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Jams, Jellies & Preserves
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Carriage House Companies
The Carriage House Companies, Inc. a unit of Ralcorp Holdings, Inc. and based in Erie, PA, was formed in January 2001, the result of a merger of the Red Wing Company, Inc., Torbitt & Castleman Company, LLC and Martin Gillet & Co., whose foundings date back almost two centuries. These companies were merged to capitalize on each of their independent strengths, resulting in market leadership through superior products across numerous categories.
Today, Carriage House is one of the nation’s leading manufacturers of quality private label foods, including jellies and preserves, peanut butter, barbecue and steak sauces, pasta sauces, Mexican sauces, salad dressings and various syrups.
Carriage House has established itself as a major supplier to the retail and foodservice market segments and will continue to focus on and lead these sectors into the future. Carriage House’s facilities all produce a large variety of kosher certified products, the majority of which are certified as OU Pareve. “The OU certification process is very structured. Products undergo many approvals and checkpoints from the ingredients and ingredient suppliers to the finished products and labels. Carriage House has many systems in place to ensure that the kosher guidelines are being followed properly, in addition to regular rabbinical inspections,” said Christina Thies, Specification Administrator at Carriage House.
“The Orthodox Union is a very highly recognized rabbinical agency that many consumers rely on,” said Ms. Thies. The integrity of Carriage House’s kosher program is maintained with the help of our rabbinic coordinator, Rabbi Yoel Schonfeld, whose knowledge and expertise helps ensure compliance. In addition to Rabbi Schonfeld, there are local OU rabbinic field representatives at the various plants, including Rabbi Moshe Heimowitz, Rabbi Yosef Levy and Rabbi Shraga Kaufman, who add great value to Carriage House’s relationship with the Orthodox Union.
While most products are certified as OU Kosher Pareve, some are certified as OU Kosher Dairy. In the past, Carriage House has also manufactured a small variety of Passover products, which require strict regulations over and above the normal kosher regulations. “The Kosher run orders have provided a nice matrix that works very well in conjunction with our allergen run order requirements,” declared Ms. Thies.
Carriage House has maintained a relationship with the Orthodox Union for more than 25 years, with over one hundred customers and thousands of locations carrying Carriage House’s kosher products. Add that to a nearly 200-year tradition of quality and innovation and it is no wonder that so many leading retailers are proud to offer Carriage House products.
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Tuesday, January 04, 2005
The Quest for Perfection at Sarabeth’s Kitchen
Sarabeth’s Kitchen is a multi-faceted company that produces a gourmet line of highly acclaimed jams and preserves. The OU certification is proudly proclaimed in all its literature.
It is perfection that Sarabeth is after in everything she makes. Ever since she brought her grandmother’s secret marmalade recipe considered by many to be the world’s best) to life in 1980, Sarabeth knows that everything she sells has to be perfect. Sarabeth’s personal
search for perfection in food extends to every jar of her award-winning “Legendary Spreadable Fruit.” 
The fruits are hand cut to avoid bruising and to preserve their natural flavor and texture. They are slowly simmered in small batches and allowed to thicken without the use of pectin, until they reach their peak of flavor. Over the years, Sarabeth has creatively developed a number of delicious flavors in her Spreadable Fruit line, using only the finest of ingredients. Each is rich in complex tastes that satisfy the most discerning of palates. They are natural, less sweet and lower in calories than ordinary preserves.
It was only natural that when Sarabeth’s decided to acquire kosher certification that it selected the Orthodox Union, considered to
be the most highly regarded agency for kosher supervision. And over the years since Sarabeth’s acquired the OU certification, its faith in the quality and efficacy of the Orthodox Union’s conduct of their operations, has been proven time and time again. The courteous and efficient rabbis conduct their meticulous inspection of our facilities in a professional manner, generating confidence that any product carrying the OU label adheres strictly to kosher requirements.
Sarabeth’s has found that not only does the OU certification engender sales to kosher outlets throughout the United States, but the perception of quality attributed to kosher products also encourages purchases by all consumers. It is the company’s intention to continue to target the kosher customer as it appears to be an ever increasing number.
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