December 28, 2006
Woldholme Coldstone: No Hechsher
A anonymous source today sent in word about the new Coldstone Creamery in the Woodholme shopping center that we had previously reported would be obtaining kosher certification:
The Coldstone in the Woodholme shopping center has decided to abandon its pursuit of kosher certification. They were working with Rabbi Salfer regarding it, but since the franchise owners are Jewish, they would have to be closed on Shabbos, so it wouldn't be worth it financially. They do claim that all of their ingredients are kosher certified and are glad to show documentation to that effect to whoever asks...Unlike Baskin Robbins which ships in tubs of factory made ice cream, Coldstone makes their ice cream on premises, which gives it more of a factory status, and needs certification on the location.
So, check with your LOR (Local Orthodox Rabbi).
Which leaves the question: where does one go for ice cream?
Yeah, read the comments on my Coldstone post:
http://aishel.wordpress.com/2006/11/27/sinful-indulgence/
regarding cold stone: the CSC in woodholme does not use any “add-ins” that are not kosher. all the candy, chocolate, etc. is the kosher ones. that means no gummy bears or the like. the girl told me that the brownies are baked at the main branch and brought over. dont know where that is but if its the one downtown - dont they have a hechsher? i would think the situation is similar to friendly's where you can get the ice cream with out a hechsher on the establishment.
On the Coldstone web site it says that the dowtown Baltimore location (on Boston Street)has kosher certification, but when I called that location to ask them what certification they are under, they told me that they were not under supervision they just use "only kosher ingredients." Well intentioned, but dubious to one serious about kashrus.
think it is different than Friendly's. Friendly's is like Baskin Robins the ice cream comes from a factory and they just open the box. I am very skeptical about trusting Coldstone. My father was a Mashgiach for Carvel's in Texas. (We used to go with him to check stores and get free ice cream.) I remember on one occasion an employee used non-kosher candies or sprinkles on a cake or something. My father caught it. I would be nervous about just trusting the ingredients. What happens when they run out of item A, go into a store and the item A under a different brand with no hechsher is cheaper - and they say to themselves its the same thing - no big deal. My thought is there is a reason why stores need a Mashgiach.
Posted by: ymrzs at January 3, 2007 1:51 PM
