Question for the OK – Tishrei 5780

Dear Kosher Spirit,
Why do I occasionally see a specific product where some packages have the OK symbol and some do not?

The OK responds:
That’s a great question! Sometimes, when a product has a long shelf life, there can be product still on the market that was produced before the company had kosher certification. The product without the OK symbol should not be considered kosher.
Another reason why you might see the same product with and without the OK symbol has to do with a manufacturing term known as Private Labeling. A private label is a product produced at a manufacturing facility and then labeled with another company’s brand name. In order for a private label product to be kosher certified, the manufacturing facility must be under kosher certification. Large national and multi-national companies often outsource production to multiple manufacturing facilities; therefore, only the product made at the certified facility can bear the OK kosher logo. Product without the kosher symbol cannot be considered kosher. You may even see the identical product with a different kosher symbol because it was manufactured in a facility with a different kosher supervision.
As always, it’s crucial to check every product for a reliable kosher symbol each and every time you make a purchase!

You can see more info at www.ok.org or on the OK Kosher Food Guide App for iOS and Android.
Stay tuned for an in-depth article about private labeling in the future.