Kosherfest

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Kosherfest
Kosherfest logo.png
StatusActive
GenreExhibitions
FrequencyEvery November
VenueMeadowlands Exposition Center
Location(s)Secaucus, New Jersey
Inaugurated1989; 33 years ago (1989)
FounderMenachem Lubinsky
Previous event12–13 November 2019
Next event09–10 November 2021
Attendance6,000
Area80,000 square feet (7,400 m2)
Websitewww.kosherfest.com

Kosherfest is an annual, two-day[1] trade fair for the kosher-certified food industry held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Established in 1989, it includes an exhibition hall, lectures, cooking demonstrations, a culinary competition between celebrity chefs, and new product awards. Kosherfest is considered a showcase for food trends and innovations in the kosher-certified food industry. The event is closed to the public, but admits manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, buyers, caterers, retail stores, and media personnel, including photographers and food bloggers. Kosherfest is co-produced by Lubicom Marketing and Consulting and Diversified Communications.

History[]

Kosherfest was conceived in 1989 by Irving Silverman, who hired Menachem Lubinsky, President and CEO of Lubicom Marketing and Consulting, to market it.[2] It was originally called the International Kosher Food and Food Service Trade Show.[3] At its inaugural event, staged at the New York Passenger Ship Terminal,[4] there were 69 exhibitors and 700 attendees.[5] By 2001, the show was attracting 500 exhibitors and 12,000 buyers from across the United States and 29 countries at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.[6][2] In 2014, 330 exhibitors and 6,000 registered attendees participated, filling all 80,000 square feet (7,400 m2) of the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.[7]

In 2004 Diversified Communications of Portland, Maine, began co-producing the event with Lubicom.[5]

Kosherfest went on hiatus in 2020 and plans to return in 2021.

Location[]

In the 1990s Kosherfest was staged at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, but moved to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in 1998,[3] where it convened continuously from 2003 to 2007.[8] In 2008 it moved back to the Meadowlands,[9] where it has been held ever since.

Attendance[]

Attendance at Kosherfest is restricted to manufacturers, suppliers, wholesalers, buyers, caterers, retail stores, and media personnel, including photographers and food bloggers.[6][10] The majority of participants are from the USA, however exhibitors come from diverse countries including Finland, Argentina, and Japan. [11] In 2014, a majority of attendees were Orthodox Jews.[10] Kosherfest furnishes areas for daily prayer services and stations for ritual hand-washing.[10][7]

Food trends and innovations[]

Kosherfest is considered a showcase for food trends and innovations in the kosher-certified food industry.[12] At the first show in 1989, exhibitors displayed traditional kosher fare such as "gefilte fish, chopped liver, stuffed cabbage and kugel".[13] Between 1992 and 1997 the number of kosher-certified food products grew from 26,000 to approximately 41,000.[3] Along with the increase came more diversified fare, indicating that kosher "isn't just for Passover, or Jews, anymore".[14] Among the products on display in 1996 were kosher-certified venison, gumbo, imitation crab, and faux caviar.[14] The 2013 exhibition included kosher-certified kielbasa, "bacon" cheeseburgers, chorizo, Cajun beef sausage, and Asian sauces.[15] Additionally, some of the food developers and vendors were not Jewish.[15]

Recent trends seen at Kosherfest include gluten-free foods (in 2013, gluten-free products represented nearly 20% of the foods on display),[12][13][16] Greek yogurt,[17] organic food,[18] vegan offerings, and dairy-free products.[16]

Exhibition hall[]

With the abundance of free samples handed out by exhibitors in the exhibition hall, Kosherfest has been called "the world's biggest kiddush"[4] and "a cross between a professional trade show and the buffet line at your cousin's bar mitzva".[10] Samples run the gamut from dairy to meat to pareve, including cheeses, sausages, sauces, pastries, ice cream, wine and liquor.[1][15][16][9] Non-food samples include kosher breath strips, teeth whiteners, and kosher dog food.[19] Show policy is to allow each attendee to take home one bag of free samples, and leftover food is donated to local charities.[20]

Purveyors of food-service equipment, cleaning supplies, uniforms, paper goods, label printing systems, credit-card processing systems, and food-safety training also participate,[10][17] as do kosher certification agencies looking to sign up new clients.[14]

Prizes[]

Kosherfest awards prizes for best new kosher-certified products in 17 categories.[21] These include Best in Show award, best new dessert, best new packaging design, best new snack food, best new organic product, best new beverage, best new food service product,[9] best new dairy product,[15] best new sweet snack, best new mix,[22] best new dip, spread or salsa, best new pre-cooked packaged meat, and best new pasta, rice and grain.[7]

At the 2013 event, Empire Kosher set a Guinness World Record with their display of the world's largest chicken nugget.[23]

Other events[]

In addition to the exhibition hall, Kosherfest features lectures, book signings by kosher cookbook authors, cooking demonstrations, and a culinary competition featuring celebrity chefs.[10][24] Concurrent with the trade show, a Kosherfest social media dinner and the Kosher Food Bloggers Conference are held in off-site locations.[10] Kosherfest is widely covered by media personnel reporting on kosher food trends.[16][25][26]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Heilman, Uriel (18 November 2014). "At Kosherfest, a mad dash to sample the 'facon'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b Sofer, Racheli. "Phyllis Koegel Keeps Corporate America Kosher". Ami, November 11, 2015, pp. 86-87.
  3. ^ a b c Hesser, Amanda (3 December 1997). "Grappa to Scones, Kosher Diversifies". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  4. ^ a b Koegel, Phyllis (7 November 2013). "Kosherfest, Still Amazing 25 Years Later". Orthodox Union. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  5. ^ a b "Diversified Celebrates Kosherfest's 25th Anniversary". Diversified Business Communications. 2015. Archived from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  6. ^ a b Stein, Sima (30 November 2001). "Who needs pareve when Kosherfest is bigger than ever?". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  7. ^ a b c Chernikoff, Helen (11 November 2014). "More International Exhibitors Than Ever Hit Kosher's Big Tradeshow". The Jewish Week. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Kosherfest: America's Largest Kosher Trade Show Underway". Yeshiva World News. 12 November 2008. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  9. ^ a b c Brickman-Levin, Rachael (3 December 2008). "Kosherfest 2008 is Heaven on Earth for Foodies". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Spiro, Amy (13 November 2014). "From carrot cake macaroons to white truffle pâté". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  11. ^ "Kosherfest 2016 Exhibitor List". Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  12. ^ a b Margelovich, Liora (23 November 2014). "'Kosher, For Sure'-Ke$ha". QC Voices. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  13. ^ a b "Kosherfest Celebrates 25 Years". NewHope360.com. 25 October 2013. Archived from the original on 18 April 2016. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
  14. ^ a b c Bruni, Frank (15 November 1996). "Foods Exert a Growing Appeal That Isn't Just for Jews". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  15. ^ a b c d Kaminer, Michael (17 March 2013). "More and More Creative Chefs and Entrepreneurs are Expanding the Range and Quality of Kosher Foods". New York Daily News. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  16. ^ a b c d Schoenfein, Liza (13 November 2014). "Food Trends Abound at Kosherfest". The Forward. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  17. ^ a b "Secaucus, NJ – Back And Better Than Ever: Kosherfest 2014". Vosizneias. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  18. ^ Ginsberg, Johanna (15 November 2007). "Organic Rules at Kosherfest '97". New Jersey Jewish News.
  19. ^ Goodman, Matthew (14 November 2003). "THE FOOD MAVEN; Tasty Treats Few and Far Between at Kosherfest". The Forward. Retrieved 6 October 2015.[dead link]
  20. ^ Ross, Tova (14 November 2014). "Sampling the Latest Trends in Kosher Food". Tablet. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  21. ^ Berkowitz, Esti (7 October 2009). "500 Newly Kosher Certified Foods To Be Introduced At The 21st Annual Kosher Food, Beverage, Wine & Spirits Trade Show – Kosherfest 2009". Prime Time Parenting. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  22. ^ Matten, Sharon (3 December 2014). "Kosherfest: Delights With That Special K". The Jewish Exponent. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  23. ^ "Photos: World's largest chicken nugget on display in Secaucus". The Jersey Journal. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  24. ^ "Mazal Tov". The Jewish Voice and Opinion. 25 (3): 39. December 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  25. ^ Weiss, Alfred (8 April 2004). "Abundance of Italian Food at Kosherfest Trade Show". The Italian Voice. Retrieved 6 October 2015.[dead link]
  26. ^ Hofman, Ethel (27 November 2002). "The Jewish Kitchen: A Kosher Product Kosherfest; Round-up". The Jewish Exponent. Retrieved 6 October 2015.[dead link]

External links[]

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