Kosherfest expo to showcase banana chips, coco jam from the Philippines
Philippine food companies will be participating for the first time in Kosherfest 2012, the world’s largest kosher-certified products trade show to be held November 13 and 14 at Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey.
At least five companies will debut their products before top kosher supermarkets, restaurant and food service buyers, said Philippine Agriculture Attaché Dr. Josyline C. Javelosa. They will be among 325 international exhibitors from around the world participating in the event.
The companies and their kosher-certified agriculture and fishery products are:
• Andy Albao Enterprise (makers of coconut products such as sugar, nectar syrup, vinegar, powder, jam, flour, oil and also cacao products). The company said in its website it does not use any pesticide on its farms and artificial preservatives in its our manufacturing process. “We process our coconut food products in conventional and natural way to preserve the original taste and full nutrients,” it said.
• KF Nutri-Foods International (dried fruits such as banana chips and assorted tropical fruits, coconut products such as charcoal, briquettes, peat and fiber). Based in Davao, KF said the company is able to manufacture “healthy and safe” banana chips because of the fertile soil in the province.
• Spythe Global Enterprises (organic coconut sugar, syrup, seasoning, marinade and vinegar). The company said its coconut water is free from additives and artificial flavoring and may have low glycemic index which is beneficial for people suffering from diabetes.
• Suchero (organic natural sweetener). The company touts itself as a “truly Pinoy all-natural sweetener” whose product has no preservative, no coloring, no artificial flavor, is unfiltered and unbleached
• Atsons-Tropicana Food Products Inc. (organic coconut products such as cream, powder, oil, mouth freshener, nasal spray and other personal care products)
No animal or dairy products are used in the manufacture of the Philippine goods, hence meeting the basic requirements for the production of kosher food, officials said. There are about 12.1 million kosher consumers in the U.S., according to the Kosherfest 2012 website, with the kosher industry worth an estimated $12.5 billion. The website said Americans consume kosher food for religious as well as health reasons.
Javelosa said the government delegation supporting the companies is headed by Administrator Eucledes Forbes of the Philippine Coconut Authority. Assisting the group will be Rabbi Joel Weinberger, president of PS Food Works, Inc., and Tonette Salazar, managing director of the Philippine Liaison Office of PS Kosher Food Works, Inc. based in Los Angeles.
The Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. is inviting Filipino Americans to visit the Philippine Pavilion at Kosherfest 2012. For further inquiries, they can email Trinidad Carlos at tpcarlos2002@yahoo.com or the Office of the Philippine Agriculture Attaché at philagri.wdc@gmail.com.
This so cool and good business for Filipino food products.
Kosher News Wire published an article on KF Nutri Foods – http://www.kosherregister.com/koshernews/2012/11/26/kf-nutri-foods-from-the-philippines-joins-star-k . Congratulations!