Cobb has announced the Cobb500 broiler is now certified kosher by the Orthodox Union (OU). Cobb said the Cobb500 is the first broiler to receive the OU Kosher certification and be approved by Badatz Jerusalem.
“As a global company, we are trying to meet the needs of a broad customer base, and the OU symbol is one of the best-known trademarks in the world,” said Joel Sappenfield, president of Cobb-Vantress. “Offering a kosher product is another important step toward meeting the rising expectations of our customers.”
For the last 15 years, Rabbi Barel Polatsek (representing Vaad Hakashrus Meged Yehuda) has worked closely with Cobb on this initiative. “Rabbi Polatsek and Rabbi Loike (Orthodox Union) made multiple trips to Cobb, which was instrumental in helping Cobb better understand the needs of the Jewish communities in regard to a Kosher product,” said Mark Cooper, director of product testing at Cobb-Vantress. “It also helped the Rabbis understand Cobb’s lines and breeding program.”
In July, several leading rabbis visited Cobb’s pure-line farms to evaluate the lines regarding kosher law. Following this visit and the Rabbi’s discussions with their communities and organisations, the Orthodox Union certified the Cobb500 as kosher.
Cobb is putting additional marketing resources behind the announcement to maximise exposure to kosher customers.
