Spangler Candy products are certified kosher through the Orthodox Union. Learn about kosher foods and view our certifications.
"Kosher" in Hebrew means fit or proper, and is generally used to describe foods that are prepared in accordance with special Jewish dietary laws. Can processed foods like soda, cookies, or potato chips be non-kosher? Yes. This is because all ingredients and subunits in a product must conform to the dietary laws in order for the food item to be considered kosher. Even one non-kosher ingredient can render the entire product unsuitable. In addition, kosher food must be processed on kosher equipment. Equipment used for non-kosher production with heat, is rendered non-kosher and must be kosherized (through a special cleaning process of hot water or intense heat) to be fit for kosher service and use.
Kosher supervision means that a qualified Rabbi or Rabbinic organization supervises the production of a food item to insure that the product is kosher. Supervision generally focuses on two areas - ingredients and equipment.
The kosher market extends beyond the Jewish population, and includes Muslims, Seventh Day Adventists, and vegetarians in addition to people with milk related allergies, health conscious consumers, and discerning consumers who view the kosher symbol as a sign of health, quality, and integrity.(1) In a consumer survey of adults who purchase kosher food, the number one reason people buy kosher is for food quality (62%). The second most common reason people say they purchase kosher food is "general healthfulness" (51%), and the third is food safety (34%). (2) Sales of kosher foods total $12.5 billion in 2008, a 64% increase since 2003. (2)
Spangler Candy uses the Orthodox Union as its kosher-certification service. The Orthodox Union, or OU, represents the largest and most trusted kosher certifying agency. Close to 300 OU Rabbinic Field Representatives regularly inspect 6,000 certified plants in 80 countries around the globe. The OU symbol appears on more than 400,000 food and food-related items - over 60 percent of America's kosher-certified products. (3)
In October 2006, the Spangler Candy manufacturing plant in Bryan, Ohio, and its co-manufacturing facility in Juarez were both certified kosher by the Orthodox Union. All Spangler products made in Bryan and Juarez are kosher except for Circus Peanuts. View or download our kosher certificates:
Spangler Kosher Certificate – Dum-Dums, Saf-T-Pops, Traditional and Natural Candy Canes.
Sunrise Kosher Certificate – Spangler Candy Canes, Jumbo Sticks, Jelly Belly Candy Canes.
Piedmont Kosher Certificate – Peppermint Puffs and Peppermint Sticks.
Visit the Orthodox Union web site at www.oukosher.org.
(1) www.oukosher.org - "The Kosher Advantage" 2007.
(2) Mintel Market Research 2008.
(3) Behind the Union Symbol, Summer 2005