Empire Kosher
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food manufacturing |
| Founded | 1938 in Liberty, New York, United States |
| Founder | Joseph N. Katz |
| Headquarters | Mifflintown , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Greg Rosenbaum (CEO) |
| Products | Kosher poultry products (chicken and turkey) |
| Parent | Aterian Investment Partners (since 2019) |
| Website | empirekosher |
Empire Kosher Poultry, Inc. stands as the foremost producer of kosher poultry within the United States. Its main office, hatchery, and processing operations are all situated in Mifflintown, Pennsylvania.
Founding and early development
Established in 1938 in Liberty, New York by Joseph N. Katz, an immigrant from Austria of Jewish heritage, Empire Kosher was initially managed by the Katz family, including Joseph’s son Murray, for its first fifty years. In its formative period, the company enlisted rabbis from Mandatory Palestine and Jewish communities across Europe to supervise kosher compliance. Starting from a modest garage location in Liberty, the brand name was inspired by New York State’s nickname. By the mid-20th century, Empire had gained recognition as a pioneer in kosher food manufacturing.
Move and growth
During the early 1960s and still under Katz family ownership, Empire shifted its headquarters to Mifflintown, Pennsylvania, approximately 40 miles from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The acquisition of a processing facility there enabled increased production to satisfy demand from an expanding Jewish middle-class market. Empire became the first kosher food manufacturer to secure distribution through mainstream supermarket chains.
Challenges and financial restructuring
A devastating fire in 1986 severely damaged the Mifflintown production line, leading the Katz family to invest close to $20 million in rebuilding and upgrading the plant with modern technology. In 1992, ownership transferred to private equity firm Apollo Management, followed by a sale to J.W. Childs Associates, with the company assuming considerable debt during these transactions.
Revitalization and expansion
In 2003, a group of private investors led by Greg Rosenbaum purchased Empire Kosher and undertook significant modernization efforts that more than doubled production capacity by 2009. Presently, the company processes around 240,000 chickens and 27,000 turkeys each week, generating annual revenues exceeding $100 million, securing its position as the largest kosher poultry producer in the United States.
Empire’s workforce is unionized under United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776. Under current leadership, the company has contributed to community welfare by donating kosher products to food pantries. CEO Greg Rosenbaum was honored with the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty’s Humanitarian Award in 2011. Additionally, Empire has received accolades for upholding high animal welfare and environmental standards.
In 2010, Empire acquired the Kosher Valley brand from natural foods company Hain Celestial Group. Subsequently, in March 2015, Hain Celestial purchased approximately 80% of EK Holdings, Inc., Empire’s parent company, for $57.6 million including net debt repayment. Later in 2019, Aterian Investment Partners acquired Empire from Hain Celestial.
Egg hatching and poultry raising
Empire operates its own hatchery at its Mifflintown facility where eggs are incubated on-site. All chickens and turkeys are raised on small family farms located within a 90-mile radius of the plant. The company enforces rigorous quality assurance measures, asserting that its inspectors maintain standards "five times stricter than USDA inspectors." Essential criteria include:
- Exclusively vegetarian feed
- Absence of antibiotics and growth hormones
- Full traceability back to each farm
- Animals raised cage-free with freedom to roam
Empire consistently passes independent animal welfare audits conducted by major clients such as Whole Foods and Costco. The company also markets an Organic product line and has recently initiated a "Green Kosher" branding campaign.
Kashrut and Processing
At the Mifflintown facility, a group of 65 rabbis supervises the kosher slaughtering process. The site also features on-site living quarters, a mikvah, and a synagogue to support religious observance. Empire's poultry products hold kosher certification from the Orthodox Union as well as respected rabbis including Rabbi Yechiel Babad and Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum. Up until July 2020, kosher oversight was additionally provided by K'hal Adath Jeshurun (KAJ), which ceased its certification following disagreements with management.
The kosher preparation includes a salting step designed to remove blood from the meat, resulting in a unique flavor profile that has been lauded by Cook's Illustrated, a publication that frequently endorses Empire's kosher chicken and turkey offerings.
See also
Further reading
External links
- Agriculture companies of the United States
- Companies based in Juniata County, Pennsylvania
- Food manufacturers of the United States
- Meat companies of the United States
- Brand name meats
- Brand name poultry meats
- American companies established in 1938
- 1938 establishments in New York (state)
- Kosher meat
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment