Streit's facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Food |
| Founded | Manhattan, New York City, U.S. (1916) |
| Founder | Aron Streit |
| Headquarters | , |
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Area served
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United States Other International Cities |
| Products | Kosher Food Products |
Aron Streit, Inc. is a well-known food company, often called Streit's. It started in Manhattan, New York City. The company is most famous for making matzo, a special flatbread. Streit's is the only matzo company in the United States that is still owned and run by the same family. They sell their matzo in the U.S. and in some other countries too.
Streit's and another big matzo company, Manischewitz, together sell about 40 percent of all the matzo in the U.S.
The Streit's factory follows very strict kosher rules. Kosher means the food is prepared according to Jewish dietary laws. For example, only Jewish people who observe Shabbat (the Sabbath) are allowed to touch the dough. However, once the matzo is baked, anyone can touch it. The whole process of making matzo is watched over by a Rabbi to make sure it follows all the rules.
During the Jewish holiday of Passover, people are not allowed to eat bread that has risen. This means the matzo dough must be baked very quickly, within 18 minutes. If the dough sits for longer, it is called chametz. Chametz is not kosher for Passover and must be thrown away.
Contents
History of Streit's Matzo
How Streit's Began
The Streit's company was started in 1916 by Aron Streit. He was a Jewish immigrant from Austria. Aron Streit had already been making matzo in Austria in the late 1800s. His first factory was on Pitt Street in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. There, Aron Streit and his business partner, Rabbi Weinberger, made each piece of matzo by hand.
Moving to Rivington Street
By 1925, many Jewish immigrants were living on the Lower East Side. So, Aron Streit, along with his two sons, Jack and Irving, moved the business. They moved to a bigger location at 150 Rivington Street. Soon after, they bought the buildings next door. The company stayed and operated from these buildings for 90 years. They finally moved to a new location in 2015.
The Old Lower East Side Factory
A Piece of History
The Streit's matzo factory on the Lower East Side was very large, about 47,000 square feet. It was a special part of the Jewish history of the Lower East Side. Other famous places there included Katz's Delicatessen and Yonah Shimmel's Knish Bakery. At the start of the 1900s, many Jewish people and other European immigrants lived in crowded buildings on the Lower East Side. By 1915, Jewish people made up 60 percent of the area's population.
Because so many Jewish people lived there, Jewish businesses like Streit's opened and did very well. However, the living conditions were not good. As soon as families could afford it, many Jewish families moved out. They moved to other parts of New York City, like uptown or Brooklyn. This made Streit's factory a reminder of the past.
Factory Production
The old Streit's factory on the Lower East Side usually baked about 16,000 pounds of matzo every day. When it was time to prepare for Passover, the factory worked 20 hours a day. During this busy time, it could make up to 30,000 pounds of matzo each day.
The New Factory Location
Changes in the Neighborhood
Since the 1980s, the Lower East Side has changed a lot. It has become a very popular area with higher rents. This process is called gentrification. The Streit family even thought about opening a café or bar that served matzo. This would fit in with the Lower East Side's new nightlife.
Selling the Old Factory
On December 20, 2007, it was announced that the factory was for sale for $25 million. The Streit family said they wanted to move for several reasons. These included noise complaints, crowded streets, and their wish to update their equipment. The real estate agent thought the building would likely be torn down. New luxury apartments would probably be built there instead.
A company called Cogswell Realty bought the factory for $30.5 million in 2015. They officially bought the properties, which were about 50,000 square feet in total, in May 2015. Cogswell Lee Development and Gluck+ are now building apartments there. They plan to decorate the lobby with items from Streit's history.
Where Streit's Is Now
The new Streit's factory is located at 171 Route 303 in Orangeburg, New York. This new factory replaced the old one in Manhattan. It also replaced a warehouse and packing facility in Moonachie, New Jersey. For many years, other Streit's products, like matzo ball and soup mixes, and potato pancake mixes, were made in New Jersey.
Streit's Products
Besides its famous matzo, Streit's makes many other kosher food items under its own name. They also have another brand of foods called Ethnic Delights. This brand mainly sells condiments and seasonings.
See also
