Hanan Products Prepares for Passover by Kosherizing Its Plant

Every January for the past 30 years, we convert our plant to 100% kosher production for two and a half weeks in preparation for Passover. This began decades ago when several customers asked our founder, Stuart Hanan, if the company could make kosher whipped dessert topping and non-dairy coffee creamer products for Passover use.

After many hours of research and development, Stuart and his son developed a whipped topping and coffee creamer that surpassed customer expectations. However, simply developing the product was not enough to comply with strict kosher standards. It was also necessary to undergo the complete kosherization process of our manufacturing plant.

Our process involves a deep cleaning and boiling of all manufacturing equipment, to pasteurization temperatures, ensuring that no previous residue from non-Passover ingredients is present. This includes all vats, holding tanks, piping, and utensils – anything that comes in contact with our product. It also involves removing any other non-kosher ingredients from the production area, such as corn or high fructose corn syrup, wheat, and soy. The decision to approve ingredients is then made by each individual rabbi monitoring the plant during this process. For Hanan’s standard Passover production, we have four rabbis that rotate shifts and oversee production.

After working with the rabbis, completing kosherization process, manufacturing product to meet the demand, our whipped toppings and non-dairy coffee creamers are sent to bakeries, supermarkets, and distributors worldwide so that people can celebrate Passover with delicious kosher foods and beverages.

Today, Hanan makes Passover products for commercial use – both in our brands as well as in our customers’ names (private label).

This year, The Associated Press (AP) came to Hanan’s plant and documented this significant undertaking. Other media outlets from around the US also told the Hanan kosherization story. Articles using AP’s photos were secured in more than fifty national, regional, local, even international media outlets, including ABC News, The Daily Mail, The Washington Post, US News & World Report, and many more. Hanan’s kosherization photos and stories can also be found right in Hicksville’s local newspaper, Hicksville News. Our efforts were also covered in trade industry outlets like Refrigerated & Frozen Foods and PerishableNews. A Q&A with Chief Operating Officer Ryan Hanan and Chief Financial Officer Paul Hanan was conducted on Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, where Paul and Ryan walk readers through the entire kosherization process.