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Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Case Studies: Bodek Kosher Produce – First in the Kosher Vegetable Revolution
So Your’re Looking For An Easy Salad? No problem. Rip open a bag of lettuce, add dressing, and voilà – you’ve got your salad. Want something more exotic? Try the freezer section – broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, frozen strawberries – all strictly kosher and ready to use. No big deal, you think. Couldn’t be easier.
Not so, says Yechiel Weinman, one of the founders and developers of Bodek Kosher Produce. Quite recently, lettuce only came on heads, broccoli only came in bunches, and kosher consumers thought twice before using them and many others. Despite their health benefits – cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and other vegetables are nutrient powerhouses – the kashrut implications were weighty. These vegetables are prone to insect infestation – and insects are strictly forbidden by the Torah.
About twenty years ago, Tzvi Gartenhaus, together with Mr.Weinman and Shaul Perlstein, embarked on a mission to provide kosher consumers with insect-free produce.
“I was speaking to Rabbi Shlomo Gissinger and Rabbi Dr. Yitzchok Sokol, who had begun an intensive campaign to educate kosher consumers,” says Mr. Gartenhaus. “They realized that people weren’t aware of the issues. The average head of lettuce contains as many as 30 thrips and aphids, and certain vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, are so infested, they are practically impossible to clean by hand. The rabbis were making presentations in schools and yeshivas and waking up people to the problem. It was incredible – eating an insect is six times worse than eating treif, and people just didn’t know.”
“I always had this dream of providing kosher consumers with insect-free vegetables,” Mr. Gartenhaus said, “and as we were talking, we realized that there had to be a way to clean vegetables with high-pressure water. So guided by these experts in bedikat tolaim – in inspecting foods for insects–we researched water systems and began experimenting. Soon, we found that we could indeed render lettuce and cabbage insect-free–and Bodek was born.”
From the start, Bodek was embraced by kosher consumers. Suddenly lettuce, cabbage, and specially-grown broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables were back on the menu, in thousands of homes, restaurants, and food manufacturing plants. Consumers began to ask for the Bodek sign.
“Bodek became almost a symbol of kashrut,” says a company representative. “But it was our kashrut certification that helped us become that symbol.”
Bodek products are certified by the OU, the CRC, and Rabbi Gissinger of Lakewood. Bodek chose the OU both for its high standards and for its universal acceptance. The OU is accepted by virtually every segment of the Orthodox Jewish community.
“The rabbis at the OU were so excited about Bodek, and encouraged us to expand and find ways to remove insects from more vegetables,” said Mr. Gartenhaus. “Many, if not all, of Bodek’s clients, both in the wholesale and retail markets, choose Bodek especially because of its kosher certifications.”
“Interestingly,” Mr. Weinman adds, “Bodek soon became known for its high quality as well. Because insects tend to infest lesser-quality produce, Bodek purchases only the highest grade vegetables. And it is constantly developing new ways to improve its products.”
“Within the last year, technological developments in both the washing process and packaging have more than doubled our products’ shelf life,” says Mr. Gartenhaus. “And we are always developing new vegetable blends and packaging concepts to provide consumers with more choices.”
Some recent developments?
Sliced fresh onions; new soup mixes and frozen blends; and the Bodek salad bowl, for health-conscious consumers seeking a satisfying meal on-the-go.
Bodek also changes its product line to reflect market conditions. This year, the asparagus crop was infested – so Bodek temporarily stopped processing asparagus.
One thing that never changed at Bodek is its insistence on cutting lettuce and cabbage into thin strips. That is because it is the only way to ensure that water reaches all surfaces. Larger cuts tend to leave clumps of lettuce or cabbage intact, and it is impossible to clean between the leaves.
It is its insistence on high standards that makes Bodek a leader in the bagged produce industry. Or, in the words of a housewife, “I trust Bodek. They invented the product, they created the standard, and they stick to it.”
Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried • OU Companies Speak • (0) Comments •
Family Values Make Sally Sherman Foods a Salad Lover’s Delight
America Has A Soft Spot for entrepreneurs and family operations. But make no mistake: the reputation of Sally Sherman Foods goes far deeper than a sentimental nod to the passage of two generations of leadership.With continued growth over the last half century, the strength of this family owned business (the Endico family retains ownership) is that it functions as one big family.
Over the last thirty years, Sally Sherman Foods has been a pioneer in the kosher processing and marketing industry. The Orthodox Union cites multiple criteria for which the company has exceeded all expectations. But the reasons for the widespread consumer admiration for Sally Sherman Foods can really be boiled down to one: Boy, do these guys know how to make salads kosher and tasty! When searching for an organization to certify the company’s kosher status, the decision was easy. The Orthodox Union was the obvious choice. The trust and respect of the kosher observant community afforded to the Orthodox Union was decisive in the selection process.
Nowhere is Sally Sherman Foods’ savvy more evident than in the operations of its business. The majority of the raw materials are grown on our farms and inspected by rabbinic field personnel for their kosher integrity before they get to the plant. Management’s background and expertise in farming, coupled with its unparalleled commitment to use the highest possible quality ingredients, makes it a unique company. Management’s expertise, along with assistance, research and development from universities throughout the country, make Sally Sherman Foods a pioneer in the kosher food processing field.
Over the last thirty years there have numerous rabbinic coordinators supervising the kashrut program at Sally Sherman Foods. Each of them, along with management — individually, collectively and cooperatively – has built the steppingstones of a model plant. Management’s commitment to quality and expertise in produce makes it easy to maintain the kashrut program. It is very challenging to do so, but the trust and relationship built between management and rabbinic personnel was strong enough to solve any issues that have arisen.
Sally Sherman Foods has fostered a relationship with the Orthodox Union which has benefited everybody, particularly the consumer, who is being offered a product of the highest quality at an affordable price.The constant calls, emails and letters we receive, especially during the Jewish holidays, are testimony to our commitment.
Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried • OU Companies Speak • (0) Comments •
Van Drunen Farms: Commitment to Quality for More Than a Century
For More Than One Hundred Years the Van Drunen family has been committed to quality. From the selection of the finest raw ingredients to the processing, packaging and shipping of each product, Van Drunen Farms strives to provide ingredients with the best flavor, color and texture. Our fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, dairy and other ingredients are produced to flavor, enhance and create today’s food products.
Quality begins from the ground up. As grower as well as processors, we are uniquely able to produce products that have been under our control from seed to shipping. For those ingredients that we do not produce ourselves, our role as growers helps us to identify suppliers whose standards and qualifications match our own.
Van Drunen Farms produces ingredients that are consistent, wholesome and functional. We offer a variety of products– including frozen herbs and vegetables, freeze-dried fruits, vegetables and herbs, drum-dried fruit and vegetable powders or flakes, and several sugar-infused fruit products as well.
OU certification became necessary in recent years because customers started demanding kosher products; therefore, food companies were looking for kosher certified ingredients to meet demand. As the most recognized certifying agency, OU was an easy choice for us.
Because of our wide variety of products, our careful tracking and segregation of kosher and non-kosher raw materials, and the constant monitoring of our fields and processing standards, kosher certification is a constant challenge. The reward, however, is the ability to sell to a growing number of companies that produce kosher products for today’s food service needs.
At Van Drunen Farms, we appreciate the great working relationship we have with Rabbi Elimelech Friedman and Rabbi Aaron Karmon, our local representatives, and Rabbi David Bistricer, our national OU representative. We look forward to many more years of working with the Orthodox Union for our kosher certification.
Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried • OU Companies Speak • (1) Comments •
Monday, August 01, 2005
Stonyfield Farms: An OU Rabbi’s Dream Company
In my periodic visits to Stonyfield Farms over the years, I cannot help noticing the remarkable growth of the manufacturing facility and the impressive expansion of the product line with creative new yogurt products. Fortunately, while the company grew, it also maintained the wholesome nature of its products and continued to develop and produce yogurt products with a high level of quality control.
Since the Orthodox Union Kosher Certification Program at Stonyfield has been seamlessly integrated into the quality control system of the company, all new products and ingredients were submitted in advance to the OU for approval, thereby, maintaining a current Schedule A and Schedule B.
Another impressive dimension of Stonyfield’s response to its kosher certification is the way in which the company itself monitors its raw materials. In addition to welcoming unannounced visits from the OU’s rabbinical representatives, Stonyfield conducts a self-audit every two weeks. Quality control personnel developed a checklist based on a Schedule A and inspect the labels on each and every raw material to insure they bear the appropriate kosher marking as indicated on Schedule A. Therefore, it is no wonder that the rabbinical inspections go so smoothly at Stonyfield Farms.
Ingredients range from frozen cultures which are packed in small cans and stored in a deep freeze environment, to large totes of fruit fillings. Since all ingredients and products at Stonyfield are kosher, there is no need to monitor various formulations, and since all the equipment is used exclusively for kosher products, no kosherization is necessary. Kosher consumers can feel comfortable that they are not only receiving the highest quality in yogurt products, but that they are also receiving the highest standards in kosher certification as well.
Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried • Milk, Cream & Cheese Substitutes • OU Companies Speak • (0) Comments •
Leaving No Stone Unturned at… Stonyfield Farm
WHEN a certifying rabbi first paid a visit to Stonyfield Farm, he tramped through the mud of rural New Hampshire to do it. He also got somewhat lost. That was back in 1984 when the yogurt company consisted of “seven cows and a good yogurt recipe.” Stonyfield Farm was located in rural Wilton, New Hampshire then, up a road so steep that milk trucks often had trouble scaling it in the winter.
Today, Stonyfield Farm is the largest producer of organic yogurt in the world and the Number Three yogurt company in the country, with net sales of $174 million in 2004. Some 272 people are employed at its Londonderry, NH production facility. All of its products are certified kosher by the Orthodox Union. Not only does Stonyfield sell organic yogurt, but its relatively new Smoothies are soaring off the shelves; its YoBaby line for infants and toddlers is among the best-selling product for the company; its cultured soy offers an option for those who don’t want to eat dairy; its frozen yogurts and ice creams are award-winners; and it recently entered the market for milk — the kind you just pour into a glass and drink. From the beginning, back when CEO Gary Hirshberg, his business partner Samuel Kaymen, and their families were milking the seven cows, Mr. Hirshberg knew it was important to make a product that was healthy, delicious, organic, and of the highest quality. “OU certified kosher products are identified with quality, which makes it a good fit for us,” Mr. Hirshberg said. “We always wanted to be able to offer the kosher market the best-tasting yogurt possible. We sell very well in New York and the Northeast, and we see the OU label as another tool to help us continue to expand our business. Just as the organic niche has grown, we expect the kosher niche to grow.” In one sense, Stonyfield Farm products are “value-added” for the kosher consumer by supporting a healthy environment.The company was the nation’s first dairy processor to pay farmers not to treat cows with the synthetic bovine growth hormone rBGH. Stonyfield also donates ten percent of its profits to environmental causes and it offsets 100 percent of its CO2 emissions from its facility, in an effort to reduce global warming.Carol McLaughlin, Stonyfield’s go-to person on kosher compliance, says that working with the OU for so many years means that certifications go smoothly. She is in constant communication with Rabbi Michael Morris in New York and Rabbi Gershon Segal in the Boston OU office. Both have been helpful when any supply issues have arisen. For example, Ms. McLaughlin said that the Boston office became involved when Stonyfield had an issue with a grape product provided by one supplier. It wasn’t going to work and Stonyfield was in a rush. “The OU was able to help us find a new, OU-certified supplier on short notice. They were great,” Ms. McLaughlin said.
Recently Rabbi Avrohom Stone, field representative in New Jersey, did an educational presentation on kosher certification for Stonyfield’s employees in Londonderry.
Greg Fonte, of Stonyfield’s New York sales team, sees the OU certification as extremely important. “It opens opportunities for our customers, who recognize that products with the OU certification are made with premium ingredients. And in a practical sense, it means we can sell to everybody,” he said.Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried • Milk, Cream & Cheese Substitutes • OU Companies Speak • (1) Comments •
Monday, April 04, 2005
Making a Date for Passover
The Coachella Valley in California is a desert area bounded by tall mountains a few hours east of Los Angeles. One does not expect much agriculture in a place where the high temperature in summer tends to be around 115 degrees day after day, but deserts have palm trees, and palm trees produce dates, the closest thing there is to candy which grows on trees. And the Coachella Valley is not just any desert valley. Its great abundance of groundwater makes it an especially good climate for growing dates, so much so that it produces 95 percent of the dates grown in the United States.
The OU certifies a number of date plants in the Coachella Valley, in towns with names like Coachella,Thermal, and Mecca. Since dates are delightful straight out of nature, one might suppose that they are relatively free of kosher issues, and for the most part this is true. However, all the date plants that I visit use oat flour, pure chometz, the main prohibition of Passover. The date flour is used to make chopped dates coated with oat flour and dextrose. One still might suppose that is easy to make OUP plain dates. Surely the oat flour is only used on certain lines. What would need to be done beyond making sure that the lines used for plain dates are clean?
There is one other factor that one might miss. Dates are typically hydrated in steam rooms that can reach 140 degrees and dehydrated at similar temperatures. It is easier to remove the pits from the softened hydrated dates, and then the moisture must be reduced to achieve a finished product with a proper shelf life. The plastic trays used to hold the plain dates during hydration or dehydration may also be used to dry chopped dates mixed with dextrose and oat flour.This introduces a significant kosher concern: shared equipment used hot for both the chopped dates with oat flour and the plain dates.
For this year’s Passover production at Cal Sungold in Thermal, the OU worked out a procedure with the company kosher contact, Tony Villapaldo.The company had a supply of raw dates in cold storage which had not been dehydrated at harvest and which could thus be used for Passover production.
The OU had Cal Sungold clean the trays, drying rooms, and steam rooms used for the OUP dates.To be kosherized, clean trays were allowed to sit for 24 hours, then were put empty into a steam room until they were wet from condensed steam.The trays were then filled with the raw dates from storage and sealed in the hydration room.
The OU field rabbi returned on the day designated for packing, unsealed the steam room, and kosherized the necessary number of trays for dehydrating the dates.The dates were then removed from the previous trays and moved to the new trays and put into the dehydrating tunnel. Afterwards, the rabbi remained for the packing of the Passover cartons.
Presumably, the dates were served in Jewish homes on the holiday, and it was most fitting for them to be on the table. When the Jewish people left Egypt on the original Passover, they anticipated entering “a land flowing with milk and honey.” the rabbis tell us that this is not a reference to bee honey, but rather to honey made from dates.
Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried • Fruit Products • Consumer Kosher • Behind the Scenes (Theoretical Kashruth) • OU Companies Speak • Company Profiles • Kosher in the Factory • (0) Comments •
MilMar’s Marvelous Meals
Located in Goshen, NY, the MilMar Food Group plant is a 60,000 square foot state-of-the-art, OU supervised and USDA inspected facility on 60 acres in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. MilMar employs up to 200 people and has OU rabbinic supervision on premises at all times.
The company manufactures a full line of frozen food products year-round which are marketed to both the retail and food service segments under the brand names Spring Valley, KoshAir Cuisine & Mrs.Veggies. A list of over 100 items is also manufactured as Kosher for Passover.
In retail, the hottest selling Passover offerings for 2005 include blintzes, chicken nuggets, cutlets and stuffed chicken breasts in assorted flavors, marketed under the Spring Valley brand.With the exception of matzah ball products, all MilMar retail Passover products are non-gebrokts, dairy products are cholov Yisroel, and meat items are glatt.
Foodservice Passover offerings include: Spring Valley and Mrs. Veggies bulk entrée products, KoshAir Cuisine pre-plated individually wrapped meals for holiday travelers, and Spring Valley preplated meals for healthcare use in regular and modified diet varieties.
The OU offers our company the opportunity to provide quality products to a diverse and astute customer base. We believe that the OU is the most widely recognized and respected kosher certification in the world. In fact, the OU symbol is so widely recognized that it has crossed over from the kosher to the non-kosher marketplace. For example, lactose sensitive, gluten intolerant and vegetarian consumers have learned to recognize the integrity of the OU symbol. That symbol is proof positive that our products meet the strict standards dictated by kosher law, guaranteeing millions of observant and non-observant consumers that their specific dietary needs will be satisfied.
In more than 30 years in the food business and through many business opportunities, we have always sought out the benefit of a relationship with the OU. It is a privilege to work with Rabbi Leonard Steinberg, our OU rabbinic coordinator, and Rabbis Weingarten, Lesser and Dershowitz, our on premise mashgichim. We have no doubt that we will always have an edge and a stronger market share because we are “Behind the Union Symbol.”
Fruit & Vegetable-canned, Fresh Frozen & Dried • OU Companies Speak • Company Profiles • (2) Comments •