Kashrus officials from all over the world gathered at the Delta Hotel by Marriott in Woodbridge, New Jersey, for the annual conference of Association of Kashrus Organizations (AKO) on December 31, 2019 – January 2, 2020. It included a bus trip to Met Life Stadium for the 13th Siyum Hashas, completion of the Talmud. More […]

Improving digital payment capabilities is important for food retailers as it creates a more seamless checkout process and can boost loyalty. According to Blackhawk, mobile wallet adoption is on the rise and can create about $1.9 billion in transactional value in the U.S. by 2021. Juniper Research estimates 2.1 billion customers around the world use mobile wallets […]

Brooklyn, NY….It was a Chanukah to remember for many kosher food retailers as some noted double-digit increases over 2018 by as much as 13% – 15%. Many stores consider Chanukah their third busiest holiday after Passover and Rosh Hashanah (High Holy Days). In most cases the sales growth was more likely to have been experienced […]

The USDA regulation mandating identification of food ingredients with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) went into effect on New Year’s Day but is still plagued by uncertainty. The regulation, called the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, requires food processors to inform consumers, in various ways, if a product contains GMOs. Although it technically went into effect on Jan. […]

2019 was a very eventful year for the kosher food industry, documented regularly in Kosher Today. Our big story of the year was the news that after several decades of revolving corporate ownership, the Manischewitz Company is back in a family portfolio, this time the distinguished Herzog family. Here briefly are the kosher stories that […]

Ongoing transparency and education about technology-driven foods will be needed in order to encourage more consumers to give them a shot. Even though more than half the population is receptive to lab-grown products, more than 40% in this poll said lab-produced or synthetic foods and beverages are “scary” and they have no plans to add […]

Aldi and Whole Foods are looking to simplify holiday entertaining for shoppers, and they’re turning to a crowd pleaser: cheese. With each retailer’s special promotions, the typically pricey, artisanal offering becomes more budget-friendly and will draw shoppers into the store for their holiday grocery needs. Aldi’s holiday cheese offering is complementary to its other products, including its […]

For much of the last two years, Nestlé ​has been overhauling its portfolio to capture growth in the food space and shed underperforming or slow-growing businesses. Last year, Nestlé ​​sold its U.S. chocolate business, a deal that included more than 20 American candy brands like Butterfinger and Baby Ruth, to Ferrero for $2.8 billion. Similar to its exit from candy where it competed […]

For years, Molson Coors has faced declining demand for its iconic brews such as Coors Light and Miller Lite as more consumers gravitate toward craft options, Mexican imports, wine and spirits. People also are embracing new drink categories such as hard seltzers, coffees and ciders.   Cold brew is a wildly popular coffee option even if the […]

The average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 increased just one cent this year to $48.91, or less than $5 per person, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF)…. The organization conducted an informal survey that looked at the price of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls with butter, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, pumpkin […]

Once again, the largest growth number at Walmart was its e-commerce sales, with grocery serving as the major sales driver. The retail giant now offers pickup from roughly 3,100 locations and same-day grocery delivery from more than 1,400 stores. Services like in-home delivery and an “unlimited” delivery subscription have rolled out in recent months, with the aim of deepening […]

Although the choice to snack instead of sitting down for a full meal has increased across the board, younger generations, who are concerned with their overall health and easy access to food, overwhelmingly prefer it. But health and convenience aren’t the only factors driving this increased interest in snacking, which could mean it is a long-lasting […]