Yes, I have heard of this Jewel store on the far north side of the city in the largest Orthodox section in the Metropolitan area.

First of all, the title of this thread is misleading, it's not Wal-Mart, it's Jewel, the leading chicago area supermarket. They are a division of the Safeway corporation.

I am not an Orthodox Jew as Rabbi Sol is, but I love kosher food for it's higher quality and promise of fine manufacturing conditions. I also know my people as a whole and how we really did evolve out of the Maxwell Street culture here. If Jewel charges a better price, people will buy from them. The smaller merchants will have to provide the services and neighborhood involvement that Jewel cannot do.

One thing to remember. Many, many food product manufacturers have jumped on the Kosher bandwagon for reasons other than 2.5% of the American population. Many other groups (definately Muslims) look to Kosher products for their superior quality and the target market for these manufacturers is much more than Orthodox Jews who are adhere to kashruth dietary laws.