How Does a Company Apply for OU Kosher Certification?

A company applies for OU Kosher certification by submitting an application through the OU Kosher website or by calling the Applications and New Certification Office at +1 (212) 613-8372. The OU (Orthodox Union) has certified products since 1923 and currently certifies over 1.3 million products globally, making it one of the most widely recognized kosher certification marks in the United States. The application path below fits companies that produce food, beverages, or ingredients and want the OU symbol on their packaging.

Start With the Right Entry Point

The OU Kosher site provides a "Get Certified" section with a direct application link, plus a phone line for new certification inquiries. Companies already certified can use a separate "Company Login" for ongoing account access.

If your company operates outside the U.S., the site offers content in multiple languages, including Português, 中文, Bahasa Indonesia, 日本語, 한국어, Bahasa Melayu, Español, Italiano, Français, Filipino, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, Türkçe, and हिन्दी. There is also a dedicated China Kosher section, which is relevant if your manufacturing or export operations are based in China.

What the Certification Process Involves

The OU Kosher site outlines a "Steps to Certification" sequence and a separate explanation of "How does OU Supervision Work?" The general flow looks like this:

1. Apply. Submit the application form or call the new certification office. You describe your products, ingredients, and production facilities.
2. Review and scope. OU Kosher evaluates which products and production lines need supervision, and what ingredients or processes could affect kosher status.
3. Supervision setup. Once approved, OU establishes how supervision will work at your facility — this is where the "How does OU Supervision Work?" material becomes relevant to your operations.
4. Certification and letters. Certified companies receive Letters of Certification, which document which products carry the OU symbol.
5. Ongoing compliance. Certification is not one-time; supervision continues, and the OU maintains a Kosher Policy and Confidentiality Statement governing the relationship.

The exact requirements depend on your products and facilities, so treat the steps above as the framework rather than a fixed checklist. The OU's own "Steps to Certification" page is the authoritative sequence for your specific case.

Why Companies Choose OU Over Other Certifiers

The OU describes itself as having "the most trusted kosher certification in the United States." Several concrete factors support that positioning:

• Scale and history. Certifying since 1923, with over 1.3 million products certified globally.
• Market reach. Over 60% of America's produced foods that are certified kosher carry certification, and over $150 billion of kosher-certified products are consumed annually.
• Consumer recognition. The OU symbol is one of the most recognized kosher marks, which matters if your retail customers look for it by name.
• International support. Multilingual resources and a China Kosher program help companies outside the U.S. navigate certification.

The trade-off: OU certification involves ongoing supervision and compliance obligations, so it suits companies with the production volume and market ambition to justify that commitment. A smaller producer selling only locally may weigh whether the recognition benefit matches the effort.

What Certification Means for Market Access

Kosher certification is not only for kosher-observant consumers. The OU notes that most Americans eat some kosher food every day without realizing it — certification appears on a large share of supermarket products, from Oreo to Coca-Cola. For a company, the OU symbol can function as:

• A signal of third-party quality and ingredient oversight that some non-kosher consumers also seek.
• A requirement for selling into certain retail channels, distributors, or export markets.
• A differentiator on packaging in competitive food categories.

If your goal is entering markets or retail chains where the OU symbol is expected, certification is closer to a prerequisite than an optional add-on.

Practical Next Steps

1. Go to oukosher.org and use the "Get Certified" application link, or call +1 (212) 613-8372.
2. Prepare a list of your products, ingredients, and production facilities before you apply.
3. Review "Steps to Certification" and "How does OU Supervision Work?" so you understand the ongoing obligations, not just the initial approval.
4. If you are outside the U.S., check the language options and the China Kosher section for region-specific guidance.
5. Once certified, use Company Login for account management and expect Letters of Certification to document your certified products.

The OU's Kosher Policy and Confidentiality Statement are worth reading before you apply, since they define how the certification relationship works. For product-specific or consumer questions, the Consumer Hotline at +1 (212) 613-8241 x3 is the listed contact.