Importing foods for Pesach especially stressful this year

Providing Pesachdik food is normally a well-oiled seasonal supply chain. But this year, with war in the Middle East, it has become a logistical nightmare. Getting kosher for Pesach foods from Israel and America to South Africa has become a challenge. 

Delays at ports, limited cargo space, and rising transport costs have disrupted the carefully timed arrival of staples, many of which are produced specifically for the holiday. 

Joel Back, one of the founders of KosherWorld supermarket, said this year has been especially challenging. 

“There was a point where I said to myself, it’s all in G-d’s hands,” said Back. 

Nevertheless, by mid-March, 95% of all the products were on the shelves. 

He explained that soon after Purim, he had started getting inquiries about where the Pesach food was, and he would say that it was being shipped, to avoid creating panic. 

Even some of the local producers had problems securing ingredients and, as a result, their production had been delayed. “For some of the matza-related products, like cake meal, which is an important ingredient in cakes and teiglach, they couldn’t get the raw materials, and without the raw materials, you can’t produce it. So they too are impacted. So down the supply chain, there have been a few challenges. And it’s just been a tough year,” he said. 

Brian Flax, who imports food from Israel and is a supplier of KosherWorld, agreed it’s been an especially difficult year, even though things have been hard since 2023 because of the political situation in Israel. 

“We’ve lost a lot of cooperation between the importers and our logistics groups. It’s difficult to say that you’re involved in importing products from Israel,” he said. “Even the big-brand stores are reluctant to be associated with the State of Israel, and even though it’s not blatantly antisemitic, it becomes difficult for Jewish importers.” 

The logistics of getting products to South Africa has become even more difficult with the war with Iran. 

Even in ordinary years, there is at least a 60-day shipping time for South Africa, without taking into account bad weather and other possible delays. This year, with the war, everything is taking that much longer, and many companies have rescheduled or cancelled ships. 

Flax explained that, on top of that, the products are used for only one week of the year. 

“Some essential items are simply unavailable, even basics like matza in certain forms. Importers are scrambling to source what they can, sometimes asking travellers to bring products in their suitcases, despite the significantly higher costs. While it may not be commercially viable, retailers and importers have had to absorb these expenses just to ensure supply,” he said. 

“Behind the scenes, the logistics are complex and demanding, making this a particularly frustrating challenge. Despite this, there has been notable cooperation across the board, with people from different sectors and communities stepping in to help where they can.” 

He explained that retailers and importers had to join together and make this chain work. He had to beg big shippers like MSC to step up to the plate and help importers get products through. 

“There are email paper trails of us begging massive shippers, monoliths in the industry that normally wouldn’t even talk to us, to help us get our products so people can have them in time,” said Flax. “You’re normally dealing with customer-service lines in India or the Philippines, and now they’ve gone into top management. It’s a challenging time for importers and retailers. We just hope the consumer understands. It’s a challenging time for everyone.” 

The high shipping costs have massively affected the price of kosher products. 

“It’s far more expensive than ever, and there’s no clear end in sight. Previously, shipments were already being disrupted along the East Coast routes, particularly due to Houthi attacks on vessels. Now, there are additional bottlenecks on the West Coast, creating even greater pressure on global shipping,” said Back. 

“Even once goods arrive in South Africa, importers still face strict regulations, port clearances, and extensive documentation requirements. In some cases, containers are held for inspection, and if they are unpacked for checks, it leads to further delays and added costs. Altogether, it has made this an especially stressful Passover season.”