The War in Israel is over, so our lead story this week is a media war here for the lucrative Orthodox Jewish market. We are, however, still following the aftermath of the War in the North for Israel's food industry, highlighted by the fact that the industry persevered and is making a strong recovery. It also appears that in modern warfare, people don't just stock up on water and food...they order food on-line. In this country, a fire at Empire thankfully didn't do much damage. In a first for a supermarket chain, Albertsons SuperValue rolled out its new segregated Israeli sets. Growing anti-Semitism in Europe has kosher restaurants somewhat concerned. We cover a few good stories in Here and There and some more good news for kosher organic tea lovers in our New Product Showcase.

Note: Because of next week's Labor Day holiday, KosherToday will be published on Tuesday, September 5th. 

Menachem Lubinsky
Editor, KosherToday

Food Companies Look to Continued Growth in War's Aftermath
Tel Aviv...Food companies in Israel are hoping that the just concluded War in the North will not significantly derail what was shaping up to be one of the industry's most profitable years. Strauss-Elite posted a 22% sales increase for the second quarter. A good part of its growth not expected to be affected by the war is from the company's growing overseas portfolio, including its 51% share in Sabra USA. Most of Israel's food production in the North has resumed full operations, and exports are mostly back on schedule at the Port of Haifa. Israel's wine industry, which says that the ceasefire came in time to save the harvest and its continued dramatic rise, is also taking a high profile in the rebuilding of the North. Recanati Winery has teamed up with Yad Sarah, the leading volunteer organization in Israel with branches all over Northern Israel, to provide support to some of the hardest hit areas in the North. Some of Recanati vineyards are now sealed military zones and not accessible for harvesting. The extent of the humanitarian effort in the North is now beginning to emerge, including aid to Arab villages in the Galilee from such sources as Super-Sol, Meir Panim, and the Joint Distribution Committee. There is growing criticism that the emergency relief effort in the North was not well organized.  There were some reports that the relief efforts extended to soldiers of the IDF who were short on rations, a fact that is certain to be investigated by whatever commission is set up in Israel to investigate the preparedeness of the home front.

On-Line Food Orders in Dramatic Increase During Hostilities in the North
Tel Aviv...A story by Globes of a "steep rise" in on-line food orders during the recent War in the North is perhaps a first in the annals of modern warfare. Consumers who normally prefer to buy their food at supermarkets opted instead to place their orders online. According to Globes, "the convenience of the online sites, and the need to obtain supplies without leaving home led to an impressive rise in e-commerce purchases." The Super-Sol online retail site Net-Sal reported a 30% increase in sales during July-August, a period usually typified by moderate internet traffic due to the summer break. The number of customers from Haifa and the northern region rose 250%, amounting to 30% of the total number of new customers. Delivery times were the same as usual, thanks to Super-Sol's local outlets. Net-Sal's rival, Blue Center by Blue Ridge reports similar figures, with nationwide growth of 35% in the period mid-July to mid-August, compared with mid-June to mid-July (before the outbreak of war). The number of customers from Haifa and the north, mostly from Nahariya, Haifa and the Krayot, increased by 300%. There were reports of significant on-line purchases during the devastating hurricane season in the US last summer, but problems in delivery impeded the same type of growth that the Israelis experienced. Citizens preparing for the hurricane were still urged to follow the traditional approach of stocking up on food and water.

FEATURE: Orthodox Media Offers Targeted Medium for Kosher Advertisers
New York...Newsstands in Orthodox communities will have to make room next week for two new publications, both targeting Orthodox Jewish women. Mishpacha, a weekly English-language magazine is launching Family First, while Hamodia, the only Jewish daily in America is rolling out Binah, as well as a new magazine for children. The new publications are part of the growing number of publications targeting Orthodox Jewish households and vying for advertising dollars from businesses, including kosher food purveyors, targeting Orthodox Jews. Prior to the late '80's, the only English-language weekly targeting Orthodox Jews was The Jewish Press, but in the '90's two publications that were already successful in Israel, launched English language weeklies here. Yated Ne'eman and Hamodia took advantage of the rapidly growing "haredi" (rigorously Orthodox) communities in such areas as Monsey NY and Lakewood NJ as well as in New York City. They also espoused a "Torah-true ideology," which gave them an edge with haredi readers. Marketers say that these publications have provided new opportunities for businesses seeking to specifically target the Orthodox Jewish community. Although the kosher market extends far beyond the Orthodox community, this niche market offers some 800,000 loyal customers for kosher nationwide, according to recent demographic studies. Other weeklies in Yiddish target the Chasidic communities of Monroe, Williamsburg and Boro Park.

While Mishpacha is a glossy magazine focused on features, Hamodia is more news oriented and seems to have captured the lion's share of the market through its daily and weekly publications. The weekly, which appears on newsstands on Wednesdays, is set to expand from four sections to seven, giving it what some readers refer to as a "Sunday New York Times feeling." The publication has a substantial classified section but also relies on display advertising from a combination of Israeli, national and regional advertisers. Most Orthodox Jews consider these papers "kosher" reading for their families, an alternative to secular publications. Some daily subscribers to Hamodia say they have given up reading the New York Times since the publication went daily.

Empire Resumes Normal Operations after Fire
Mifflintown, PA...The news of a fire at the Empire processing plant last week brought back memories of a fire many years ago that destroyed the nation's largest kosher poultry processing facility. Murray Katz, the late owner of Empire at the time, had made the decision to rebuild, a major factor in the company's rapid expansion. Fortunately, this time the fire was quickly contained after a hydraulic pump malfunctioned in a contained area of the building. The building was immediately evacuated and there were no injuries. Late last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspected the processing areas and approved them for normal operations. The facility was also inspected by a structural engineering firm that has assured us that there is no material structural damage.

Albertsons SuperValu Rolls Out Designated Israel Food Sets
Chicago...Some of Israel's most popular food products are being showcased in a special set at a number of stores operated by the Albertsons SuperValu chain. According to Yakov M. Yarmove, Corporate Category Manager, Ethnic Marketing and Specialty Foods at Albertsons SuperValu, the segregated Israeli displays are the first of any chain in the country. The initial rollout of the new Israeli sets, which range from 4 to 12 feet, are in stores in Chicago, Philadelphia and New Jersey. The sets will be installed in Florida, where Albertsons is operated under a separate division, and eventually in Southern California. The novelty of the new Israeli sets is that they are not part of the kosher aisle although they are positioned nearby or near the "Shop the World" aisle with its many ethnic and national foods. Mr. Yarmove eventually hopes to include the special Israeli displays in 200 stores. The move by Albertsons SuperValu is a major development for the 3-year set "Fine Foods from Israel", which is already responsible for a 33% increase in export of products from Israel.

European Kosher Restaurants Fear Anti-Semitism
Paris...Although it has been nearly 25 years since Abu Nidal terrorists killed 6 people and wounded 22 at Goldenberg's Restaurant in the Marais section of the city, there are some jitters amongst kosher restaurateurs about the rise of anti-Semitism here, particularly amongst the large Islamic population. Police in a number of European capitals are said to include the visibly Jewish eating establishments in their surveillance of Jewish institutions. Tourists report that some of the restaurateurs were particularly on edge during the recent fighting in Lebanon and in the aftermath of the Al Qaeda plot to blow up as many as 20 airliners. Although Paris remains Europe's center of kosher dining, several restaurants have closed and their owners have moved to Israel or the U.S. In the Golders Green section of London, the owner of a kosher cafe was attacked last week by two thugs who shouted anti-semitic and vulgar slogans at 34-year old Linda Cohen from Hendon. Said Mrs. Cohen: "It's shocking that you're living in a world where you're attacked simply because you are Jewish. It's not like I stole anything from him - it was just because I'm Jewish."

From Here and There...Kosher News

Tel Aviv...The War ended 39 months of growth for Israel's tourist industry. Tourist overnights at hotels rose until the outbreak of the war on July 12, but subsequently plummeted 20%, compared with July 2005.

Zurich...Nestlé Israel's 'Nok Out', a super premium ice cream, was chosen by Nestlé Switzerland as the best product out of similar products produced in other countries.  Nestlé Israel said that the products would be marketed under the brand "Heaven" and would be supported by advertising on Swiss television and other media channels. Switzerland is the latest in a number of international markets, including the US, France, the UK, South Africa, and others, to which Nestlé Israel exports its produce.

New Orleans...A year after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the two major kosher establishments in the city are fully operational. Casablanca reopened in January, and according to the manager "is operating like before Katrina." Kosher Cajun is also operating in pre-hurricane mode.

New Product Showcase: EDEN® Organic Teas
Clinton, Michigan...by Eda Kram
Eden Foods is expanding its tea line with five new Organic Teas, one herbal tea and four that combine the finest Japanese organic green tea with organic herbs and spices. They are Chamomile Herb Tea, Organic Hojicha Chai, Organic Sencha Ginger, Organic Sencha Mint, and Organic Sencha Rose. EDEN Organic Teas are packaged in a thoughtful way. The hemp bags are oxygen washed (not chlorine bleached), and they are crimp sealed with a 100 percent cotton string, no plastics or glues. All EDEN Tea is certified kosher and pareve by the OK Laboratories. EDEN says its products have no irradiation, no preservatives, no chemical additives, no food colorings, no refined sugars, no genetically engineered ingredients; just the safest, most nutritious, certified organically grown food that can be found.

For more information: 800 248-0320, or info@edenfoods.com.

Kosherfest Conference Highlight: Kosher Restaurants
The Evolution of Kosher Restaurants
Panel: Allison Kahn, Elan Kornblum, Jeff Nathan, Joel Brown, Sol Kirshenbaum
Kosher restaurants today are all about choices - from traditional kosher dishes to global, ethnically diverse dishes that also happen to be kosher. Come get an overview of the past, present, and future of kosher restaurants and learn from a panel of kosher restaurant owners who will discuss the daily obstacles and challenges for restaurant owners and chefs, what it takes to run a successful restaurant, a female-owner's perspective of running a restaurant in a man-dominated industry and a first-hand look from a New Orleans' restaurant owner and his story of Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath.

Register Now!  Kosherfest 2006
Get it all at Kosherfest -- www.kosherfest.com -- the place to be for food and beverage professionals looking for new kosher products, new information, and new ideas for growing business. Register Now!!