Observers of the kosher world are becoming increasingly worried about a potential shortage of matzah and significant price hikes this Pesach due to the closure of the Shatzer Matzoh Bakery, one of the most beloved and iconic matzah bakeries.
Kosher Today reported that the Shatzer bakery held a considerable market share in the shmura matzah category. And while other bakeries have pledged to ramp up production, one rav told the outlet that he is prohibited from baking more than he did last year, though it didn’t explain why.
The abrupt news of the bakery’s closure has deeply affected many in the frum community, as the bakery has been a prominent Pesach fixture for more than 50 years.
Operators and caterers responsible for overseeing approximately 140 Passover programs are particularly concerned, as they had relied on the factory for its matzah. It isn’t yet clear how they will respond to this news.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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15 Responses
Shatzer Matzahs has been in business since, at least, 1948 or 1949. That’s 75 years.
“And while other bakeries have pledged to ramp up production, one rav told the outlet that he is prohibited from baking more than he did last year, though it didn’t explain why.”
-to keep supply low and demand high=Lots of income?
CRISIS
CRIIIISIIIIS
Why did Shatzer close?
It’s all a ploy to manipulate prices. Someone is behind the scenes making threats good old mafia style.
Here in Israel, though they aren’t so great when it comes to monopolies, matzah is very cheap. Besides the hand made shmura, I was able to get last year a 5kg box of machine matzah with בד”ץ עדה חרדית for 20 shekel. People in New York should really boycott all matzah this year. Start a community matzah bakery, hire a good mashgiach. Don’t buy a single box!
One of the main reasons moshiach is not here is because Yiddin are ripping off Yiddin specialy during these holidays when we are very vulnerable for bull …. excuses to gouge prices because of bogus articles like this.
Why is cotton seed oil 20 bucks a bottle??
Sugar 8 bucks???
Matzoh I don’t event want to say…getting the lingo here????
Sickening !!
I don’t get it.
Bakeries bake Matzah starting around Chanukah time. So why is it first being discovered NOW that a major bakery has closed?
And even stranger- why did Shatzer close?? Why not sell the business?
Fendter613:
If you all believe you being ripped off why don’t you open a bakery and make all this money?
Now b4 you think of opening one just remember get a good accountant and figure your costs expenses starting from summer cutting the wheat, Mashgiach on farm. Storage trucking and milling.
Pay laborers, packaging and borrowing funding till you sell the first pound of matzoh?
Basically according to your views klapper Yisroel is getting ripped off so why not change the world instead of sitting at your computer bashing all kosher manufacturers. USA is a world of opportunities and you can do it too
Ch’Ching Ch’Ching !!!!
I don’t know about matzah, but there is an easy answer to the price gouging by supermarkets on other grocery items. The community should start buying from Costco until the supermarkets feel the pressure to make the prices start coming down.
no crisis at all; a few facts
shatz closed because of an ongoing yerusha machlokes din torah / court case ..shlepping for years and closing was a possible way to end it
although they were a serious bakery, over the last ten years many others have grown and new ones have taken a chunk of their business already,
a bakery is measured in how many ovens are going at once as an example shatz had 2 , satmar broadway has 10
its true that many pesach programs took shatz but even the hotels are using way less matzo than years ago as many woman are scared to “WASH ” as well as their being way more produts avail.
Reb Yossel, All the factors you mention are taken into consideration, of course. When there is an in the trade commitment to not produce more than previous years, that lends the lie to all your thoughts.
Are you aware of the family ties in the industry?
Thanks to YWN for creating a sense of chaos and
Reb yossel .
It’s not the manufactures that are guilty it’s the resellers who are the thieves and that’s why bingo supermarkets have been opening.
take these handfull on ganavim away from robbing people.
And for what you said interms of cost of the manufactures I agree but that’s not the case unfortunately…there are real ganavim out there even way before this crazy spike of inflation!
Actually nowadays they dont even wait till Chanuka they start baking Matzah from Rosh Hashana time.—And theres a shortage? Sure. No shortage for the money to flow in though