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Mortadella, Prosciutto, and Gouda Alternatives by Alfred's

The bubbling world of plant-based alternatives delivers another proud Israeli innovation with new—and very surprising—plant-based products.

Founded just over three years ago by two local entrepreneurs, Alfred's aims to solve the taste and texture challenges in this category while overcoming compromises on price competitiveness and nutritional value. Quite an ambitious goal.

The company relies on "Planet," a technological development designed to neutralize dominant aftertastes in substitute products and provide an eating experience faithful to the original. They focused on flexibility and a meat-and-cheese-like juiciness, with a strong protein presence and industrial production capabilities aimed at making prices accessible. Their lineup includes prosciutto-style deli slices, mortadella in two flavors, gouda, and cheddar—kosher, everyday, and proudly blue-and-white.

The results, at least in terms of delivering on the lofty promises, are impressive. The flavors closely resemble the "real thing" (yes, even the prosciutto with its distinctive traits, the milder mortadella, and the deep gouda). The texture supports the mental leap, and in the end, it’s fair to say that a blind taste test would yield very intriguing and thought-provoking results.

Krembo and Chocolate by Shiriz Patisserie

Israel's winter addiction inspired the sweet-pink bakery in Givatayim to create a decadent and artisanal dessert collection, hand-made with love, and to establish a tradition of weekly intriguing lectures.

The treat is based on classic vanilla Krembo (NIS 11 per piece, NIS 60 for six), featuring a truly crisp cookie base (or a gluten-free macaron for those avoiding gluten), soft meringue in the middle, and excellent chocolate coating on top. From there, you can customize with Oreo crumbles, colorful sprinkles, pistachios, or peanuts; go wild with pistachio or Kinder (NIS 12); or go all-in with a gold-wrapped Krembo (NIS 20).

Shiriz enhances the experience with a wintery design reminiscent of Europe—including romantic Eiffel Tower vibes—and a new chocolate series featuring "Shiriz Surprise Pistachio" (a milk chocolate egg filled with pastry cream and fresh pistachio puree), "Shiriz Surprise Cheesecake Espresso" (a chocolate egg filled with cheesecake, hot chocolate, and espresso cream), and "Shiriz Surprise Vanilla" (a chocolate egg filled with vanilla cream, ice cream layers, and hot espresso). A play of textures, a delicious play.

Brister Gin by Agat&D

The diligent alcohol importer brings intriguing news from Russia, just in time for New Year’s toasts.

Brister, from the esteemed Ladoga Group in St. Petersburg, is made through separate distillation of extracts and spices, followed by blending based on an old, secret English recipe. The lineup includes a bold Old Tom version, orange gin, a relatively mild pink gin, and the excellent Blue Gin, featuring wonderful cardamom notes and exceptional mixing capabilities.

Mango-Lime Cider by Somersby

The renowned alcohol brand from Carlsberg expands its offerings with a new flavor perfect for warming up winter.

The mango-lime cider joins Somersby’s classic apple and blackberry flavors, now also available in single-bottle formats.

With a respectable (but not excessive) 4.5% alcohol content, free of artificial sweeteners, it boasts a cute summery fruitiness that’s ideal for sipping. It also naturally blends into stronger cocktails when needed—and the need exists.

Kinder Joy Harry Potter Quidditch by Ferrero

The chocolate giant from Piedmont continues its surprise-filled celebrations, showcasing its endless range and encouraging childlike play. What could be more fun than that?

The Harry Potter Quidditch series by Kinder Joy is the brand's new star, featuring the addictive combination of milk chocolate and crispy truffle balls, along with Hollywood’s magical gang—12 characters, 12 accessories, a mini Harry Potter Funko Pop figure, and the Applaydu & Friends app that enhances the play and virtual experience by scanning the packaging. Price: NIS 6.90 per unit, NIS 15.90 for a trio.

Coconut Cream and Liquid by Chef Lavan

The popular cooking brand from Tnuva ventures beyond its dairy refrigerator section for the first time, introducing products associated with Asian cuisine.

This move includes, for now, Chef Lavan’s coconut liquid and coconut cream, differing in the amount of water blended with the fruit. The liquid comes in a 250ml container with 18% fat, while the cream offers 250ml and 400ml versions with 22% fat and a thicker consistency.

Both deliver a successful overall experience with only a mild coconut taste, blending well into soups and dishes, jumping into stir-fry pans, and serving as a substitute in pareve dessert recipes and shakes. Price: NIS 8.90–12.90 for the liquid, NIS 8.90–13.90 for the cream.