Carol M. Bareuther
The US has the largest demand for kosher food worldwide.
Shoppers searching for kosher foods can easily find a wide assortment in the Shuk Kosher Kitchen, located inside the ShopRite of Livingston, NJ. Certified kosher grab-and-go meal options include rotisserie chicken, soups, salads and meatballs. This store-within-a-store is part of the Sumas family’s Village Supermarket company, and one of the 365 supermarket members of Wakefern, a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ.
Similarly, at the ShopRites of Englewood and Paramus in New Jersey, a kosher marketplace exists, with on-site Orthodox Union (OU) supervision that includes kosher foodservice, prepared foods and catering, and a kosher deli, meat and seafood selection.
“At all of our supermarket banners, we work hard to ensure we have a wide variety of authentic products that reflect a community’s customs and traditions, and that often includes a growing selection of kosher items,” says Maureen Gillespie, spokesperson for ShopRite. “While some of the cooperative’s member families’ stores feature a designated kosher section with a variety of goods all in one location, others have kosher grocery, dairy, and frozen items labeled by signage in each respective department.”
The Global Kosher Food Market Size was valued at $40.6 billion in 2023, according to a February 2025-released report by Spherical Insights & Consulting, in Mason, OH, with this market forecast to reach $73.5 billion in 2033. North America, particularly the U.S., has the largest demand for kosher food worldwide.
A BROAD CUSTOMER BASE
Kosher foods are traditionally associated with Jewish dietary laws. However, nearly 80% of all kosher food sales are purchased by non-Jewish consumers, according to the OU, the world’s largest and most widely recognized kosher certification agency headquartered in New York, NY.
“Many non-Jewish consumers are increasingly turning to kosher products for reasons beyond religious observance,” says James Anderko, vice president of sales and marketing for Venus Wafers, Inc., a Hingham, MA-based specialty cracker manufacturer. “Kosher certification is often seen as a mark of quality and cleanliness, leading consumers to choose kosher options for reasons like food safety and ethical sourcing.”
Anderko says Venus Wafer’s family of brands, Mariner and CaPeachio, are kosher, non-GMO and vegan-approved.
Similarly, products from Seville, Spain-headquartered Spanish artisan extra virgin olive oil tortas maker, Ines Rosales, are kosher, non-GMO and vegan.
“Savvy customers look for the kosher certification and are willing to pay for an artisan product,” says Lucia Conejo-Mir, the Arlington, VA-based vice president of sales for North America. “We use a 115-year-old family recipe to make our tortas, so there is nothing artificial. The original is our top-selling, but Rosemary & Thyme, Lemon, and Cinnamon are popular, too. We have Ginger Spice tortas for the holidays. All our tortas are ready to sell in a retail pack.”
Kosher consumer trends also mirror broader lifestyle movements in the general market, adds Shani Seidman, chief marketing officer at Kayco, the Bayonne, NJ-headquartered global leader in kosher and specialty foods through its iconic brands, including Manischewitz, Kedem, Gefen, Heaven & Earth and Tuscanini, among others.
“Keeping kosher is a lifestyle, not a monolith, so its trends naturally align with other consumer behaviors, such as actively seeking cleaner ingredients, whole foods, and an overall healthier lifestyle. As a result, kosher product offerings extend beyond the kosher consumer. They represent larger lifestyle trends, proving that kosher is not just a dietary choice, but a reflection of evolving consumer values.”
Kayco has created a comprehensive guide for buyers, Essen Kosher, which means “keeping kosher” in Yiddish. This book delves into kosher customs and purchasing behaviors in detail.
Vegans, lactose-intolerant, and those of other faiths, including Muslims and Seventh Day Adventists, are also consumers of kosher-certified foods, according to the September 2024-published report, Beyond Religion: The Business Case for Kosher Certification, by The Food Institute, in Pine Brook, NJ.
WHAT DOES KOSHER MEAN?
At its most basic, certain protein foods, like pork and shellfish, are non-kosher, kosher animals, such as cows and lambs must be slaughtered in a particular way, and foods cannot contain meat and milk.
There are also different levels of kosher, with Orthodox being the strictest. Kosher foods comply with strict dietary standards and must be certified kosher by a trained rabbi from a kosher certification agency. In the U.S., the largest of these are the OU, OK Kosher Certification, Star-K Kosher Certification, and Kosher Certification and Supervision (KOF-K). Kosher foods labeled “pareve” can be eaten with either meat or milk.
Rabbi Yakov Teichman, Rabbinic Coordinator for OK Kosher Certification, headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, offers an analogy to help guide supermarket deli employees in handling kosher products and assisting customers.
“A simple way for the average layman, who has no experience in kosher, to understand is that it’s like an allergen. In the same way somebody might be allergic to peanuts, so they too are ‘allergic’ to non-kosher foods. Someone with a peanut allergy is not going to buy products that have peanuts or even something made in the same facility where there are peanuts because of potential cross-contamination. That’s why there are allergen disclaimers on food packaging. Once a product is certified kosher and packaged, and that package is not open, it remains certified kosher,” says Teichman.
The rabbi continues, “In retail establishments with unpackaged foods, typically there must be an on-site supervisor, a Jewish rabbi, responsible for ensuring the product is kosher. Different levels of kosher dictate how often a rabbi must be in-store. Suffice it to say that the stricter the product is in being kosher, the more often you must have a rabbi. A rabbi in-store is also a good resource for customers and employees to answer questions about kosher.”
GROW THE RING
To effectively sell more kosher foods in the deli, Venus Wafer’s Anderko says, “Supermarket operators need to combine thoughtful product selection, engaging displays, and strong merchandising strategies that resonate with both kosher and non-kosher customers. Regarding product selection, stock kosher products that focus on quality, feature popular and trending products, and highlight seasonal and holiday offerings.”
An example is the world’s first-ever instant matzo ball soup from Nooish, a Chicago, IL, company focused on bringing modern Jewish food to the masses. Like instant ramen, consumers only need to add water, and microwave, and they have a fresh bowl of vegetarian, kosher pareve-certified matzo ball soup made with clean ingredients. According to Sarah Nathan, founder, this product satisfies the trends of convenience, easy meal making, comfort food, and an interest in global flavors.
“Many Jewish cultural foods are beloved by all. For example, you wouldn’t necessarily put minestrone in the pasta aisle, just as Matzo Ball Soup doesn’t need to be relegated to the kosher aisle. We encourage stores and delis to place us with other instant soup products, including instant ramen. We are also a fantastic grab-and-go option above the salad bar for those seeking a satisfying lunch,” says Nathan.
The kosher category has always been shaped by the seasons, or more specifically, the Jewish calendar, adds Kayco’s Seidman. “Among these holidays, Passover is our Super Bowl. Due to the additional dietary laws observed during Passover, the kosher set undergoes a complete transformation to feature Passover-approved products. This is also the time of year when new products take center stage, as the kosher aisle is more prominent than ever. Most kosher sales occur during this period, though that trend is shifting.”
Seidman adds that other key moments in the Jewish calendar, such as Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah, also bring seasonal holiday products to the forefront.
Effective display, merchandising, and promotion of kosher products in the supermarket deli are crucial to both attracting customers and driving sales, according to Venus Wafer’s Anderko.
“Clear signage will help customers quickly locate what they’re looking for and feel confident in their purchase choices. Build impactful displays through shippers and/or cross-merchandising. Cross-merchandise items that work well together. For example, place kosher deli meats next to kosher crackers/flatbreads, condiments, and cheeses. This encourages impulse buying by making it easier for customers to assemble a meal,” he says.
