Manischewitz
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food industry |
| Founded | 1 January 1888 in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States |
| Founder | Rabbi Dov Behr Manischewitz |
| Headquarters | Newark , United States |
Area served | United States, worldwide (matzo export) |
Key people | Richard A. Bernstein (owner as of 1998) |
| Products | Matzo, kosher wine (brand licensing), cookies, pasta, soups |
Number of employees | 169 (job losses in 2017 due to plant closure) |
| Website | www |
Manischewitz (; ) is a brand specializing in kosher products, established in 1888 in Cincinnati, Ohio, and widely recognized for its matzo and kosher wine. Although it became publicly traded in 1923, the company stayed under family management until January 1991,[1] when ownership transferred to a private equity firm. On April 7, 2014, Sankaty Advisors, affiliated with Bain Capital, acquired the business from a consortium including the investment group Harbinger.[2] Manischewitz holds the distinction of being the largest matzo producer worldwide, one of the foremost kosher brands in the United States, and the pioneer American exporter of matzo.[3]
History
Prior to the mid-19th century, matzo was traditionally baked within synagogue ovens to ensure the dough did not rise. By that time, small-scale bakeries equipped with specialized machinery began producing matzo, although it remained prohibitively expensive for many households.
The B. Manischewitz Company, LLC was launched in 1888 in Cincinnati, Ohio by Rabbi Dov Behr Manischewitz, who developed a machine that could both cut and bake matzo efficiently. This innovation facilitated easier packaging and wider distribution, lowering costs and improving availability among Jewish communities across the United States. The company went public in 1923 but was taken private again following a management buyout led by Kohlberg & Company in 1990 for $42.5 million. By 1926, it had become the largest matzo producer globally and was the first American firm to export matzo.
During the 1930s, Manischewitz launched Tam-Tam crackers—small hexagonal matzos—to allow continuous production throughout the year. Their initial square matzo design transformed production by mechanizing a process formerly done manually. To better serve the New York metropolitan market, a second manufacturing plant was established in Jersey City in 1932; subsequently, the original Cincinnati facility ceased operations in 1958.
In 1990, Manischewitz faced a $1 million penalty for participating in price-fixing alongside competitors Streit’s and Horowitz-Margareten. Richard A. Bernstein purchased the company from KKR in 1998. The business was renamed R.A.B. Food Group, LLC in 2004 before reverting to The Manischewitz Company. From 2007 until 2014, ownership belonged to hedge fund Harbinger Capital.
Today, Manischewitz continues as the foremost global manufacturer of matzo and remains a leading kosher brand within the United States. In 2011, it inaugurated a new headquarters and a 200,000-square-foot facility located in Newark, New Jersey; however, this plant closed in July 2017 as operations were consolidated at another New Jersey site, resulting in the loss of 169 jobs.
Foods
Manischewitz transformed traditional matzo production by introducing mechanized manufacturing instead of relying on handcrafting—a change initially met with resistance from some rabbis who maintained that handmade matzo was required to satisfy religious criteria. The company addressed these concerns by rigorously complying with halakha (Jewish law). During Passover season, production can reach up to 851,000 matzos per day.
The company expanded its portfolio by acquiring Horowitz-Margareten Matzo and produces Goodman brand matzo along with macaroons. Its offerings also encompass cookies, pasta, and soups marketed under the Manischewitz label. R.A.B. Food Group owns several prominent kosher brands such as Carmel, Elite, Mother's, Rokeach, Mrs. Adler's, and Tradition—many of which were incorporated following individual success.
It is important to note that R.A.B. Food Group does not manage Manischewitz wine beyond licensing its brand name. Since 1986, ownership of the Manischewitz wine label has been held by the Manischewitz Wine Company, a subsidiary of Canandaigua Wine Company (now part of Constellation Brands). In 2021, E & J Gallo Winery acquired this brand.
Wine
The Manischewitz winery, situated in Canandaigua, New York, is owned by E & J Gallo, which holds the license for the Manischewitz brand from R.A.B. Foods. Established in 1927 by Leo Star, the winery remained under the stewardship of the Star family for many years.
Manischewitz is primarily recognized for its affordable concord grape wine, widely distributed throughout North America. Produced using labrusca grapes with a significant residual sugar content, it has become closely associated with kosher wine in the United States and is frequently consumed during Passover. However, the sweet concord wine includes corn syrup as a sweetener, which Ashkenazi Jews refrain from using during Passover. To accommodate this observance, Manischewitz provides a Kosher for Passover version that uses cane sugar instead of corn syrup as the sweetening agent.
Although Manischewitz and comparable kosher wines are often characterized by their sweetness, kosher wines are not inherently required to be sweet. This particular style emerged within early American Jewish communities that encountered limited grape varieties and constrained production timeframes, leading to naturally bitter wines that needed sweetening to attract consumers.
While Manischewitz holds a dominant position in the market, an extensive kosher wine industry thrives globally, supported by vineyards in France and Israel, alongside an expanding U.S. presence—an aspect that may surprise those familiar only with the sweet Manischewitz product.
Advertising
The brand promoted itself with the tagline "Man-O-Manischewitz What a Wine!" This advertising campaign was fictionalized as a new client account in season five of Mad Men.
Controversies
- In 1991, Manischewitz was penalized with a $1 million fine due to price-fixing practices after collaborating with two other matzo manufacturers to manipulate prices during the Passover period from 1982 to 1986.