Iconic Kosher Brand Gold’s Sold to LaSalle Capital
(koshertoday.com) Gold’s Pure Foods, known for its horseradish and other products, has been sold to LaSalle Capital, which also owns Westminster Cracker of Rutland, VT, for an undisclosed amount. Robert Abramowitz will serve as the CEO of the merged company. Founded in 1932 by Tillie and Hyman Gold, their horseradish was originally produced by hand including cleaning, cutting and grating the horseradish roots; measuring and mixing the ingredients; filling the jars; and pasting on the labels (with paste made at home with flour and water). The business was subsequently managed by their three sons who automated the process and grew the business in their Brooklyn plant before moving the business to Hempstead. Their sons, Marc and Steve (third generation Golds), managed the business until today and will stay on for an unspecified time. Under the second- and third-generation Golds, horseradish expanded into the mainstream from its niche Jewish market used primarily as a condiment to gefilte fish, especially on Jewish holidays. One of the busiest times for Gold’s is Passover when it sells a significant portion of its annual sales of horseradish and other products like borscht. The business further grew when Gold’s acquired Baker’s Mustard, integrating the businesses in Gold’s 88,000-square-foot facility in Hempstead. Gold’s has always been recognized as one of the leading kosher brands. Its jingle on radio is well-known to tens of thousands of consumers. Gold’s was one of the original exhibitors at Kosherfest when it was founded nearly 27 years ago. Both companies, Gold’s and Westminster, are companies certified kosher by the Orthodox Union.
Expensive Bison is No Longer a Big Deal for Kosher
(koshertoday.com) Glatt-kosher bison is available in many fine kosher restaurants, although it is not a cheap dish. There was a time when it was so exclusive that one had to make a dinner reservation at the Midtown upscale restaurant Levana’s (which has since closed) just to enjoy the dish. It has become a big item at Whole Foods and even at such discount stores as Costco. While presumably much healthier than beef, it is also much more expensive than beef. Cable News Network founder Ted Turner, owner of the world’s largest private herd, opened the first of a series of restaurants in 2002 to serve dishes such as bison short ribs and bison meatloaf.
Bison is considered a conservation success story as it was thought to be at one time on the road to extinction. Prices of bison have more than doubled in the last five years. Ribeye bison steaks rose 17 percent. A Buffalo Ribeye Roast costs $26.95 lb. at Aaron’s Gourmet Emporium. By comparison, a grass-fed Beef Ribeye Roast costs $31.95.
Is Probiotics the Future Trend in Kosher?
(koshertoday.com) Probiotics may be at the cusp of a new trend in kosher, much like gluten-free was only a few short years ago. A number of kosher companies are said to be eyeing the national trend. According to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, “probiotics are live microorganisms (in most cases, bacteria) that are similar to beneficial microorganisms found in the human gut. They are also called friendly bacteria or good bacteria.” In a nutshell, probiotics play an important role in supporting digestive and immune health. The digestive system is responsible for over 70 percent of the body’s immune health. Antibiotics, poor diets, age, stress, travel and illness kill these beneficial bacteria and consuming probiotic foods daily helps to restore them, leading to improved overall health and well-being.
Realizing that many consumers purchase yogurt specifically for its probiotic nature, Norman’s Dairy, pioneers in the chalav Yisrael industry, has created a probiotic Greek yogurt with GanedenBC30® to give consumers 100 percent active and living cultures, guaranteeing an efficacious dose of probiotics from the moment the cups are filled, until the yogurt reaches the consumer’s mouth. In a matter of weeks, Norman’s Greek Pro+ yogurt will be hitting supermarket shelves around the country. It is a world first for the chalav Yisrael market, the first yogurt that doesn’t lose its probiotic efficacy over time. “GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulants GBI-30, 6086) is a patented, unique probiotic strain that naturally forms a protective spore (like a seed that starts germinating in the body), which allows it to survive the processing, heat/cold, time, and everything in between completely intact,” says Norman’s spokesman. “What’s more—GanedenBC30® is supported by rigorous safety and efficacy research, meaning that with a concentration of 1 billion CFUs per gram it actually does what it claims, supporting digestive and immune health and supporting protein utilization.” Naturally sweetened with Stevia and no artificial color or flavoring, Norman’s Greek Pro+ comes in four flavors—blueberry, acai and pomegranate, cool key lime, vanilla bean, and strawberry redcurrant. Sources say that most yogurts claiming to contain active live cultures do not actually have adequate amounts of active probiotics. This is partly due to processing and temperature changes, but mainly because of prolonged shelf life. Some live probiotic culture strains die as time goes by, which leaves yogurt with insignificant amounts of active live cultures by the time they reach the refrigerator in the end user’s home.
