Garlo’s leap of faith as meat pies to hit big kosher export markets

Posted by AFN Staff Writers on 25th November 2013

Australian pie maker Garlo’s Pies has announced a range of kosher pies that will be prepared according to kashrut, and with the approval of the Kashrut Authority of Australia and New Zealand.

Garlo’s Pies said the new range is “a response to society’s increasing multiculturalism”. The Company has already produced Halal-approved pies for the past five years.

The kosher pie will be stocked in the kosher section of selected Coles and IGA stores throughout Sydney. Garlo’s Pies said the move is the first step in its plan to start selling to an international market.

Producing kosher pies

Garlo’s Pies said ensuring the pies are kosher required supervision from a Rabbi of the Kashrut Authority of Australia and New Zealand. All of the ingredients must come from kosher approved sources. Garlo’s Pies said it has also purchased new equipment, dedicated to these new pies, including ovens, sinks and bench tops that have been “kosherised”.

To be making a kosher pie en masse, the manufacturer must use Kosher meat which is an expensive commodity, compared with regular non-kosher meat (only some parts of the animal can be used; it must be killed in a special manual process; it must go through special salting process and more), and it requires full-time Rabbinical supervision of every process in production.

Rabbi Aaron Groner is the supervising authority for the entire process only leaving once the pies are sealed and packaged.

“Kosher Garlo’s Pies are a big deal for the Australian Jewish community – a really big deal,” said Rabbi Groner. “This recent addition to our Kosher Directory has generated a huge amount of excitement across all ages and stages,” he said.

Sean Garlick, Managing Director and founder of Garlo’s Pies said there was definitely a need in the market for a kosher pie.

“We’re always looking at ways to diversify our products,” he explained. “This increases our reach and offers more people the opportunity to try the unique taste of a Garlo’s Pie,” Mr Garlick said.