California Here I Come….
I consider myself a “foodie”, I love food, I deal with food companies daily and I travel to food trade shows for OU Kosher.
Wikipedia’s definition of a “foodie” is an informal term for a particular class of aficionado of food and drink. A “foodie” is different than a “gourmet”. Foodies differ in that gourmets are epicures of refined taste who may or may not be professionals in the food industry, whereas foodies are amateurs who simply love food for consumption, study, preparation and news. Gourmets simply want to eat the best food, whereas foodies want to learn everything about food, from the best to the ordinary, and about the science, industry and personalities surrounding food.
Well, it’s official then, I am a “foodie”. My next excursion into what I like to call “Foodie Nirvana” is coming up at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco on January 16th.
The OU has participated as an exhibitor at both the Winter and Summer Fancy Food shows for well over a decade. It is one of our busiest shows, as we meet both new and current OU clients, who recognize the value of having the world’s most respected kosher symbol grace their products. With over 3,000 food manufacturers from all over the world it is as close to food heaven as a foodie can get! It’s an exciting three days of non-stop meeting and eating.
With kosher still growing as one of the hottest food trends, manufacturers who are OU kosher proudly display their “Proud To Be OU” signs in their booth at the show. Buyers who attend the show are always looking to maximize sales in their stores and distribution businesses. Having the OU kosher symbol is a sure way to get noticed.
So California here I come……I’ve got my walking shoes and my appetite ready for the newest food trends as we enter 2011. I’m looking forward to meeting old friends and excited to make new ones. If you happen to be visiting San Francisco and plan to attend the Winter Fancy Food Show, please be sure to stop at the OU booth # 4322 at Moscone Center. I will personally show you all the exciting items which are OU certified and together we can explore those that should be.
Phyllis Koegel serves as the Marketing Director of OU Kosher based in New York City. She received her MBA from Pace University and resides in Cedarhurst, NY on Long Island.
“Contemporary Issues in Kashrut: Topics in the news plus questions from the audience” is just one of the many workshops being offered at the OU’s One Day Conference on Jewish Life, January 16th. The conference is open to all.
The words of this author reflect his/her own opinions and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Orthodox Union.