Oldest smoked salmon brand gets kosher seal of approval

The offerings of London’s oldest smoked salmon producers could soon be gracing the tables of kosher functions across the capital after they were awarded kosher certification for the first time.

H Forman and Sons – which was founded in 1905 – has for decades been found on store shelves in Britain and abroad and was even on the menu for the Coronation Festival picnics at Buckingham Palace.

A lack of a kosher stamp of approval however meant its famous fish, which received the highest marks in a recent test by The Daily Mail, has until now been out of reach to Orthodox consumers.

But this week the product was granted London Beth Din approval. Lance Forman, the great grandson of Harry Forman who began the family business in the East End at a time when Jewish producers dominated the scene, said he decided to look into the issue after receiving a number of enquiries from America, Israel and the UK that they weren’t able to fulfil.

Forman said he was “very proud” at the development and hoped to get the product into London kosher stores. “I think Harry would turn in the opposite direction that he started to turn when we started selling lobster,” he joked – stressing that the two parts of the operation are carried out in completely different parts of their factory 100 metres from the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.

Next week he will be attending the biggest sea food show in America. “Hopefully the kosher label will help to drum up British exports,” he said.