During the 2008 Passover season, margarine that is kosher-for-Passover was in short supply in the UnitedStates due to several issues, leading to a scramble among kosher consumers to obtain the staple, as it features prominently in many Passover recipes.
One factor contributing to the shortage was the shortage of , the main ingredient used in most kosher-for-Passover margarine. Cottonseedoil is used instead of alternate , such as corn or , which are not considered kosher-for-Passover under Ashkenazi customs relating to (legumes andseeds). Cottonseedoil is a byproduct of cotton production; because of USdemand for corn(maize) ethanol, many farmers switched from cotton cultivation to corn.
Additionally, some previous manufacturers of Passover margarine discontinued producing the product after deciding it was not economically feasible. The process of cleansing a factory to make it suitable for producing kosher-for-Passover margarine is complicated, and involves dismantling much of the equipment.
Some of the previous manufacturers felt it was no longer practical to undergo these procedures for a project. Manischewitz and Mother's, two of the largest kosher margarine brands, were only able to provide limited amounts to the marketplace, which were often not in the popular stickform.
The margarine shortage affected home Passover baking. Dishes which comply with Passover rules are often somewhat lacking in taste, and for this reason margarine is a key ingredient in many Passover recipes. Often, no substitute is available.
Since the laws of mandate the separation of milk and meat (including products derived from them), margarine is an important butter substitute in recipes that are served with meat meals. Recipes requiring large amounts of margarine include Passover desserts, such as cookies.
Many stores rationed sales of kosher-for-Passover margarine by limiting the number of cases of margarine that could be purchased percustomer; some stores required a minimum number of other items to be purchased.
Haolam, a large manufacturer of kosher cheeses, was able to produce margarine for Passover to meet some of the demands.
In addition to margarine, matzo was also in short supply for the 2008Passover season, as were the TamTam matzo crackers manufactured by Manischewitz.
Possible reasons for the matzo shortage included decisions by and Costco not to stock matzo for2008, and manufacturing problems at Manischewitz that forced the company to withhold TamTams for the year, and to produce less matzo and none of the more shmurah matzo preferred by many traditionalistJews.