Secaucus, NJ - With nearly 3500 trade visitors and 200 exhibitors, including 90 who exhibited for the first time in the 33-year history of Kosherfest several labeled it “a real selling show.” The two-day event, November 7-8 at the Meadowlands Convention Center saw many write thousands of dollars of business including one who said he wrote more than a half million dollars of business with a new account and another successfully selling to a major international airline. The consensus was that the show headlines included much innovation and a significant upgrade “in the quality of the buyer.” Shlomo Klein, publisher of Fleishig Magazine, summed up the show this way” “This is our fancy food show and anyone in kosher who wasn’t there missed out on a lot since it was in the end a very successful year. While a bit smaller than in the past, it ended up being a more tachlis show with the right people being there. The show was a magnificent showcase of kosher and gave a real opportunity to smaller companies who got a great deal of attention at the show.”
Menachem Lubinsky, founder and co-producer of Kosherfest, delivered his annual state of the industry address noting the dramatic increase in the number of large kosher independent supermarkets and the growing involvement of supermarkets all over the country. “We are closing in on over 50 large kosher independent supermarkets in addition to over 100 supermarket chain stores that cater to the kosher market,” Lubinsky said.
The annual Kosherfest New Product Competition this year crowned 7th Heaven as the “best product in the show” with its new Panda Vegan Products. It put a spotlight on the increasing number of plant-based products that are going kosher. This year’s New Product Competition was coordinated by Long-Island based Apron Masters (www.apronmasters.com) Kitchen, a family-oriented cooking school located in Woodmere, NY.
Sruly Meyer (@srulycooks) summarized the show this way: “I loved the energy this year at Kosherfest! There is a lot of talk about who will be there and who won’t, but I found that the value I get from Kosherfest is the effort I put into going out of my comfort zone to meet and talk with everyone. I learn so much about what’s out there in kosher. I learn from the people and their products. I have made incredible connections and even friends from my experience every year. This year was not different. It was even better than past years. I found the vibe this year to be very positive and people were excited to talk! “
The innovation was seen throughout with some winning best products in their categories. Some of the products that got rave reviews included Green Valley Oreo-Coated Hazelnuts and Lotus-Coated Cashews, Wild Country Vegetarian Tapas, imported from the Philippines, Norman’s Farmstand Fruit N’ Yogurt Smoothie, Mr. Joy! Cool Cups, Italian ices in a smaller size for kids,
La Carreta Pura Pina Pineapple Juice, from Guatemala, Mommy’s Cookie Jar Chocolate Chunk Lactation Cookies, David Elliot Poultry Farm with their “chicken broth so good it’s worth getting fleishig for” as well as new, pre-packaged pre-kashered chicken livers, Hello Salad dressings, in flavors like basil zaatar and avocado Caesar, HoneyGramz creamed chocolate pomegranate honey, Rambam’s gorgeous canned Moscato and rose wines, pints n’pies fabulous pareve peanut butter ice cream, Arnavim’s adorable grape flavored araq in a fun squeezy pouch and Deutsche’s vanilla cream-filled chocolate cookies that were just too good to be gluten-free.
Several major events took place around Kosherfest. On the day before the show, nearly 90 kosher influencers involved in kosher media gathered for the annual Jewish Food Media Conference founded by Melinda Strauss and this year produced & hosted by Fleishigs Magazine at Sen Sakana. Sponsoring the event was Thomas Ashbourne, 7th Heaven chocolate (who went on to win best in show at kosherfest the next day) and Masbia. New York’s Mayor Eric Adams was a special guest. On Thursday, the day after the show 125 kashrus officials from agencies around the world attended the annual AKO (Association of Kashrus Organizations) Convention.
Given recent events, both Hudson County SWAT and the Secaucus Police were on site at Kosherfest, with over a dozen metal barriers set up at the perimeter of the Meadowlands Exposition Center and significant amounts of weaponry in evidence.
