K-A explains
The Kashrut Authority has issued a statement outlining ints current position with caterer Amaze in Taste.
The statement reads:
The KA advises that the company, Caterers With Passion Pty. Ltd., trading as ‘Amaze in Taste’ had recently requested a kosher catering license from the KA.
Unfortunately Amaze in Taste has not executed the KA’s proposed license agreement. Currently the KA now does not have visibility over operations of this new company. Since they will not meet the conditions integral to a Kashrut license in NSW, the KA can take no responsibility for the Kashrut status of Amaze in Taste.
As of 17 October 2013, Amaze in Taste operates outside of KA supervision.
Any kosher consumers who may have prior bookings with this caterer should contact The Kashrut Authority Office on 02 9365-2933 and we will assist in facilitating an alternative caterer who is kosher certified.
The KA has always been and continues to be passionate about encouraging as many kosher products and services to the community as possible.
We are a Kashrut licensing authority and in this light, we have been willing and open to communicate and liaise with new caterers, always with the best interest of our local kosher consumers at heart.
K-A Conditions:
The Kashrut Authority (KA) welcomes interest from the community in any and all Kashrut-related questions and processes.
When the KA issues a catering license agreement, certain requirements must be met by the licensee applicant, and in each and every instance wherein a license has been issued by the KA, every kosher caterer agrees to these equitable terms. These include the requirement for personal guarantees from directors when the licensee is a corporation. The KA also requires potential licensees to provide a bond or bank guarantee to the value of the estimated credit the KA may need to give the caterer in the course of normal business.
Both of these terms and others are required with the intention of protecting kosher consumers and the community. I In addition, such protections ensure the KA can continue to function and thereby service the Jewish community as needed.
As a not-for-profit organisation providing for the needs of the community, it would be fiscally irresponsible for the KA to fail to take standard commercial precautions.
However wherever appropriate the KA will exert maximum flexibility with its license conditions so as to broaden the range of kosher products in NSW without risking the financial viability of the organisation.
Paul,
I forgot to answer your first questions. The KA has very normal expenses; wages & salaries, rent, telephone/Internet, electricity, vehicle expenses, office rent and general supplies, stationery and other supplies directly related to the administration of Kashrut such as, stickers/labels, Kashering equipment, travel to factories to assess products for certification, some interstate, some overseas, advertising etc., etc., the same as any business.
Bank guarantees are based on the estimated credit that is extended to the licensees to cover our 2 weekly invoicing cycle, and therefore vary from licensee to licensee.
Paul,
I am not quite sure how much more openness you expect. As an incorporated association governed by the laws of NSW, we submit audited accounts to the Dept. of Fair Trading every year, and openly offer those accounts for viewing by the community at The KA office. Every service for which we charge is displayed, with the corresponding charge, on our website. Almost the only thing we don’t make public is our employees’ salaries and I am sure you appreciate that.
I am not quite sure of the point you are making with a comparison to Halal. We also extend certifications to pet food, specifically for Pesach; pets aren’t Jewish so they have no obligations in Kashrut. Amongst the thousands of products in our Kosher Product Directory are many honeys and many medications. One needs to remember there are probably 500,000 Muslims as opposed to approximately 100,000 Jews in Australia, so Halal certification is a more attractive proposition to food manufacturers than is Kosher certification, it all comes down to economies of scale. I also understand a much higher percentage of Muslims observe the Halal laws than Jews who currently observe Kashrut. Baruch Hashem that is increasing all the time. If you have any questions, ask them, [email protected].
It would help the community to know what costs the not-for-profit KA incurs and the amount of bond/bank guarantee it requires in various categories.
Openness would inform the community and it would also enable the general community to compare KA certification with the far more wide spread halal certifications which extend to items like pet food, honey and even some medications.
Fair enough – one cannot blame the KA for insisting on these financial conditions given what happened to this caterer’s previous incarnation…