It has become fairly common in markets like New York for kosher food products to feature both a national symbol and the certification of a well known rov or Chassidic group. The additional kosher certification is welcomed in many Chassidic communities like Williamsburg, Monroe and New Square, adding a market of as many as 250,000 people, according to many kosher experts.
While national certification agencies historically resisted additional certifications over their symbols, they have in recent years welcomed what some call “endorsements” of their kosher certification. Sources say that while the “super kosher” entity may add its own mashgiach, in many cases it merely involves a review of ingredients or an occasional inspection while basically relying on the national certification.
Some of the better selling brands this Pesach like Gefen sport both the certification of the Orthodox Union (OU) and the Volover Rov. Others added the certifications of the rabbonim of Nitra, Tartikov, New Square, and the CRC (Central Rabbinical Congress, better known as Hisachdus Harabbonim, not to be confused with the cRc, the Chicago Rabbinical Council).
While it was difficult to obtain sales numbers for products that had both certifications, one distributor said that it can represent as much as 30% – 40% of sales for some brands. He noted that chassidim with their large families purchase well beyond their numbers.
In an unusual twist this Pesach, Streit’s matzoh was not accepted in stores on Long Island because it lacked a national certification. The Vaad of the Five Towns (subsequently endorsed by other kashrus committees) said that it could not endorse the Pesach matzoh since Streit’s no longer had the Kof-K and relied only on the certification of Rabbi Moshe Soloveichik, son of the late Rabbi Aaron Soloveichik, who had certified Streit’s for decades. A spokesman for Streit’s had complained that the Vaad ruling was taken too late for them to have taken any action.
{KosherToday/Matzav.com Newscenter}
How about the “machmirim” milk which has 4 hechsheirim. Are their sales better then the other milk companies?
It may be time to accomodate the ??? ???? in their quest for a not even a higher standard but a ??????? standard.
In addition, why don’t the Kosher Certifiers feel any obligation to accomodate the ?????? and all others that want to have ????? ????-? as the ??”? paskens like the ??? ????.
The transparency is lacking. The kosher consumer should raise their voices and show that they are willing to forego all of these thousands of kosher certified products. They would rather have less “nosh”, but at a higher kashrus standard.
From my 35+ years of experience in kashrus “it is possible”.
to #1
their selling is not good because it doesn’t taste as good and spoils faster than “Pride of the Farm”
I was told that Machmirim Milk is ????? ????-? – their mashgiach turns on the pateurizer