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Saturday, April 30, 2011

The Cost of Kosher

It is no secret that kosher meat costs more. But why? On the supply side, the kosher meat industry is as utilitarian in its methods as the non-kosher meat industry. Moreover, in the wake of the Rubashkin's scandal, a number of independent kosher abattoirs have sprung up, so there is plenty of supply. By some estimates, more than a million kosher chickens are slaughtered each week. (See the article above by Eugene White.)  Yet even in a city such as Los Angeles, with a host of competing kosher markets, the price of a kosher piece of polka is significantly higher than the comparative non-kosher products of Perdue.


In these belt-tightened times, it is hard to figure what to do. Recently, on account of the steep increase in gas prices, I have started using a website http://gasbuddy.com/  to search for the cheapest gas in my area. (It's also an iPhone app.) The website gives real-time (or close to it) quotes from competing gas stations. From there, one selects the best quote and heads for the pump. I was thinking how good and pleasant it would be if something similar existed for the Kosher consumer. Of course, I am no programmer, but I do like adventure, and this is what I found on a mid-morning Pico Blvd. excursion (4/29/2011). 


Kosher Club (4817 West Pico Boulevard)
Empire Chicken        $2.69-2.99 lb
King David Chicken  $2.69-2.99 lb
Turkey Drumstick      $1.99 lb
Kedem Grape Juice   $5.99 (large bottle)


Glatt Mart (8708 West Pico Boulevard)
Agristarmeat Chicken $2.79-3.59
Chai Poultry Chicken  $3.69 
Fabrengen Grape Juice  $5.49 


Livonia Glatt Market (Pico & Livonia)
Agristarmeat Chicken   $2.79-$3.29 lb.
Turkey Drumstick $2.19 lb.
Fabrengen Grape Juice $5.99

Ralph's (9616 West Pico Boulevard)
Empire Chicken $3.99-4.19 (Club Card)
Kedem Grape Juice $3.89 (Club Card) 




Results: Kosher Club swept in the poultry department. While Ralphs came in first for grape juice.
Now where do we go from here?



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