Kosher capers

Because Mr. Fitz is getting long(er) in the tooth and feels a need to leave a legacy other than ephemeral electrons in someone’s data base, I decided to call around and question some of the producers who have kosher symbols on their products. It surprised me a lot to discover just how much of the stuff we buy here has them. My question was this: “I’m not Jewish and I’d like to know much extra it costs me to have that kosher symbol on your product?” Nestle/Coffee Mate: “I don’t know, but I’ll forward your question to corporate and they’ll get back to you.” Bigelow Tea: “There’s no extra charge to our customers.” When I asked how this can be since rabbis don’t work for free and there’s a larger pyramid of kosher interests involved, the lady said: “I don’t know what else I can tell you, but there’s no extra charge.” Smuckers/Folgers Ground Roast Coffee: “I don’t know.” Gevalia coffee: See Bigelow Tea, above. Hershey’s/Cocoa: “I really don’t have that kind of information.” Rivian Foods/Minute Rice: Stuck in a phone tree. Finally informed that all their customer reps were busy and to leave my phone number. Fat chance with that one! Of course I know that such information isn’t divulged to customers but the point was to create a ripple up effect. Not a wave, and definitely no tsunami, but I’d be willing to bet that somewhere in Jew Central today, someone’s heard about it.