China and India See Rise in Demand for Kosher Certifiers

Given that Judaism is far from prevalent in either China or India, it may come as a surprise that these are the largest growth areas for kosher certifiers.

However, it is in fact the demand for kosher products in the US, Europe and Israel that is driving this area of opportunity for globally operating certifiers. NutraIngredients-USA spoke to Steve Sichel, director of development for Star-K Kosher Certification, at SupplySide West in Las Vegas.

"Our largest growth area for new business is China and India," said Sichel. "And because of that we have offices there."

In line with the certification procedures, Star-K has a full-time rabbi on hand in India, as well as others that commute from Australia to China. With headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, the firm's Asia offices are in Shanghai and Mumbai.

The kosher market is growing at a 15 percent annual rate, according to Sichel, who added this is much stronger than growth in the mainstream food and food ingredients markets, where growth typically stands at around 4 percent.

Read the full FoodNavigator-USA.com story here.