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KosherKeepers winner for kosher kitchens

Date: 11/3/2009

By Katelyn Gendron, Reminder Assistant Editor

WEST SPRINGFIELD -- Labeling and keeping track of leftovers in a kosher kitchen can prove to be a tedious, elaborate guessing game, according to Debra Finkel.

Her need to better organize her kosher kitchen gave birth to KosherKeepers just seven months ago. Partnering with her sister, Susan Weiss Firestone, president of Plastic Packaging Corp., the product has gone from brainchild to design to test marketing to winner of the 2009 Kosherfest -- a kosher food and beverage trade event -- Best New Giftware & Novelty award.

"It totally just clicked and transformed my kitchen," Finkel said. "It was great to be able to develop something that makes what you have to do [to keep your kitchen kosher] a lot easier."

She explained the reusable plastic containers labeled "meat," "dairy" or "pareve" come with color-coded tops to differentiate each set. Finkel added this product has proven to be an inexpensive way to keep the food groups separate without having to label storage containers with tape, nail polish or etching.

"I was expecting a positive response," Firestone said. "When we won the Best New Giftware & Novelty [award at Kosherfest] we knew we were on to something. Our booth [at Kosherfest] was busy nonstop."

Finkel explained she plans to expand KosherKeepers to include dishtowels, utensils and even products to help vegetarians keep separate from meat eaters.

She noted KosherKeepers is available as a sampler pack with 18 containers (36 pieces) as well as bulk wholesale.

Firestone, whose business manufactures the KosherKeepers products, said the next step is to increase brand recognition in the marketplace.

For additional information on KosherKeepers or to purchase products, visit their Web site, www.kosherkeepers.net.