Empire, Leading Kosher-Chicken Provider, Closes Due To Covid-19

By Staff Reporter
Posted on 04/02/20 | News Source: Crain's

Empire Kosher, the leading kosher-poultry supplier in New York and most everywhere else, closed its processing facility for at least two weeks after two employees tested positive for the coronavirus.

The closing comes a week before the Jewish holiday of Passover, but chickens are expected to be available for those planning to serve them at seders next week, said Rabbi Menachem Genack, chief executive of the Orthodox Union's kosher-certification agency, which supervises the Empire facility in Mifflintown, Pa.

“Empire is being careful and cautious,” Genack said.

In a letter to customers, Empire President Jeff Brown said "the very difficult and unprecedented decision" to close the plant stemmed from employees testing positive "beyond the previous noticed cases." Affected employees were immediately removed from the site and self-quarantined.