• by Erik Oster , March 26, 2024

Matzo packaging, before (left) and after rebranding.

Chances are, if you’ve ever been to a Passover seder, you’re familiar with Manischewitz name, which is a near-ubiquitous presence for such celebrations. Now the brand -- which is over 130 years old --  is launching an effort to become even more ubiquitous, by appealing to a broader range of consumers. Along with the rebranding, Manichewitz is also introducing a series of new products ahead of the Passover season.

The company characterizes the effort as its first major rebranding in over 20 years, and the campaign arrives around half a decade after Manischewitz was acquired by parent company Kayco in 2019 – a year which also saw a logo redesign. While many may associate the brand name with Manischewitz Wine, that property was acquired by E& J Gallo from Constellation Brands in 2021, and will not be affected by the current effort.

“Through this rebranding, we aim to capture the hearts of the culturally curious and kosher-keeping alike, offering a taste of Jewish tradition that's accessible to all,” Kayco CMO Shani Seidman said in a statement. “Inspired by the inclusivity seen in brands with other cuisines, Manischewitz seeks to become the emblematic gateway to Jewish culture, one delicious product at a time.”

Manichewitz partnered with global branding agency Jones Knowles Ritchie (JKR) for the campaign launching March 26, and will feature the redesign  -- which includes a new logo, updated color scheme, typography, and other visual elements -- across Manichewitz’s roster of food products, and promoted on its packaging, in-store displays, social media accounts, and website.

The campaign will continue to run throughout April to support the brand in the lead-up to, and during, the 2024 Passover season (April 22-April 30). Marketing initiatives centered around a “Jewish Food For All” brand platform will run across Facebook advertising, OOH billboards in subways and on highways, and across digital media channels, as well as Manischewitz merchandise for sale on its website which feature brand “Yiddishisms” also included in its advertising.

Some examples of the phrases featured in campaign advertising include "Latzo Matzo And Much More," "Live Love Latke," "Delicious Food Has Always Been Our Schtick," and "Soup With Chutzpah." Redesigned packaging includes new imagery from Jewish photographer Yechiel Orgel, as well as phonetic spellings of Yiddish food terms like “Luck-shen” (egg noodles) to educate new customers.

Manischewitz’s roster of new products for the upcoming Passover season includes the brand’s first ever frozen foods, and encompasses  Manischewitz gluten-free and Kosher for Passover Knishes; Manischewitz Frozen Gluten Free Matzo Balls; and  Manischewitz Grape Seed Oil.

The campaign resulted from a process of JKR conducting interviews with consumers and experts, and immersing itself in the history of Manischewitz brand – which was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1888 to sell kosher matzos for Passover -- through visits to the brand’s Newark, New Jersey headquarters, as well as examining brand archives., according to a release announcing the news.

JKR also delved into the kosher category, as well as the contemporary ethnic cuisine landscape more broadly, in an effort to learn from other brands which have successfully expanded to reach a wider audience. The resulting strategy involved emphasizing “the importance of family and food while also addressing the societal challenge of defining Jewish food in a contemporary context,” according to the release.