LAYSHEYV BAZOOKA

This story comes from Kosher Today (June 1, 2009)

Topps Official Finally Gets His Kosher Certification
Ari Weinstock, the Director of Marketing, for Bazooka Candy Brands, always felt that his company was missing a golden opportunity by not going kosher. But the company management prior to its sale to an investment group was not interested. Many consumers who had written the company had received a polite but firm response which ostensibly said that the market was just not significant enough. But in the end Mr. Weinstock prevailed and the Bazooka Candy Brands received the certification of the Orthodox Union (OU). The company recently announced that its bestselling Ring Pop has been kosher certified by the OU. Production of the newly kosher Ring Pop, with brand new packaging bearing the “OU” symbol, began last month with the candy shipping to retailers nationwide in August. Said Mr. Weinstock: “Working with the Orthodox Union, the top organization for kosher certification in the world, we can now bring Ring Pop to an entirely new, and discerning, consumer base that has never before been able to enjoy our products.” Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher’s Vice President of Communications and Marketing expressed “great satisfaction in having Bazooka Candy Brands join with leading confectionery producers who have attained OU certification in recent years. It was gratifying for OU Kosher’s team, headed by Rabbi Mordechai Merzel, to corroborate with Bazooka Candy Brands’ team and bring the much sought after Ring Pop products to an ever growing kosher market place.” Topps was one of the few remaining large American food manufacturers that had not made the move to kosher.