A milk price war has broken out in kosher shops in London and Manchester after the arrival of a new supplier.
Until now, milk for the strictly Orthodox community has been produced by Charedi Dairies and Edgware Dairies under licence from Kedassia, the kashrut division of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, and the London Beth Din. It has been typically sold for 94p a litre.
But a fortnight ago, the Milk Company in north-west London launched its product under the licence of the London Beth Din and two independent rabbis.
It is being sold in kosher shops in London and Manchester for 79p, a price now matched by Charedi Dairies. The new company plans to move into door-to-door sales at 84p a litre.
It also says it has received inquiries to extend its operations to the Gateshead community.
Leading strictly Orthodox figure Rabbi Avraham Pinter, principal of the Yesodey Hatorah Schools, said: “Competition has never done anyone any harm. However, we need to be sure there will be a continuous supply.”
(Source: Jewish Chronicle)
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23 Responses
I was in london last week, people are very happy with this new company that caused prices to go down and is kosher lemahadrin min hamehadrin.
They hope that others will learn not to be scared and to come out with lower prices and beat the MONOPOL
we can use a war like this in the states as well – the reason why u dont see kosher milk sold in gallon sizes here is because state law mandates the price – which of course our companies that are Moser Nefesh to make us be moser nefesh and moser momoin rav to them – wouldnt think of.
the average family of 8 in the US pays over 100 a month more to have cholov yisroel (milk, cheese, leben, yogurt etc.) even though the volume we use goes up even more than that
Competition is the way to go.
Monopolies drain Jewish dollars.
Go for it! That’s what’s so great about a free market economy. More competition = better prices, better products, better services for the consumer.
We should applaud this development.
Ani Tapuach–I don’t know where you are from but in Chicago and elsewhere Kosher Chalav Yisroel Milk comes in gallon size containers. Maybe your location just has a bad deal with one of the local dairies.
And the answer to cutting down your costs is stop the chamurah society and eat and drink regular milk, R’Moshe said it was ok, he probably drank it when he came to the US. So why are you so machmir, you’ll save yourself serious money.
Do you also waste your money by buying the frumee brands. Let me let you in on a little secret, the frumee brands repackage non-jewish company produced goods.
This would seem to be within the limits of permitted undercharging.
6 you don’t know what you talking about. I worked in kashrus and it is not repackage goods; in fact we have productions runs and the left over of what we don’t take is you for non kosher use. 5 Rav Moshe heter for milk only applied for the United States, not Canada, France, or England. Also he said Ben Torah use Chalav Yisrael. England has other problems too with milk orignally you can only buy it in ENGLISH PINTS; 568 mil. and only in about 03 or 04 could you buy a liter and finally about 3 years ago 2 liters.The Jewish people have big families and it is a total waste of money to pay extra for the smaller sizes.
Competition forces prices below cost and eventually force the weaker company out oif business leading to even higher prices.
R’ Moshe never drank non cholov yisrael milk, and only allowed it in rate cases where cholov yisrael milk is not available. I wish all those that use his heter would be so makpid about everything else he said.
Also non cholov yisrael milk today has other serious kashrus issues, and many modern orthodox rabbis have spoken out against it.
To Torahumada and anyone else who feels they can take a Tzadiks name in vain and promote machlokes in the world. Shame on you for your ignorance and shame on Yeshiva World for allowing this to go unchecked. Who are you to make judgment when Rav Moshe personally drank Cholov Yisroel and encouraged others to “be machmir” if they could. At the same time, he believed that all milk manufactured by public companies in the United States where, in principle, kosher.
I would like to add that posting a comment without name and contact information is completely and totally ussur. If you don’t feel that you are willing to stand by your comment than it is forbidden to post.
Anyone who seems to have a problem with this comment feel free to contact me in writing:
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Suppose I drink regular milk, and I use the savings to pay more tuition – is that a valid reason to drink regular milk?
So the laws of economics work within our community.
In the past, the government routinely awarded monopolies, and it clearly retarded economic development (and in fact, that is what Adam Smith was complaining about the “Wealth of nations”). The market works. Capitalism is a good thing.
Trying to use “socialist” policies within our community is a very bad idea.
First of all the price has now come down this is a great acheivement. secondly the excesses of kedassia can now be checked.
Another issue before you were able to use non chalev Yisrael butter but not any more. The reason if it made butter it had to come from a kosher animal and if there were no camels you could use it. Today butter is made 2 ways and some is from cheese residue. Go and check it out on the OU’s web site
Ani Tapuach lives in New York where milk prices on the gallon sizes are regulated by the state. therefore, the chalov yisroel companies do not produce gallon sizes as then the price would be mandated by the state.
In NY there are so many kosher competing brands for milk that the price of milk is still the same as 20 years ago.
HELLO, no gallon sizes in NY or NJ!!!!
Also non cholov yisrael milk today has other serious kashrus issues, and many modern orthodox rabbis have spoken out against it.
what kashrus problems?
i heard r’ herschel schachter speak on the topic. the OU relies on R Moshe with regard to cholov stam in the US. Most of the milks have OU on them and that is to certify the added vitamins.
apparently
Kosher milk is more expensive as it must come from JEWISH cows!
Currently there is NO milk from non-kosher animals sold in the US. There is, however, a serious proposal to allow the sale of camel milk. All milk requires supervision, even non-chalav Yisrael, because of the nutritional supplements that are always added. About 15 years ago a milk brand lost its hechsher because it added a vitamin supplement derived from sharks.
Let’s put all this into context. The new milk supply, put into the market by a big asken in NW London, has already served its purpose i.e. to bring down prices. The Sailsbury Local supermarket opposite my office is selling milk at 45 pence per UK pint which equates to 75 pence per US quart. (This is not the cheapest price of all supermarkets, Tesco’s price is £1.59 per four pints) The price of the new Cholov Yisroel is 79 pence per lirre which is 75 pence per US quart. There is enough scope in the London Kosher market to sustain another supplier and there is no question Lehalochoh of unfair competition. The only “war” is between the the Kedassia and the London Beth Din with the two Choshoveh Rabbonim wh have given their Hechsher to the new milk. The Kedassia must now take on board the extremely high cost that they levy for Shemirah and think again. This is an ongoing problem in general and that is why there are a growing number of acceptable caterers and other food suppliers who do not seek Kashrus supervision.
From now on we cant believe YWN with headlines like “Kosher Milk War Heats Up In London”
For a start this is a over statement!!!!!!! secondly there is no war!!!!!!! COME ON GET REAL!! ABOUT TIME YOU WRIGHT HEADLINES THAT ARE TRUE!!!!!! PLEASE DON’T EXAGGERATE!!! BECAUSE PEOPLE ACTUALLY BELIEVE YOU (well they are naive)
I dont understand how you can say “Kosher Milk War Heats Up In London”
its no war its just another milk company