ORTHODOX UNION KASHRUTH
DIVISION
11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004
Applications Department: 212-613-8249 Fax: 212-613-0749
E-mail: newapp@ou.org http://www.ou.org
The Certification Process
I. What is kosher certification?
The OU symbol on your products or services indicates that their kosher status is being
independently monitored by the staff of the Orthodox Union's Kashruth Division. That
symbol is recognized by the kosher consumer as the sign that your products meet the
strictest standards of kosher.
II. The Application.
Describe your company and its operations. The more we know about you, the more effectively
and speedily we can process your application.
The application includes:
A. Company Profile
Please let us know with whom we will need to communicate. Describe your objectives, needs
and goals.
B. Plant Profile
The maintenance of a kosher program requires the close involvement of production people.
Let us know who is in charge of production, who orders and receives raw materials, who
designs packaging materials, and who is in charge of marketing and advertising. If the
products intended for certification or those identical to them are made at more than one
facility, we need to know about each production site. Please complete a Plant Profile for
each.
C. Plant Raw Material Listing
If a product is to be considered kosher, all its ingredients need to be kosher. Kosher
sensitive materials may be approved from recognized sources only. Please identify the
manufacturer for each item (the broker or distributor names may not be adequate). Other
factors in the plant may affect the kosher status of the product. Are release agents
kosher? Are other products on the same processing line kosher? What about other lines?
Therefore, please provide a complete raw material listing for each facility. Mark with an
asterisk (*) those ingredients not associated with kosher production.
D. Product Approval Request
Tell us about the product(s) for certification. Do you wish to have the product(s)
designated dairy, meat, pareve (neutral) or perhaps for Passover. The ingredient component
list will help us determine if the product can be kosher and its designation. We'll need
brand names. For Private Labels (i.e., your company's name does not appear on the label)
please provide the distributor's name and particulars.
III. Initial Inspection and Evaluation.
Subsequent to a satisfactory review of your application, your facility will need to be
reviewed by a Senior Field Representative. The OU will pre-invoice your company for the
costs associated with this inspection. His report will be reviewed by the Rabbinic
Kashruth Commission. Pending their approval we will work to create the contract.
IV. The Contract.
OU kosher certification is a partnership between the OU and the manufacturer to provide
kosher products to the kosher consumer. Like any reliable partnership, a written agreement
outlining the terms and provisions of the partnership is essential. The contract is a list
of standard clauses, certification fees and special clauses crafted to specific needs or
situations pertaining to your company's kosher program. The contract also includes two
important Schedules.
A. Schedule A
Schedule A is a list of approved ingredients used in your facility. Generally this
schedule is a composite of all raw materials maintained in the facility. In some
circumstances, we will approve non-kosher materials for non-kosher processes, providing
that those do not and cannot compromise the kosher status of the certified products.
B. Schedule B
Schedule B is the list of finished certified brands and products with their designations.
OU for Pareve. OU-D for Dairy. OU-Meat for Meat. OU-P for Passover. This document will be
reflected in the OU kosher certificate.
V. Re-Inspection and Certification.
Upon completion of the signed contract and payment of certification fees, the OU's
designated Rabbinic Inspector will review compliance with the signed agreement. The OU
will then issue its kosher certificate, and kosher production may commence. Your company's
certification will be transferred from the New Company Department to an officially
designated Rabbinic Coordinator on our staff. Your company will be reviewed periodically
by the Rabbinic Inspector.
Our Commitment. We, at the OU, are committed to
servicing the kosher industry in a timely, efficient and professional manner. We
appreciate your comments and welcome any questions.
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