Chipotle Chili Aioli sauce, Pomegranate Acai Mints and Pina Colada
Popcorn are among more than 120,000 kosher-certified items that
will greet guests during the 21st annual kosher food, beverage,
wine and spirits trade show -- Kosherfest 2009 -- at the
Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J., Oct. 27-28, 2009.
More than 500 newly kosher-certified foods will be introduced at
the show.
According to Mintel Research, kosher remains the most dominant
feature on new food items, and an estimated 40 percent of a
supermarket's food products are kosher. KosherToday
estimates the value of the kosher-certified products market at more
than $200 billion.
"In the past year, there has been significant increase in the
number of inquiries and applications by many food companies about
OU certification despite the ongoing recession," said Rabbi Eliyahu
Safran, VP communications and marketing for the Orthodox Union (OU)
kosher certifying agency. "The companies are well aware that
attaining kosher certification can easily increase sales and gain a
larger market share. We have particularly noted a spike in
applications from every segment of the beverage, baking and organic
food categories."
The kosher symbol seems to be everywhere these days, from exotic
sauces and convenient heat-and-serve foods, to gourmet and
customized desserts as well as nondairy, non-soy and gluten-free
products in every food category.
Here's a quick look at some of the kosher newcomers debuting at
Kosherfest 2009:
Get Healthy America cheese blintzes with zero trans fats,
low sodium and low sugar; Kolatin® Real Kosher Gelatin made
with real kosher bovine that's parve; SweetNes Enterprises
26 varieties of caramel popcorn (green apple, spicy cinnamon, dark
chocolate drizzled, pina colada and more); LUCK CHEN
precooked microwaveable Asian noodles in five delicious flavors
with no preservatives; Holy Cow! Kosher beef jerky in four
flavors; Homefree parve, nut-free and allergy-friendly
cookies; Custom Candy Concepts custom cookies, mints,
chocolates and pucker pops (which can be customized with your logo,
individual photos, etc); Illinois Nut & Candy (handmade
chocolate, custom confections, dessert tables, gift baskets and
corporate gifts); Ungar frozen pizza dough; Katz's
gluten-free challah rolls, honey muffins and wholesome breads;
Tauber's Best fresh frozen heat-and-serve salmon pinwheels
with Florentine stuffing, fruit medley stuffing and tilapia spicy
salmon stuffing, as well as frozen salmon burgers;
MimicCreme, a nondairy and non-soy gluten-free blend of
cashews and almonds cream substitute; and Brain Toniq, which
touts itself as the only non-caffeinated "think drink" designed to
increase mental focus, function and clarity.
According to Menachem Lubinsky, co-producer and founder of
Kosherfest, "Sales of kosher foods in the past year have increased
by double digits, significantly higher than the U.S. food market in
general or, for that matter, other categories of specialty. Kosher
has benefited from a constantly growing loyal base and the addition
of many nontraditional consumers."
For more information, visit www.kosherfest.com.





