New York – Although there is yet to be a formal announcement, sources told KosherToday that Tootsie Roll and Gatorade will be the next icon food brands to acquire a major kosher symbol.
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For kosher consumers, such news has become less frequent than in the 90’s and early 2000’s when many major brands made the move. They included Nabisco’s Oreos, Keebler, Entenmann’s and other national brands that kosher consumers had considered “forbidden fruits.” More recent members of the club include Topp’s Bazooka and Jelly Belly.
Tootsie Roll, a Chicago-based company, has grown to become one of the country’s largest candy companies, with operations throughout North America and with distribution channels in more than 75 countries. Gatorade is a brand of flavored non-carbonated sports drinks manufactured by the Quaker Oats Company, now a division of PepsiCo.
Pepsi’s competitor PowerAde, owned by the Coca-Cola Co., has OU certification. Kosher sources explain that news of a major brand going kosher is rare these days “since most of them already have a major kosher symbol.” One certification agency told Kosher Today: “We are rapidly approaching the day when every major US food brand that can be kosher certified will be kosher.”
This is great news for the dentists that cater to the frum Yidden.
This is goiyeshe food and not the type of ochel that our parents ate so we shouldn’t be getting our children to think this is mutar. Just because somthing has hashgacha doesn’t mean we should be buying it.
Now Yidden can do the gatorade dunk .
Just what we need, more kosher junk food.
Clarification: Bazooka is mentioned in the article above. The FAQ on Topps’ website says clearly “Is Bazooka bubble gum kosher? No, unfortunately it is not certified Kosher at this time.” While there may be exceptions (i.e. Israeli Bazooka), regular Bazooka is not kosher.
Actually this is great news since whenever Powerade is not available, this provides a national option when dealing with hydration in hot weather.
there are no gums kosher accept the heimisha companies !! and they say thats also not kosher lechatchila !!
tootsie rolls are traif? i didnt know that
Great news for the Future Frum Fatsos of America!!
#5 , actually a lot of our parents did! eat tootsie rolls, they thought it was kosher, ask your parents or grandparents.
Great they will see their revenue increase at least 30%, why every major food brand doesn’t follow is beyond me. Would you want to cut out such a significant market share / buying power as the Kosher consumer? It just makes perfect business sense.
mashgiach !! (comment 7) :
“there are no gums kosher accept the heimisha companies !! and they say thats also not kosher lechatchila !!’
please explain what you are talking about. the heimishe companies not kosher? and maybe you will start seeing an OU on american bazooka! calm down
It is very interesting to note that the original producer of tootsie roll was and early resident of Boro Park who lived on 49th street near 16th ave. He died in his late nineties in the early 60’s. His name was Rubin and was a memeber in Beth E-l.
Junk food was banned in the Public Schools, so they kasher it and businees will be great. See ‘comments’ how everyone got meshuga just reading about Tutsi Rolls. I guess the sugar to you guys.
I’m waiting for Snickers to become cholov yisroel. Throw in cholov yisroel Baby Ruth and I promise you olam haboh.
Gatorade becoming kosher is wonderful news !! My kids, living in Israel, need electrolyte drinks during hot weather so as not to dehydrate. I have had a heck of a time finding kosher powdered mixes to take to Israel (bottles are easy to find, but too heavy to transport), but the Gatorade mix is in every store !!! Most pregnant women (American) in Israel drink this stuff like water !!
In reply to #5 :
Actually, when the Torah says to walk in the way of Hashem, it means that we listen to what he says simply because he says it. Therefore, by going ahead and eating these foods when they are certified, it indicates that the ONLY reason you refrained from eating them before was simply out of keeping with the Halachos. There were no other motives.
Just something to be aware of.
I can’t wait to taste gatorade if the gedolem say its mutar to eat it then who can argue
Are the Tootsie rolls going to be pareve? Or will they not be cholov yisroel?
I remember how delicious Tootsie rolls and Tootsie Roll pops were from very young Boro Park days. But before we start celebrating in the streets, kosher certification does not mean cholov yisroel. Now that would be cause to celebrate.
The gemara in chullin says if you want to taste chazir taste you can eat a certain fish and then lists other similar machalos assuros that have a kosher substitute. Why should we be better than the gemorah.
My research says that only certain products manufactured by Tootsie Roll will get a hashgacha and Tootsie Roll and Tootsie Roll Pops are NOT gettig hashgacha!!! Chaval al d’ovdon v’lo mishkachan
hey any time there is more kosher its obviously better since more yidden will be eating kosher. especialy all those that don’t know any better will be michshal less often. however there is a famous chassidishe expression ‘ nisht ats vus meer meg ton darf men ton’. self control is up to the individual.
There is the ramban on kdoshim teyou shloh thia naval brshhus hatorha not everything that is muter can you do since if you do you are a navul birshus hatora
I used to reminisce about tootsie rolls all the time. My husband used to enjoy hearing me talking about it. He loves the name of it! He remembers when yeshivas had them in their school dispensers, as they used to have a k or something on them, they were kosher, but not cholov yisroel. But today we have chocolate flavored laffy taffys which are quite close, so for 25 cents you can imagine you are almost having a tootsie roll. And its pareve too!
Many vegetarians, Hindus and also Muslims only eat with a heksher so that they know that there is no meat in the product. This is why it is worth while to make these product kosher – for all kinds of frummers, not just yidden.
Gatorade is not medicine and they have many flavors to satisfy many palates.
Gatorade is not a drink like coke, it is mainly used for playing sports or whatever to give a quick energy and replaces some minerals that you lose when one sweats. They even have a low card one with I think a little more minerals
They are better ones out there but Gatorade is the most popular.
My guess is it was just a matter of cost for the kosher seal, since it was already probably kosher all the time.
Boruch Hashem the frum community has completed all its necessary learning and done all the required maasim toivim possible that they can sit and debate the serious news about Tootsie Rolls getting a hashgacha and whether Gatorade is a medicine!
In less than 24 hours, at least sixty or seventy people wasted their time commenting on this and who knows how many other articles, pontificating about things they know nothing about.
Tootsie Rolls? Powerade? I mean, seriously? Does NO ONE have anything better to do with his/her time?
Please, ask your local Rabbi to join us in spending time on this shtus, and maybe a few Roshei Yeshivos could take time out from learning to join in.
If you stop for a minute and think of what you are doing, you will realize that THIS is the most harmful effect of the internet being so readily available, not the illicit websites.
It is apparently true that now that the internet is freely available, the Satan can finally afford take time off and to go on vacation.