OU Kosher Staff

It’s Cott to be Good if the Beverage is OU Kosher

Today’s consumer is flooded with beverage choices. Is it that standard refreshing cola, tart lemon-lime or that sweet orange-flavored soda you are looking for? Perhaps it’s the New-Age fortified, vitamin-enriched waters or a sports drink. The choices are endless. However, the one word most consumers recognize about a beverage is if it’s “kosher.” Kosher is also used as a term indicating “its high quality!”

Cabot Quality Gets Stronger with OU Kosher Cheese

Kosher has its roots in Judaism, but its future has a much broader audience, as the term has come to be synonymous with quality. And in today’s America, with food safety recalls occurring on what seems to be a regular basis, many Americans are turning to well-recognized kosher certifiers such as the Orthodox Union for the reassurance they need to once again have faith in their food supply.

A Winning Story!

Two years ago in this column, I wrote about the continued upsurge in “kosher consciousness,” particularly among non-Jews. Kosher products, I noted, were increasingly being sought by Muslims and Seventh-Day Adventists with religious dietary restrictions similar to kosher, by those with dietary health issues such as lactose intolerance, and by millions of ordinary consumers who regard the OU symbol as an assurance of wholesomeness and quality.

Dear Rabbi, How Do You Make Kosher Wine?

The Orthodox Union receives many inquiries about certification of wine. This is a typical response, as written by Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz, Senior Rabbinic Coordinator.

Everything’s Popping! (With the OU and Popcorn)

According to www.popcorn.org, Americans consume in excess of 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually – or about 54 quarts for every man, woman and child. The world’s primary popcorn producing region is the Midwestern United States and an entire food industry has grown up around it.
Why is popcorn so popular? Because it is nutritional, versatile and delicious! Popcorn is an easily prepared whole grain snack. Without butter or other additions, popcorn is about 31 – 55 calories per cup. It goes with almost anything, and can accept a wide variety of flavor enhancements. Today, you don’t have to do much work to enjoy this treat. While of course one can still purchase raw popcorn and either air or oil pop it, microwave popcorn has become ubiquitous. In fact, the first test of the microwave on food in the 1940’s was popcorn. By the 1990’s this product niche had over $240 million in sales. And while salt and butter remain the most popular flavors, today’s marketplace is full of gourmet popcorns — and not only caramel. There are cheese flavors, chocolate covered, nut balls and new flavor trends like jalapeno, too.

At Harlan: The Pursuit of Growth with Grains, Granola and the OU

It is not by coincidence that the Orthodox Union’s (OU) symbol is synonymous with quality. The high standards and care with which OU-certified products must be produced are recognized by consumers and manufacturers alike. For Harlan Bakeries, Inc. (Harlan), a manufacturer in pursuit of excellence and growth, obtaining the supervision and certification of the OU […]

Granola Brings Benefits to the Health-Conscious

Americans today are looking for alternatives. This trend has manifested itself in many different areas but is perhaps the most pronounced in the health sector. How often do we hear about alternative medicine? As a result, more and more Americans are electing to have a homeopath, chiropractor, or kinesiologist be their primary care physician in place of the more conventional medical doctor. In a word, Americans are looking to lead a more ‘natural’ lifestyle. After all, what can be better than what nature itself has to offer?

US Drives Global Kosher Ingredient Need

31/07/2007 – The growing kosher market is prompting manufacturers in countries without much local demand to gain certification so they can export to the high-potential US, and some are exporing continuous kosher production to keep down costs.

OU’s (Growing) Continental Connection

It looks like our neighbors across the Atlantic are catching onto the power of going kosher. U.S. food companies have long understood that it’s consumer demand that drives the market. They’ve also understood that kosher certification tops most consumers’ lists of demands. “If a European company wants to sell a product to the United States, whether it’s ingredients to be used by manufacturers or finished goods which are going to be used by the kosher-conscious American consumer, it’s has to be kosher,” says Rabbi Nahum Rabinowitz, OU Kosher Senior Rabbinic Coordinator, who heads the European desk. “With the OU’s worldwide recognition, it is in the best position to open markets for these companies.” Based on the current rate European companies are seeking OU certification, the trend to go kosher is in full swing.

Survey finds OU the Clear Leader in Kosher Certification

Consumers Trust OU to Ensure Highest Standards of Kosher, Food Safety and Cleanliness