Transformation
Israel's exports to Michigan, and the world,
are shifting from foods to high-tech.
ALAN HITSKY ASSOCIATE EDITOR
•
- S am Yaldoo has 200 items.
Marty Lerner has at least
110. Eitan Berezowitz has
only one, but his is worth
$500,000.
What these men are selling are
products from Israel.
Sam Yaldoo, a native of Iraq,
may have the most extensive col-
lection of Israeli products in the
Detroit area at his new Yaldoo's
Imported Foods at 11 Mile and
Evergreen. They range from cof-
fees to cookies, cheeses, nectars
and syrups, even non-alcoholic
Black Beer.
At Lakewood Specialty Food
Center, on Greenfield north of 10
Mile, owner Marty Lerner says
his biggest Israeli sellers are
soups and vegetarian products.
But, he admits, many Arab mar-
kets in the Detroit area are be-
ginning to carry the same items.
Even with the diversity, the to-
tal volume is not what it used to
Food Sales and works as a con-
sultant for Raskin as well as
Kramer Foods. Both local corn-
panies import Israeli products
that are sold here.
Mr. Warsh says the old super-
market families promoted Israeli
products, "and they sold. Today,
they are not promoted, so the peo-
ple go buy Manischewitz," made
in the United States.
With Kroger buying out of
Cincinnati, A&P/Farmer Jack
out of New York and Meijer's
from Grand Rapids, Mr. Warsh
says only Sid Hiller, of
Hiller's/Shopping Center, of the
big supermarkets does any ma-
jor importing of Israeli food prod-
ucts. None of the markets would
disclose how much business they
do with Israel.
"It's not that any of them are
anti-Israel," Mr. Warsh says. "It's
just that today the quality has to
be there at a competitive price."
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be when Jewish fami-
lies owned Detroit's
major supermarket
chains. According to
food broker/consultant
Larry Warsh, former
owner of Raskin Foods,
"There's no Paul Bor-
man with 120 Farmer Jack
stores, no Fink family (Great
Scott!), Weisbergs (Chatham),
Lurie family (Wrigley) or Lipsons
(Lipson markets) anymore. They
pushed the sale of Israeli prod-
ucts in their stores.
"None of these items are what
you would call a great sale," says
Mr. Warsh, who owns Apollo
. ,
S1'1111 ?i1•11,141 C11
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BfIA 111 .S.'014',1 1,3
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Translation: Even the Jewish
consumer today will select a
kosher product made in Ameri-
ca over the same item made in Is-
rael if the price is better.
So the law of the marketplace
has taken over, and it comes at a
time when Israeli exporters are
recognizing that law.
TRANSFORMATION page 18
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