essence in neutral spirits; then again, it other more tropical starches like yams and may be far more complicated — incor- sweet potatoes. As you can see, the sourc- porating several custom flavors, glycerin, ing of alcohol has many kosher concerns. colors and other ingredients. Clearly, the
50 BEHIND THE UNION SYMBOL OU PROFILE “Essentially, all kosher wine and grape juice manufacture requires direct RABBI involvement by trained rabbis.” AHARON J. BRUN- KESTLER
Rabbi Aharon J. Brun-Kestler has spent the past 14 years working in all aspects of kosher supervision, from local field inspections to international accounts admin- istration. From 1992 through 1997, Rabbi Brun-Kestler was the Orthodox Union’s full time field representative at Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation in Canajoharie, NY. During the same period, Rabbi Brun-Kestler worked for the Vaad HaKashruth of the Capitol District in Albany, NY, visiting various food manufacturers as well as catering and retail establishments. Beginning in late 1997, Rabbi Brun- Kestler moved to the Orthodox Union’s New York world headquarters where, as a rabbinic coordinator in the New Companies Department, he worked with applicants set- ting up their kosher programs. His efforts were focused on development of new regions, including extensive work in China and Turkey. Rabbi Brun-Kestler also became involved in efforts to educate the public about kosher, traveling extensively to food shows and other venues around the world. In the summer of 2002, Rabbi Brun- Kestler became Executive Director of the more ingredients, the greater the potential kosher concerns. Flavor ingredients con- Vaad HaRabbanim of Greater Seattle, where tain hundreds of compounds, including many that are intrinsically not kosher. For he oversaw all areas of kosher supervision, as example, there are flavors extracted from non-kosher animals or insects. Other well as overall management of the Vaad’s common ingredients like glycerin can be animal, mineral or vegetable in origin. operations. Recently, Rabbi Brun-Kestler Many liquors present another problem. The base flavor or essence may, in fact, returned to the Orthodox Union, focusing pri- be kosher. However, the product is mixed and bottled in a facility which makes marily on communications and business devel- many products — some kosher and others non-kosher. This can raise many chal- opment, while also serving as rabbinic coordi- lenges. Aside from the bottling equipment itself, there are fascinating questions nator of many accounts, including a growing about the shipment and storage of liquid ingredients. For example, a kosher liquid number of OU certified companies in Spain. cannot be stored in a container that previously stored (for more than 24 hours), or Rabbi Brun-Kestler enjoys addressing all cooked, a non-kosher liquid, if it will, in turn, sit for more than 24 hours. This is aspects of kosher operations and assisting true even if the container is completely clean of the previous product and every- companies which seek to better understand thing is cold! There are two general approaches taken to this problem. One is to the kosher marketplace as well as the “ins kosher the containers. The other is to set up systems which guarantee not only and outs” of kosher certification. excellent cleanup but also that the kosher ingredients are scheduled in ways that Rabbi Brun-Kestler studied at several avoid the 24-hour rule. Israeli yeshivot and has also received an MA As you can see, there are many interesting challenges “behind the Union sym- in English Literature from Northeastern bol” when it comes to liquors. You can be assured, however, that whatever they are, University. He, his wife, Greta, and their five the OU has confronted them and is prepared to work with your company to solve children reside in West Hempstead, NY. them, if it is possible to do so.
SPRING 2007 51 For applications OU KOSHER VIDEO– to certify NEW THE SEQUEL COMPANIES or Here in 20 minutes is everything you ADDITIONAL need to know about the procedures and PLANTS, If you liked the requirements necessary to produce an first OU Kosher OU Kosher product, and how to design an effective system at your company. call Civie Birnbaum Video, you’ll Recommended for personnel in management, production and quality at the OU love the control and for in-house training. Applications Desk, second one, TO ORDER EXTRA COPIES 212.613.8249 “The Kosher CALL 212.613.8115 or email [email protected] Standard.” E—MAIL [email protected] VISIT WWW.OU.ORG
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