by Tova Ross

A new, all-natural line of hummus has been introduced to the kosher market by Tribe, a Boston-based company that was among the first to introduce the United States to one of the Mediterranean’s most popular snacks. Called Tribe Origins Hummus, the line includes several flavors – such as Classic; Spicy Red Pepper; Tomato and Veggie, and Zesty Spice and Garlic. The hummus is creamy with hand-crafted toppings, just the way hummus devotees and purists like it. The products, free of artificial flavors, preservatives, and high-fructose corn syrup, are vegan and certified kosher by the OU. The hummus can be found in stores such as Shop Rite, Stop & Shop, and many all-natural and organic food shops. Visit Tribe Hummus for more information.

New York…A new kosher dairy restaurant opened within earshot of the Israeli Consulate on Second Avenue as part of a number of interesting changes. Koshertopia, a blog that tracks kosher restaurants, reported that Lunchbox opened last week at 844 Second  Avenue (corner of 45th St.). The dairy take-out offers  fresh salads, hot lunch options, sushi and a variety of take-out options. The restaurant is under the supervision of the OK. The blog also reports that My Most Favorite Food moved to 247 West 72nd Street. The original location on 45th St. closed it doors permanently  after over a decade of business. The popular Prime Grill restaurant which already has Solo, an Asian themed kosher restaurant, has opened a fusion restaurant of modern and southern Japanese  cuisine at a moderate price point. Prime KO is located on the Upper West Side  of Manhattan. Prime KO Executive Chef Makato Kameyama, previously of Prime Grill, has created an authentic Japanese menu of steak, fish, and sushi dishes.  Prime KO was designed by Warren Ashworth, the man behind Union Square Café and BLT Market, among other notable restaurants. Finally, Shalom Bombay is set to open at a new Manhattan  location at 344 Lexington Avenue.

New York…The decision by Gatorade to secure the kosher certification of the Orthodox Union (OU) was due to the brand’s recognition of new opportunities with younger kosher consumers. Nearly six months after Kosher Today (October 13, 2009) broke the story that both Gatorade and Tootsie Roll would soon add kosher certification, Gatorade itself broke the news in full page ads and press releases in Jewish publications. In fact, in its ad, Gatorade addresses the emergence of a younger more health conscious kosher consumer. Gatorade noted that its new OU symbol on the label “means the athletes in your family can now have the same advantage the pros have had since 1965.” Gatorade’s kosher certification also puts its parent company PepsiCo on a more level playing field with Coca Cola whose PowerAde brand has had OU certification for years. Gatorade has for years dominate the energy beverage category which it hopes to retain with its new kosher certification. Carbonated soft drinks have in recent years lost ground to the energy drinks. The retail dollar value of U.S. carbonated soft drink sales was up about 2.7 percent to $72 billion due to the popularity of higher-priced energy drinks and price increases of traditional soft drinks. The kosher beverage market is estimated at $1.5 billion, about 10% of the overall kosher market.