One of the largest Israeli retailers, “Co-op,” will soon be opening in Russia. The company intends to open its first major kosher food supermarket in Moscow by the end of 2011. If the Moscow store is successful, the company intends to open a similar store in S. Petersburg.

The Moscow Co-op supermarket will sell on kosher products, some of which will be imported from Israel, including those produced under Co-op’s own brand name “Star House.” There are about 400 items in this line. The assortment of kosher foods available at the store will also include foods produced in Russia.

The head of the Kashrut Department of the Chief Rabbinate of Russia, Rabbi Yosef Verzub, explained that this will be Russia’s first large kosher food supermarket. At present, Moscow has a smaller specialty shop offering kosher products, which is located at 45 Trifonovskaya Street. In addition, separate kosher departments have been opened in the “Utkonos” supermarket chain and food products that have been certified by the Kashrut Department of the Chief Rabbinate can also be found in stores of several different retail chains, including “Perekrestok” and “Metro.”

“Each year, more and more Jews who are learning about their heritage are switching to a kosher diet. Currently there are thousands of people in Russia who exclusively eat kosher. In addition, there is a sizeable number of people who are not Jewish but eat only kosher certified foods because of its high quality,” explained Rabbi Verzub.

Since this new shop will offer a very wide selection of products, it is likely to also encourage more Jews to make the move to a kosher diet.

(Source: FJC)