Portland, Maine (PRWEB) November 10, 2014
In 1989, when Kosherfest launched kosher was a virtually non-existent food category. The market consisted of a group of mom/pop manufacturers and giants with kosher certification pushing products like gefilte fish, chopped liver, stuffed cabbage and kugel. There was little initiative to promote and expand the category.
Fast forward to today. Kosher is now very much an industry and a category that has gone far beyond its traditional base of kosher-observing Jews. There are more than 200,000 kosher-certified products. At Kosherfest, the world’s largest kosher-certified products tradeshow (November 11 & 12 at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, NJ) buyers will find everything from sushi to enchiladas to sausage.
“One show and so many expectations. It makes me feel good to think that when I started the show over a quarter of a century ago, the expectations were not that great. Just meeting other vendors and buyers was an expectation well worth coming. Today, the show can actually fulfill a need for any professional in the food industry” said Menachem Lubinsky, the founder of Kosherfest, who co-produces the show with Diversified Communications. “There was somewhat of a vision back then that perhaps kosher could be more than a certification; that it would emerge as a cuisine. Incredibly, kosher has reached that level and it is still rising.”
Kosherfest today hosts exhibitors from countries around the world, from Argentina to the Netherlands, from Italy to Israel. Products at Kosherfest encompass kosher-certified foods and beverages for retail sale, and ingredients and prepared foods for foodservice, including wine and spirits. The show gives manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of kosher-certified products and services the opportunity to reach thousands of mainstream and independent kosher trade buyers from across the globe.
Here is a look at highlights and the event schedule for Kosherfest 2014:
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
8:00am - Visitor Registration Open
9:00am - State of the Kosher Industry Address
Presented by: Menchem Lubinsky Kosherfest Founder and President & CEO of LUBICOM Marketing
Presentation of the 2014 Kosherfest New Product Competition Awards
10:00am - Kosherfest Opening Ceremony & Ribbon Cutting
Main Exhibit Hall Entrance
10:00am - Exhibit Hall Open
10:30 - 12:00pm - Culinary Demonstration by Mexikosher Chef Katsuji Tanabe
Katsuji Tanabe is chef-partner at Mexikosher in Los Angeles. He is a contestant on this season of Bravo’s “Top Chef Boston”, appeared on Travel Channel’s Chow Masters and has also won Food Network’s show Chopped.
12:30-12:45pm - Mashgiach / "Kosher Supervisor of the Year" Award Presentation by KASHRUS Magazine, sponsored by Kosherfest
12:45 - 1:15pm - Spotlight Session featuring Michael Sansolo, Retail Food Industry Consultant
Michael Sansolo offers a diverse, in-depth and unique view of the changing nature of today’s shoppers and employees, business competition, and the wide-ranging impact of economic issues. Through countless studies and work with some of the world’s most innovative retailers and manufacturers, Sansolo has developed an excellent perspective on the changing nature of business today and the challenge of success tomorrow.
2:00 - 2:45pm - Shabbos Elegance on a Budget: Culinary Demonstration by Chef Avi Roth of Gotham Burger
CKCA trained Chef Avi Roth has taken the Kosher food scene by storm! He has worked in several high end kosher establishments and opened Gotham Burger to provide fresh food which breaks the stereotypes of kosher cuisine. Chef Roth has opened two restaurants over the past three years, and Gotham Burger has established itself as an Upper West Side institution where people come to enjoy high end comfort food in a very trendy atmosphere. Come see what Chef Roth is cooking at Kosherfest!
3:30 - 4:30pm - Special Event: The Author’s Corner - Front of the Exhibit Hall
Join leading kosher industry authors, where you can meet each author and pick up a signed copy of their latest cookbook! Featuring Ronnie Fein, Paula Shoyer, Estee Kafra, Lynn Kirsche Shapiro, Leah Shapiro and Victoria Dwek
5:00pm - Visitor Registration Closes
5:00pm - Exhibit Hall Closes
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
9:00am - Visitor Registration Open
9:00am - Taste of Israel A World of Flavors Breakfast Invitation Only
10:00am - Exhibit Hall Open
12:00pm - Kosherfest 7th Annual Culinary Competition
Front of the Exhibit Hall
Watch as top Kosher Chefs complete LIVE for glory and bragging rights in this heated and fun annual competition.
Presented in partnership with the Center for Kosher Culinary Arts (Brooklyn)
2:00pm - Visitor Registration Closes
Attendees exiting the exhibit hall after 3:00pm will not be readmitted to the exhibit hall. Please plan accordingly.
4:00pm - Exhibit Hall Closes - Kosherfest 2014 is CLOSED
About Kosherfest – http://www.kosherfest.com
Products at Kosherfest encompass kosher food, foodservice, beverage, wine and spirits, and offer exhibitors the opportunity to get their products in front of thousands of trade buyers from across the globe. Buyer attendees represent a broad spectrum, from independent restaurants and specialty markets, to supermarket chains, ingredient buyers and big box stores, among many others. Kosherfest also offers its exhibitors a Key Buyers program, special events, media exposure, promotional opportunities, a new products competition and showcase, and exhibitor specials.
Kosherfest is produced by Diversified Communications (http://www.divcom.com) and co-produced by Menachem Lubinsky, founder of Kosherfest and CEO of LUBICOM (http://www.lubicom.com), a full service marketing company.
Note to Media:
Qualified members of the media may register to attend Kosherfest free of charge by visiting the press onsite at Kosherfest.
Photos from Kosherfest are available here.