The Federation of Synagogues has increased its presence in the kosher market by signing three butcher shops to its controversial new meat label.
Shefa Mehadrin, which has two shops in Manchester and one in Golders Green, this week agreed to come under Federation supervision.
The Federation was attacked for launching a kosher meat operation under its KF label earlier this year by the London Board for Shechita, the main kosher meat licensing body for the capital, which is jointly run by the Federation, United Synagogue and S and P Sephardi Community.
The Federation’s initial plan was to provide mehadrin products – which are under a stricter level of supervision than standard meat- to the Kosher Outlet, a discount store in Hendon.
But the row between the Federation and the Board over the mehadrin enterprise also led to one of the Board’s largest licensees, Gilberts – which manufactures Bloom’s sausages – leaving and joining the Federation.
Shefa Mehadrin, owned by Motti Gershon, is also licensed by the Manchester Beth Din and Dayan Binyomin Eckstein and Rabbi Pinchas Schneelbag from London.