The Gerentes: A Greek Family Devoted to Olives and to OU KOSHER
Since 1750, Greek olives have been sacred to the Gerentes family. Our ancestors processed olives and in a barter economy traded them through Greece for other products, such as cereals, that were not produced in our home village, near Amfissa in Central Greece. That’s where it all started for us!
It’s not Greek to Him
It’s Not Greek to Him: An OU RFR Hits the Road to See the Nuances of Olive Production in an Ancient Land
One of the great pleasures of working for the OU is the opportunity to occasionally step away from my desk and travel into the field. While there is always a sense of thrill and adventure involved in seeing the world, these are far from pleasure jaunts. Most importantly, these journeys provide critical insight into the real world workings of kosher. As the saying goes, “Hearing (or reading) is nothing like seeing!”
Flying the Kosher Skies
Flying the Kosher Skies: OU Survey Determines that All Eight Major U.S. Carriers Contacted Provide Kosher Food on Board
Kosher snacks — such as potato chips, pretzels, cookies — and in many cases, meals, are available on eight major United States airlines, and all the kosher-keeping traveler has to do to get them is to ask, the Orthodox Union Kosher Division announced today.
OU Kosher revealed that its survey of eight major United States airlines has made it clear that all eight offer kosher meals and/or snacks on board and that guided by the OU, most of them are eager to expand on their offerings. No longer do those who keep kosher have to be hungry at 35,000 feet – or in many cases have to bring kosher food with them on board.
On the Beam
On the Beam: In Largest Liquor Kosher Certification in U.S., DeKuyper® 60-Flavor Line of Cordials and Liqueurs Receives OU Symbol
The close relationship between OU Kosher and Cincinnati-based Beam Global Spirits and Wine, which goes back to 1992, became even closer in March, 2007 when Beam’s 60-flavor array of DeKuyper® cordials and liqueurs, the best-selling line of those products in the United States, was certified OU Kosher. The 60-product certification was the largest liquor kosher certification ever in the United States.
Sandwiches: Symbol or Meal?
A young construction worker lies in bed, the shrill shriek of his alarm still echoing in his room. He groans. He doesn’t want to get up to confront the day. He’s comfortable under the blankets, with the early morning sun streaming in through the crack in the drapes and landing across his face. Another few minutes… that’s all. When the alarm’s “snooze control” wakes him from his renewed slumber, he reluctantly pushes aside his blankets and begins his daily routine of shaving, showering, brushing his teeth. Once dressed, he goes into his kitchen, ready to make his lunch. He opens the refrigerator and quickly decides on the various ingredients – a roll, lettuce, tomato, turkey, mustard – that he will need to make his sandwich.
The Tea Party is Just Getting Started: An Honest Reflection
In a late night decision in 1993 I chose to go to business school because I wanted to help lead the emerging national service movement. I wanted to gain skills that would enable me to practice the Jewish values of Tzedekah – righteousness, not just in commerce but toward the earth as well.
Though I never could have imagined myself as president (let alone a TeaEO) of a company whose largest investor is Coca-Cola, I am excited to see the impact our homegrown enterprise, based in Bethesda, MD, is starting to have on the environment and on health trends in the United States. And I am even more excited as I see the growth we will have as an agent of change in the coming years.
Tanks for the Memories: OU and transport Companies Work Together to Make Sure that Kosher Products
A few weeks ago I was attending a wedding reception, sitting at a round table with a number of other guests. An older gentleman, an interested kosher consumer but not, himself, involved in the kosher industry, turned to me. He asked me what I do, and I told him I work at the OU.
“Tell me what it is you do at the OU,” he said. I told him that, among some other things, I am involved in making sure that the transport of kosher commodities from one site to the next is on vehicles that are dedicated to kosher products. He seemed uncertain about what I meant.
About The Food Institute: A Brief History
A nonprofit organization founded in 1928, The Food Institute has a single purpose: providing information to the food industry in an unbiased, timely and relevant manner.
The Food Institute was founded by Seattle food broker Gordon C. Corbaley, who decided to put out a semi-regular posting for his principals — mainly canners — and his customers, so they could keep better informed about what was going on in the marketplace. He called his postings The News from Oregon and Washington. The reports were welcomed by the trade; given the poor communications when Calvin Coolidge was President of the United States, a great deal of business was still being done by poorly informed (at times actually misinformed) buyers and sellers.
The Food Institute Works with OU Kosher to Help Consumers Get the Most Bang for the Buck on Food Purchases
For the first time since 1990, prices for food-at-home rose over four percent last year and could very likely do so again in 2008, with projections from the United States government suggesting an increase of as much as 4.5 percent. Many consumers, as well as many food manufacturers and retailers, are finding this to be unfamiliar turf and are looking for ways to deal with the higher prices.
Passover 2008: A Blend of the Old and the New
When Jews sit down to the seder on April 19 and 20, chances are that the set table will have a very traditional look. There will be the seder plates, the cups for the wine, the elegant flatware and dishes and so forth. But when the meal begins, the foods that are served may be reflecting some of the new products that have been introduced in recent years. For example, even the Kedem grape juice could be a dietetic version that has far less sugar than the traditional grape juice. The matzos may be spelt or whole wheat, the gefilte fish without sugar, and, of course, Diet Coke.