FAQs

Questions about Kosher, poultry, our our products? Check out our FAQs below!

What is Kosher?

Kosher is defined by the Jewish dietary rules (collectively known as kashrut) that govern what and how observant Jews eat. These laws dictate how food must be processed, produced and prepared. Our animal handling and processing standards go above and beyond government regulations. We have an extensive team of Rabbis onsite who oversee the entire processing plant and conduct rigorous inspections throughout to ensure everything meets the most exacting standards.



What does the O-U mean on the package?

The OU stands for the Orthodox Union. The Orthodox Union is the leading global kosher certification authority and just one of the Rabbinic organizations that certifies our products as meeting their high standards of kashrut (Jewish dietary laws).



How can we be sure Empire adheres to the strict requirements of kashrut?

In addition to our longstanding supervision and certification of the OU, our products are certified by Rabbi Yechiel Babad, Tartikover Rav. Rabbi Babad’s certification on every Empire package gives peace of mind to consumers who only purchase products with a chasidish certification.



What does the P mean on the package?

The P on packages indicates that the product is kosher for Passover. All of our tray pack, whole chickens and turkeys, individually frozen and rendered fat products are “Kosher for Passover” all year and are labeled as such. Our deli slices, service deli, franks and turkey bacon are Kosher for Passover ONLY during the Passover season. Look for the Kosher For Passover symbol on these products during this time.



Do you ensure farm to table traceability?

Our traceability starts even before the farm--at the hatchery when the chicks are born, and continues on the farm to the processing facility and then, even further, to the grocery stores. Our packaging contains information that we can utilize to trace the product every step of the way



What does vertically integrated mean?

Vertical integration is when a business manages all aspects of its suppliers and production. For Empire Kosher®, this means that we hatch, grow, process, package and ship our own products. This allows us to maintain our high standards of quality because, unlike many of our competitors, we are responsible for the care of our chickens from hatching to the final product.



Are Empire Kosher’s poultry administered hormones?

No. Empire Kosher® meets all federal regulations against the use of added growth stimulants, hormones and steroids in poultry. Our chickens and turkeys are raised on family farms without antibiotics on a proprietary vegetarian feed that includes no animal by-products.



Where do your chickens and turkeys come from?

All of our chickens and turkeys are raised on family farms in central Pennsylvania within a 100- mile radius of our Mifflintown facility.



Why are there sometimes feathers?

As a kosher facility, we use a cool, filtered spring water process that decreases the risk of bacteria growth but also closes the follicles in the skin and makes feather removal more difficult than in a conventional process. Our process includes a line devoted to feather removal, as well as employees dedicated to hand-remove excess feathers.



Are your products air chilled?

Our products are not air chilled. Our products are processed under supervision and in accordance with Kashrut laws. As a kosher facility, we use a cool-water process which not only reduces product exposure to bacteria, but also inhibits the growth of bacteria.



Do you have gluten free products?

Yes, our chicken and turkey products are gluten free, with the exception of our breaded products – chicken breast nuggets, children’s bites and breaded tenders.



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