Passover's dietary restrictions led to new market demographic for Jewish food company: gluten-free consumers

As Passover begins on Monday at sundown, a Jewish food company told FOX Business that a new demographic of consumers has embraced its products: people with Celiac disease and other gluten intolerance issues. 

"Gluten-free was not created in Whole Foods in the 1990s," said Charles Herzog, president of Kayco, the parent company of Manischewitz. "It was created at Mount Sinai thousands of years ago." 

Manischewitz Company was founded by Rabbi Dov Behr Manischewitz in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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During Passover, observant Jews follow strict dietary restrictions — even stricter than kosher diets for the rest of the year. A person who keeps kosher does not eat shellfish or pork, or mix milk and meat products. 

The eight-day holiday of Passover, however, has its own set of dietary rules. 

"We all remember the story in the Bible. The Jews left Egypt and they didn't have time for the dough to rise or leaven. As a result, instead of bread they had matzah," Rabbi Moshe Elefant told FOX Business. 

Elefant is chief operating officer and executive rabbinic coordinator of OU Kosher, a kosher certification agency. 

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"During Passover, in commemoration of this event, Jews avoid any grain-based foods. Anything made from grain, except if it is made from matzah, is restricted and called chametz," he said. 

Matzah, or ground up matzah, known as matzah flour, are the only products containing gluten that are considered kosher for Passover, said Elefant. 

"Passover for someone with Celiac disease or on a gluten-free diet is a dream," he said. 

"Passover presents so many options," including "cakes, pancake mixes, snacks, and crackers." 

Manischewitz found out almost by accident that there was a new demand for its Passover products: those who did not necessarily keep kosher, but who desired gluten-free products. 

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"It used to be that after the holiday, we would put the Passover products on closeout," said Herzog. "Right after Passover, we had a list of people calling us to say that they want to buy our closeouts." 

The company realized there was "this huge community" of people who were looking to have a gluten-free diet and seeking their Passover products year-round. 

"And that's where we said, 'OK, let's do this. We're going to start developing products for (people avoiding gluten) and not just as an afterthought,'" Herzog said.

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He added, "We created a brand called Absolutely Gluten Free, which really was seeded in Passover, but now offers everyday gluten-free items." 

Previously, said Herzog, potato starch was the "go-to" Passover flour alternative. 

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"As the years progressed, people became smarter," he said. "They started to play with cassava flour, coconut flour, and tapioca starch. Almond flour is really big, because it has its own nutrients and consumers like the idea of having protein and nutrition in the products." 

As for Elefant, who does not normally follow a gluten-free diet outside of Passover, he said the innovations in products that are kosher for Passover have revolutionized the menu for the holiday. 

"When I grew up, the Passover diet was very limited. You had matzah, potatoes, basic dairy products, proteins, fruits and vegetables," he said.

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Now, "Passover has become huge."

He added, "I myself can't believe all the products that are available, whether it's bagels or pizza, muffin batters, or bread crumbs that have nothing to do with bread."

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