Toronto – The closure of one of the country’s two top suppliers of kosher chicken has resulted in a steady decrease in availability, while prices continue to soar as the High Holidays approach.
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The NATIONAL POST (http://bit.ly/16btyL0) reports that the shortages come on the heels of the closing of the Toronto-based Chai Poultry in May, which along with Marvid Poultry out of Montreal, supplied the majority of kosher chicken to religious Jews in Canada.
When Chai Poultry closed in May, the owner of Marvid Poultry assured consumers that a production increase at Marvid would be able to successfully fill the void, thus keeping both supply and costs to consumers steady, but a spokesman for Canada’s largest kosher certifier, the Kashruth Council of Canada, said Marvid’s original claims are “not panning out.”
Consumers say that a kosher chicken that originally cost $12 in May, now sells for as much as $18.
The Kashruth Council spokesman said the they are actively seeking the financial community’s help in funding entrepreneurs interested in opening another supplier.
In the Old Country, rabbonim forbade “shchitas chutz” to protect the local shchita and avoid this exact situation. The COR failed to do this and allowed “outside” meat and poultry to be used at simchas and at retail stores under their hashgacha. When the local shchita is not protected from outsiders, it leaves them vulnerable to unfair competition which is VERY temporary and eventually hurts the consumer, as we see in this case.
The Toronto COR does not learn from its past mistakes. It once had a local Cholov Yisroel, but lost it to Montreal’s Mehadrin in the EXACT same way. Guess what? – The prices for cholov yisroel products in Toronto are now the HIGHEST in North America!
It is TOO LATE for Toronto. The consumers will now pay a heavy price for chicken. Let other city hashgochas learn from this!!
The Rabanim in this city, along with some self-appointed self-important power brokers who have grabbed control, have formed a powerful Mafia-like alliance in Toronto. They work their way through the kashrus food industry, through the restaurants and their hashgachas, and, most unfortunately, through the schools.
Just try opposing them. Just try standing up for your rights and for the rights of your children. Try opening a new and better school for all the deserving children here.
See where it gets you.
Free market economy. People will charge whatever price they can get from consumers. Don’t want the price? Don’t buy it or start your own company!
might be time for someone to start raising chickens in the community and do their own slaughtering, just as it was done in the old days
Someone post the real story:…….. Halal……..quota……..$$$$$
People are not as foolish as presumed.
It has been my observance that some kosher retailers look (no matter where their location is) to take advantage of consumers prior to Pesach, and other Yom Tovim. For example, in my community, there are two large chain store groceries, which have kosher products. There is a vast difference between the prices for Empire Chicken per pound, as well as for Aaron’s steaks (both OU certified), between the two locations. Hence, I go to the retailer with the lower prices. In addition, there are some retailers, who offer glatt kosher products online, and will ship vis UPS chicken and steak, which are packed in dry ice. Therefore, there are many alternatives to the kosher consumer. Consumers do not have to get ripped off, at their local retail outlet.
We are having to pay over $25 for Marvid chicken on the west coast. My Shabbos chicken last week cost $27. This is not acceptable. Chai chickens ran $9-14 and didn’t taste and smell funky. My children haven’t been eating the Marvid chicken which makes me wonder what they’re fed and treated with.