Lakewood Vs. New Square


“…and Israel encamped there, opposite the mountain.” (Shemos/Exodus 19:2) Rashi says quite clearly that B’nai Yisroel were like one person with one heart. It was, in fact, the only time we all agreed on anything. This is what I usually think about on Shavuos.

On the second day of Shavuos this year, as I was reading a copy of the Yated Ne’Eman I laughed out loud. Then I shed a tear.

The fine print of this ad for Lakewood Farms Orange Juice reads:
Don’t be fooled with new designed easy pour containers that contain only 59oz. and cost as 64oz. [Yes, this is what was printed] At Lakewood Farms, we never cheat. Our Orange juice still contains 64oz., freshly squeezed from fine Florida Oranges. A wise consumer chooses carefully.

Wow!! Lakewood has finally attacked New Square. And what great timing. As yidden across the world celebrate Shavuos, as we receive the Torah as one people, as we put aside our differences and concentrate on how Hashem’s Torah unites us all…the war for the who’s orange juice is more heimish breaks loose. Now I did see the repacked “easy pour” New Square. I even bought it for Pesach, along with my Tropicana. I actually commented to my wife about how it might be deceiving to consumers when they finally figure out they’re only getting 59 ounces of juice. But I chose to buy it. I knew what I was paying for. And the truth is, I hope, that most people know what they’re paying for. It’s their money and their choice.

You never see an ad for Coke stating that you shouldn’t buy any cola that comes in a blue can, do you? You never see Artscroll ads stating that they use special thinner paper so that their 2 inch thick sefer really contains more pages than a regular 2 inch thick sefer, do you?

I find it sad when Derech Eretz and Mentschlekeit go out the window for quick $2.99. I ask myself, “How can I raise my children to be B’nai Torah when Lakewood Farms has to slam New Square?” This ad on page 48 of the Yated is only a small example of the bigger picture. I’m surely not the first to mention it, but Lakewood…Litvish. New Square…Chassidish.

It’s not just that one derech is right, it’s that the other derech is totally wrong. That’s the real problem.

We quickly forget that prior to reaching Har Sinai, we crossed the Yam Suf. Each shevet had their own route. Each shevet actually had their own nuach (so I’ve been told). We all are different. We dress differently, we have different minhagim, send our kids to different schools, and we have different outlooks. Yet, for the Kavod Hashem, to accept the Torah, we were one. Why couldn’t I have read about Achdus on Shavuos after a night of learning, instead of about orange juice?

PS: My thanks to Yitzy and Rana Wechsler for letting me read their copy of the Yated. For the record, my family is a Tropicana family. I don’t have anything against Heimeshe brands, but I’d rather show Tropicana that having hashgacha matters to me, as a consumer.

12 thoughts on “Lakewood Vs. New Square

  1. Rafi G

    I never heard of anyone actually reading that far down in an ad in a newspaper, let alone the fine print.. what were you looking for?

    Reply
  2. Neil Harris

    The print wasn’t so small. That’s what brought it to my attention. It seems that everyone wants to smear everyone else. Chas V’Shalom that an ad should actually promote the product, not knock another one down.

    Reply
  3. Neil Harris

    Thanks for leaving a comment. This quote is from a FDA report:
    Lakewood Farms Orange Juice Not From Concentrate 64 fl. oz. Upstate
    Dairy Farms Corp, Brooklyn, NY Distributor.

    It’s not where the juice is made, it what it’s name symbolizes. We all know that “Lakewood Farms” and “New Square” are both large communities with very different derachs.

    Reply
  4. J

    IMHO, I think that you are overreacting. The only thing that I don’t like is the line ‘we don’t cheat’, implying that their competitors do cheat. That is a wrong line. But there is nothing wrong with pointing out that your competitor is now selling less but might still be charging the same, while you are selling more for that price. That is good business and I believe fair. I think calling them ‘cheating’ is not right. But that doesn’t make them evil usurpers of the entire Torah.

    Your line about Coke not slamming Pepsi- are u kidding? You must not have watched TV lately (b’h:).

    Reply
  5. Neil Harris

    J-Thanks for your comments. I do watch TV and don’t feel that the “cola wars” are promoted so much.
    I did overreact. It just bothers me when heimishe companies stoop to what everyone else does. I didn’t think the ad fell into the catagory of “Ohr LeGoyim,” that’s all.

    Reply
  6. Neil Harris

    I didn’t fall for anything. I did look twice at the ad, though. I wonder if sales of Lakewood Farms have gone up recently? 🙂

    Thanks for reading my blog. Hope you come back.

    Reply
  7. Bob Miller

    The consumer has a potent weapon in these marketing wars; he/she can personally decide which of these brands or other kosher brands to buy.

    Reply
  8. frumpunk

    So is this orange juice heimish? Because after the conclusion I reached on what makes something heimish, the thought makes me queasy.

    On a serious note, is Lakewood Farms a new company? I’ve never heard of them. I only even know New Square because in high school they would have two bottles of milk shipped down for the three kids who kept chalav yisroel. By the time it reached Miami it was nasty. Though it might just be nasty in general. Not having ever had it fresh I don’t know.

    Reply

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