For decades, America's kosher grape juice market has been dominated by Kedem, whose sweet libations come in concord, blush, white, peach, diet and a variety of sparkling flavors. Here comes Welch's which teamed up with Manischewitz
Although Welch's is the country's largest grape juice company, domestic sales have fallen flat, according to Haaretz - thus the partnership with matzo and kosher wine maker Manischewitz, another ubiquitous American brand. The new kosher juice will display both the Welch's and Manischewitz logos, and the latter's matzo boxes will carry ads for the grape juice.
According to Fox News, supermarkets have started to get shipments of the co-branded product, which is made in Welch's facility with rabbinical oversight.
Until now, "Kedem was the only competitor in this category that registered," said David Sugarman, chief executive of Newark-based Manischewitz, "and we felt we could come out with a better product that tastes better."
With $12 billion in annual sales, the kosher food industry is barely growing so stealing market share is an attractive growth strategy.
"What's very cool about it is taking advantage of what Manischewitz does for kosher consumers and what Welch's does for grape juice consumers and really bringing that together," Ike Kim, senior brand manager of Welch's bottled juice business, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The recipe for Welch's grape juice will remain the same, but the kosher version will be subject to the regulations of the Orthodox Union - "namely, that the juice passes exclusively through observant Jewish hands from the time it is pressed until it is pasteurized," according to JTA.
According to Jewlicious, in a statement, Manischewitz CEO David Sugarman called the company's foray into grape juice "long overdue."
The kosher line will retain Welch's original formula, but will be subject to the same production guidelines as kosher wine.
