A Friendly Guide to OU Kosher Labeling Requirements
We know that staying on top of labeling requirements is crucial for maintaining your OU kosher certification and ensuring your products reach the right customers. Whether you’ve been with us for years or just need a quick reminder, here’s a friendly refresher on the key OU labeling guidelines. Avoiding Costly Mistakes We all know that […]
Driving Private Labels: The Role of Kosher Certification in Retailers’ Success
Private Labels: A Cornerstone of Modern Retail In the evolving grocery landscape, private label brands have become a cornerstone of many retailers’ offerings, driving a significant portion of their sales. This growth includes the development of private labels designed to meet specific consumer demands, like kosher certification. Leading the Kosher Certification Charge: Aldi and Trader […]
Walmart’s Bettergoods: Highlighting OU Kosher Certification
Walmart’s new store brand, Bettergoods, is its most extensive private-label food launch in decades. Featuring a diverse range of products, including seasonings, plant-based cheeses, and Italian bronze-cut pasta, Bettergoods currently includes about 80 OU kosher-certified products, with plans for this number to grow. The prevalence of OU kosher-certified products among the store brands of major […]
The Kosher Side of Private Labels
If you read industry reports, you have surely realized that private labeling is the way of the future. Gone are the days when the term “private label” conjured up images of plain labels affixed to a bottle of watered down ketchup and oily potato chips in huge bags. As quality has increased exponentially, the number of private label products is growing unabashedly up and down each aisle of your local supermarket. While this growth may be bad news for the “name brands” that stand to lose market-share, clearly it is good news for manufacturers and consumers alike.
Ask The Rabbi
Dear Rabbi:
QUESTION: As an OU company, I have many customers who want their names printed on the label with no mention of the manufacturer (also known as private label products). We understand the need to sign a contract, to ensure that everyone is “on the same page” with the OU requirements for private labels, though the “legalese” of the contract makes it hard for us to understand what exactly we are obligating ourselves (and what our label company is obligating itself) to do to remain OU certified. Can you advise us in “plain talk” what exactly are the responsibilities of the manufacturer and the label company in the agreement? Specifically, what is this “parallel product” clause, and why is it needed?