Each November, pivotal members of the kosher food industry attend Kosherfest – the industry’s biggest in-person kosher trade show experience. As a provider of kosher certification services, OK Kosher Certification’s booth is a focal point of the show for manufacturers, distributors, and our peers in kosher certification to discuss all things kosher.
Klein’s Naturals showed up with ever more inventive combinations of fruit and veg (welcome, apricot and butternut) in convenient snack portions – so new, we might be the only ones with a first look at the packaging, and if the empty trays halfway through day one are any indication, clearly a hit.
With CBD growing in popularity (since 2018, OK Kosher has had increasing numbers of CBD manufacturers gaining kosher certification), it’s always great to see kosher certified representation at a retail level. In their first year at Kosherfest, Sababa CBD’s wide display shared a large variety of kosher certified CBD products, from gummy bears to a full spectrum tincture oil.
The AKO (the Association of Kashrus Organizations) Executive Board, including board member Rabbi Chaim Fogelman of the OK, met to discuss how the kashrus industry has evolved over the past year, and how agencies will continue to meet kosher consumers at the intersection of responsibility and accountability by strengthening policies across the board.
For those wondering what a 40 lb block of cheese looks like, Natural & Kosher brought one for show and tell, flanked by their award winning new Thin-Sliced Mozzarella and – arguably the main attraction – their fresh pizza station.
Kosher wines continue to gain recognition worldwide, and held court at this year’s Kosherfest, with international representation of OK certified fine wines from Israel (Mony Vineyards), South Africa (Cape Jewel Wines) and Georgia (Badagoni). A working wine press provided a live demonstration of the winemaking process – a small scale example of what OK Kosher mashgichim handle every day during harvest season.
Kosherfest is a yearly reminder of the possibilities in innovation, the strength found in community, and the tireless time and efforts invested in making kosher food accessible to kosher consumers around the world. OK Kosher Certification is proud to show up for our certified companies (present and future) and look forward to continuing our integral role in the vibrant, thriving kosher food industry.
