Kosher Today Podcast
Kosher Wine & Jewish Life Across Latin America, with Matias Averbuj (Royal Wine/Kedem)
Host: Menachem Lubinsky Guest: Matias Averbuj, sales lead for Royal Wine/Kedem in Latin America
Episode Summary
Menachem Lubinsky sits down with Matias Averbuj, who has spent the last decade building Royal Wine/Kedem's presence across Latin America — now covering 22 countries. Matias, who started as a single salesman after connecting with Lubinsky through a yeshiva network, walks through how the kosher wine and grape juice business (including crossover brands like Bartenura's "blue bottle" and Kedem grape juice) has grown into a serious commercial market that reaches well beyond kosher-observant consumers. The conversation doubles as a tour of Jewish communal life across the region — market size, religious observance patterns, tourism-driven Pesach demand, and the state of antisemitism country by country — with a special focus on Panama, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, and Venezuela.
Key Topics Discussed
- Origin story: How Matias got his start in the kosher food business through a connection made by Menachem Lubinsky ten years ago, eventually joining Royal Wine as a salesman.
- Company footprint: Royal Wine/Kedem now sells in over 22 countries across Latin America, working with both kosher consumers and general-market supermarket chains.
- Crossover products: Bartenura ("the blue bottle") and Kedem sparkling/regular grape juice have become mainstream products, sold on supermarket shelves alongside non-kosher brands like Welch's.
- Panama deep dive: Home to roughly 15,000 Jews with very high kosher observance (80–90%), a large kosher supermarket, 40+ kosher restaurants, no local wine/food production (everything imported), and favorable tax policy drawing American and Canadian expats.
- Mexico: An estimated 50,000 Jews (mostly in Mexico City), with kosher demand also driven heavily by Pesach tourism in destinations like Cancún.
- Argentina: Roughly 250,000 Jews in Buenos Aires, with an estimated 40,000 keeping kosher; a well-developed communal infrastructure and, according to Matias, very low antisemitism.
- Brazil: A large but protectionist market — steep import taxes make imported products far more expensive at retail. Sao Paulo has the largest Jewish population, most of it Sephardic (Syrian origin).
- Venezuela: A community that has shrunk from roughly 20,000 to under 2,000 Jews, with most emigrating to Miami and Israel. Discussion of how the situation may shift following the fall of Maduro.
- Smaller markets: Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Peru, and Colombia (Bogotá) — small Jewish populations but often near-universal kosher compliance during Pesach specifically.
- Retail strategy: How kosher products are merchandised in Latin American supermarkets — often placed in "specialty" or "international" sections rather than a dedicated kosher aisle, plus the importance of in-store demos and social media support.
- Pesach logistics: The high-pressure seasonal push (planning starts around October) to supply hotels, tourists, and once-a-year kosher buyers, including matzah distribution to isolated communities.
- Jewish demographic trends: Which communities are growing (Panama, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico) versus shrinking (Venezuela, Guatemala), and the role of Chabad throughout the region.
- Antisemitism: A comparative discussion of how Latin America compares favorably to Europe and, in the host's view, even parts of the U.S.
Notable Quotes / Moments
- On Panama's unique kosher infrastructure: Matias describes it as feeling like "Miami or New York," with a kosher supermarket larger than most in North America and more kosher restaurants than many U.S. cities.
- On Venezuela's collapse: the community's drop from 20,000 to under 2,000 Jews is described as "a very sad story," with most departing for Miami and Israel.
- On merchandising strategy: kosher products are often shelved in "specialty" or "international" sections rather than kosher-labeled aisles, especially in smaller markets.
- Host's closing takeaways: lower antisemitism in Latin America relative to Europe/U.S.; strong crossover appeal of products like Bartenura and grape juice; near-total Pesach compliance in some communities despite low year-round observance.
About the Guest
Matias Averbuj leads Royal Wine/Kedem's sales operations across Latin America, based in Panama (previously Buenos Aires). Over ten years he has built a regional team spanning Argentina, Panama, and Mexico.
About the Host
For Menachem Lubinsky and Lubicom Marketing and Business Consulting
Call 718.854.4450 or e-mail mlubinsky@lubicom.com
This show was Produced and edited by thepodwaves.com
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