Kosherfest Shows Growing Trade

By Mica Soffer
Photos: Levi Percia/COLlive

A rapidly-growing kosher food industry with many new products gathered Tuesday at Kosherfest, the largest kosher food, foodservice, beverage, wine and spirits trade show at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ.

“The kosher food industry has much to look forward to as various new studies indicate a significant growth in the core kosher market,” said Menachem Lubinsky, founder of the show.

“There is every indication that the kosher food industry will continue to grow at a pace of 12% – 15% a year.”

Lubinsky was referring to studies by UJA-Federation of New York which showed a significant growth of Orthodox Jews and Jews in general who observe kosher and the Mintel Research Group which showed kosher to be the leading claim on all new products, indicating its significance in mainstream food markets.

This year’s Kosherfest, which reportedly attracted more than 6,000 professional attendees and more than 350 exhibitors, offered exhibitors the opportunity to get their products in front of thousands of trade buyers from across the globe.

A 2011 study of the Kosher Food Market by LUBICOM Marketing Consulting, LLC and The Mintel Research Group found that there are 12,100,000 Kosher Consumers in the U.S.; 1,300,000 are year-round kosher consumers.