Monday, December 18, 2006

Bon Appetite

Kosher foods catching on with non-Jews too

Really?


Non-Jews represent one of the fastest-growing sectors in the kosher market. They are looking for healthier food options, similar to growth in the organic or natural foods market.

"Kosher is perceived as being cleaner, better, purer," Fingerman said, though he does not promise more healthful.

In the Seattle area, kosher food is growing increasingly popular, especially among non-Jews.

Sales of such fare have grown by at least 10 percent annually over the past eight years at Albertsons on Mercer Island, general manager John Gillespie said.

It now accounts for 30 percent of the store's annual revenue, up from 15 percent to 20 percent five years ago, he said.

Non-Jews are buying more and more kosher food, today accounting for roughly 30 percent of the store's total kosher sales versus "a very small percentage" just a few years ago, Gillespie said.

Echoing Manischewitz's Fingerman, Gillespie said kosher food has become more popular among both Jews and non-Jews because "with all the food safety concerns, people perceive that kosher food is much safer, especially the meat and chicken."

He added, "Also, our kosher bakery is dairy free, so it's nice for people who are lactose intolerant."


And there's more there:-

...The wasabi horseradish sauce, on the shelves for only two years, is already outselling its traditional horseradish sauce, a Passover staple.

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