Jewish Calendar Puts Squeeze on Kosher Industry
Posted by Menachem Lubinsky on June 22, 2010 under Kosher Industry | 
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New York…With Rosh Hashanah looming on the eve of September 8th, many in the kosher industry are invoking a line made famous by Comedian Jackie Mason: “The Jewish holidays are either early or late; they’re never on time!” The early Rosh Hashanah, less than three days after Labor Day, will force the industry to advance preparations to early August, say sources in the kosher food industry. At least one distributor already lamented that he would not be able to take his “usual vacation.” He was already busy preparing to ship to the Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York where an estimated 300,000 vacationers will converge, albeit for a somewhat shortened stay this year. Several retailers said that they traditionally did better when Rosh Hashanah was late. Said one: “I usually get two major surges, replenishments (people returning from vacation) after Labor Day and before the holidays; now it’s folded into one.” It will also cut into the lucrative advertising business for many Jewish publications since Rosh Hashanah is a prime advertising season, second only to Passover. In some markets, Rosh Hashanah has emerged as the primary gift-giving season of such items as gourmet honey and fine wines.
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