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Zomick’s Bakery Has a Serious Pest Problem

State health inspections reveal vermin violations since 2006

by
Stephanie Butnick
July 11, 2013
Zomick's Bakery challah.(Illustration by Adam Chandler)
Zomick's Bakery challah.(Illustration by Adam Chandler)

Zomick’s Bakery, Northeastern Jewry’s go-to challah brand (Whole Foods, Fairway, and Wegmans all sell it), has a major pest problem—and has since 2006—according to a skin-crawlingly in-depth Five Towns Patch report. Put away your lunch before reading any further:

In fact, Zomick’s, located at 85 Inip Drive in Inwood, has failed 10 of its last 17 inspections, all pest-related to some degree.



Inspectors have found vermin including cockroaches, beetles, mice and flies – even birds have been spotted flying around the facility on multiple occasions. All of these represent critical issues deemed health hazards by the state.

Various inspections of the Zomick’s facility revealed cornmeal infested with beetles (Oct. 4, 2012); 100 live cockroaches and a beetle infestation (July 10, 2012); more than 50 visible rat droppings and a rat’s nest (2008).

Somehow, the filthy factory was able to continue operating, though it appears that there was a close-call in 2006 that almost led to Zomick’s closing up shop. But, they finally passed an inspection, and they soldiered on—making challah, that we all happily ate, in their vermin-infested factory. Thanks, guys.

They do, however, seem to be trying: the facility passed a February 28 inspection.

Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.