Streit's

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Aron Streit, Inc.
Private
Industry Food
Founded New York City, U.S. (1916)
Founder Aron Streit
Headquarters New York City, United States
Area served
United States Other International Cities
Products Kosher Food Products
Slogan From our Family to Yours
Website StreitsMatzo.com

Aron Streit, Inc. (sold under the name Streit's) is a kosher food company based in New York City, best known for its product, Streit's Matzo. It is the only family-owned and operated matzo company in the United States and distributes matzo in select international markets.[1] It holds about 40 percent of the United States matzo market with its major competitor, New Jersey based Manischewitz.[2]

History

The company was founded in 1916 by Aron Streit, a Jewish immigrant from Austria. Its first factory was on Pitt Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. There, Streit and his business associate Rabbi Weinberger made each piece of matzo by hand. In 1925, with the growing number of Jewish immigrants congregating in the Lower East Side, Streit, along with his two sons, moved his business to nearby Rivington Street. Soon thereafter they bought the adjacent buildings, where the company still operates today.[3]

Since the start of the franchise, Streit's has prided itself on traditional values and customs. A big advertising claim that they have is "while others have sold out to large corporations, we at Streit's continue our family tradition of bringing you the best matzo and kosher food products for Passover and year round."

Matzo Factory

Streit's 47,000-square-foot (4,400 m2) matzo factory, along with Katz’s Delicatessen and Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery, is a surviving piece of the Lower East Side's Jewish heritage.[4] At the turn of the 20th century Jews, along with other European Immigrants, were crammed into the many unsanitary tenements of the Lower East Side. In 1915 they made up 60 percent of the Lower East Side population. Because of the large Jewish presence, Jewish centric businesses like Streit's opened and flourished. However, because of the poor living conditions, as soon as they financially could, many Jewish families moved out of the tenements to new areas of industry in New York City, namely uptown and Brooklyn, slowly making Streit's a relic of the past.[5]

Since the 1980s the Lower East Side has experienced hyper gentrification. The neighborhood is now a burgeoning area for glass luxury high rise buildings such as the Blue Condo and the Hotel on Rivington – a stark contrast to Streit's modest brick factory. Despite the changing neighborhood, the factory still tries to integrate itself with the community. It is known to give out fresh pieces of matzo to passing pedestrians and its adjacent shop at one point even served as a community art gallery.[6][7] The Streit family even considered at one point to open a café or bar that serves matzo, to go with the Lower East Side’s new nightlife scene.[8]

Factory Operations

Streit's matzo factory usually bakes about 16,000 pounds of matzo each day.[2] In preparation for Passover the factory runs 20 hours a day, testing its 30,000 pounds per day capacity.[9] The factory follows strict kosher laws. Only Shomer Shabbat (Sabbath-observing) Jews are allowed to touch the dough. However, once the dough is baked, people of any religion are allowed to touch the matzo.[6] The entire process of making the matzo is under Rabbinic supervision. In particular, they time the matzo making process, checking to see it does not exceed eighteen minutes. Otherwise, the batch would be considered not kosher for Passover and discarded.[8]

Sale of the Factory

On 20 December 2007, New York real estate blog Curbed, exclusively broke the story that the factory has been listed for sale for $25,000,000.[10] The Streit’s family cited noise complaints, congested streets, and their desire to modernize its equipment, as the reasons for their eventual move. Its realtor, Massey Knakel Realty Services, commented “the building will most likely be torn down and converted into luxury condominiums.”[4]

An offer was made on the property, above the $25,000,000 asking price, although was not finalized. The Streit’s family said they would probably move the factory to New Jersey, where they already have a warehouse in Moonachie.[4] However, the sale appears to have been canceled or postponed, due to real estate market downturns.[11]

Products

Besides matzo, Streit’s produces many other kosher products under its name. There are two lines of products: Year Round Products and Kosher for Passover Products. They also operate a separate label of foods called Ethnic Delights, which is mainly condiments and seasonings.[1]

List of Products

Year Round Products

Matzo

  • Lightly Salted
  • Unsalted
  • Flour/Water
  • Moonstrip
  • Egg/Onion
  • Whole Wheat
  • Matzo Meal
  • Mediterranean


Noodles

  • Fine
  • Medium
  • Broad
  • Bows
  • Medley
  • Flakes
  • Barley
  • Toasted Barley


Soup Mixes

  • Mushroom-Barley
  • Split Pea
  • Variety
  • Minestrone
  • Lima Bean
  • Cup A Soup
  • Beef Noodle
  • Chicken Noodle
  • Mushroom Barley
  • Garden Vegetable
  • Chili/Bean
  • Split/Pea
  • Tomato/Couscous
  • Couscous


Assorted Matzo Products

  • Matzo Ball Mix
  • Onion Soup Mix
  • Matzo Ball Soup Mix
  • Vegetable Soup Mix
  • Stuffing Mix
  • Soup Nuts


Potato Products

  • Potato starch
  • Potato Kugel
  • Potato Pancake Mix
  • Vegetable Potato Pancake Mix
  • Ready to Serve Canned Soups
  • Chunky Chicken Noodle
  • Chicken Consommé
  • Hearty Vegetable
  • Mushroom & Barley
  • Minestrone


Wafers

  • Vanilla
  • Chocolate
  • Lemon


Dessert Jel

  • Tropical/Punch
  • Pineapple/Orange
  • Strawberry/Banana
  • Strawberry/Cranberry


Chanukah Products

  • Candles
  • Milk Chocolate Coins
  • Dark Chocolate Coins


Specialty

  • Kishka
  • Vegetable Quiche
  • Fried Rice
  • Old Fashion Farfel
  • Bag n' Bake
  • Honey-Glazed Bag n' Bake
  • Barbecue Bag n' Bake
  • Griddle Mix
  • Blueberry Pancake Mix
  • Chicken Flavored Rice
  • Beef Falvored Rice with Vermicelli
  • Brown Gravy
  • Onion Gravy
  • Family Skillet Dinner - Chili
  • Family Skillet Dinner - Pasta Sauce
  • Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup
  • Chow Mein Noodles
  • Couscous


Kosher for Passover Products

Matzo

  • Passover Matzo
  • Egg Matzo
  • Whole Wheat
  • Schmura
  • Meal
  • Farfel
  • Cake Meal


Macaroons

  • Coconut
  • Chocolate
  • Almond
  • Brownie Crunch
  • Chocolate Chip
  • Bananarama
  • Chocolate Chocolate Chip
  • Honey Nut


Cookies

  • Chocolate Chip
  • Jelly Tart
  • Chocolate Nut
  • Diet


Kichel

  • Egg Kichel
  • Diet Kichel
  • Jumbo Kichel


Mandel Toast

  • Marble Mandel
  • Plain Mandel
  • Almond Mandel
  • Chocolate Nut Mandel


Mandel Loaf

  • Chocolate Chip
  • Cinnamon Raisin
  • Potato Chips
  • Salted
  • Unsalted
  • Salt Ripple


Cake Mixes

  • Sponge
  • Honey
  • Chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Chocolate Chip Loaf
  • Chocolate Chip Crumb
  • Chocolate Brownie
  • Chocolate Cupcake
  • Vanilla Cupcake
  • Honey Raisin Muffin
  • Blueberry Muffin


Chocolates

  • Lollycones
  • Chocolate Covered Macaroons
  • Milk Chocolate Carmel
    Cashew Clusters
  • Milk Chocolate Covered Matzo
  • Festival Pop
  • Chocolate Covered Egg Matzo
  • Thin Mints
  • Pepper Mints
  • Almond Krunch


Condiments

  • Mayonnaise
  • Lite Mayonnaise
  • Ketchup
  • Apple Sauce
  • Apple Sauce-Unsweetened
  • Honey
  • Brown Gravy
  • Onion Gravy
  • Family Skillet Dinner


Dessert Jel

  • Tropical/Punch
  • Pineapple/Orange
  • Strawberry/Banana
  • Strawberry/Cranberry

Preserves

  • Strawberry
  • Cherry
  • Orange
  • Apricot
  • Raspberry


Cup/Farfel Soup

  • Vegetable
  • Chicken
  • Onion
  • Tomato/Beef


Pickled Products

  • Mannhattan Style Pickles
  • Sweet and Sour Mushrooms
  • Hungarian Style Onions
  • Sweet and Sour Pattypan Squash


Gourmet Cake Mix

  • Fudge Brownie
  • Chocolate
  • Coffee
  • Honey
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
  • Chocolate Fudge Cookie Mix


Assorted Products

  • Kishke
  • Vegetable Quiche
  • Bag n' Bake
  • Honey-Glazed Bag n' Bake
  • Barbecue Bag n' Bake
  • Stuffing Mix
  • Potato Pancake
  • Vegetable Potato Pancake
  • Potato Kugel
  • Vegetable Soup Mix with
    Matzo Ball Mix
  • Onion Soup Mix with Matzo
    Ball Mix
  • Matzo Ball & Soup Mix
  • Potato Starch
  • Muesli Cereal
  • Griddle Mix
  • Blueberry Pancake Mix
  • Soup Nuts
  • Mashed Potatoes in a Cup
  • No Salt Potato Pancake Mix
  • Passover Noodles with Chicken
    Flavor Sauce
  • Passover Noodles with Mushroom
    Flavor Sauce

Ethnic Delight Products

  • Manhattan Style Pickles with Hot Peppers
  • Three Color Peppers
  • Black Peppercorns
  • Chicken Seasoning
  • Garlic & Herb Seasoning
  • Organic Herb Salt
  • Roasted Garlic
  • Sea Salt
  • Green Olive Spread
  • Black Olive Spread
  • Pesto Sauce
  • Garlic Aioli with Dill
  • Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • Sun Dried Tomato Morsels

See also

References

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  11. http://www.downtownexpress.com/de_309/mixeduse.html "Mixed Use", Downtown Express, March 27 - April 2, 2009

External links