KUALA LUMPUR, 10 May 2007 — Malaysia’s largest food and beverage exhibition, Malaysia Halal Showcase (MIHAS), took off here yesterday with the exhibitors showing off their wares at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, while global trade players made their pitch in a five-session seminar.
Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi will officially open MIHAS 2007, hosted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) and organized by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), today.
MIHAS, which congregates the largest annual gathering of halal industry players and entrepreneurs to facilitate the sourcing and selling of global quality halal products from food and beverages, food chemicals and emulsifiers, pharmaceuticals and herbal products to cosmetics, health care and Islamic banking and financial services, were given insights into trade practices and halal markets in Australia, Holland and Turkey by experts from those countries.
A range of products were displayed in 514 booths set up by 424 participating companies from 26 countries in the exhibition center, with two of the booths set up by Saudi companies — the Halwani Brothers and National Confectionery & Tahina Factory Co. Ltd.
The representatives of both companies said it was early yet, but we are hopeful of introducing our products not only to Malaysia but also to other countries. Yesterday was more of networking and introduction as representatives of different countries got into the act of getting to know other products and also their competitors.
Emad A. Srour, marketing researcher of Halwani Brothers, said: “Our displays speak for itself. And I’ve already had inquiries about our products. We already have a presence here (Malaysia) and we sell our Maamoul (with selected Saudi dates) in major supermarkets here.” He said it was not only the biscuits with date fillings that the company is trying to market. “Our Tahena and Halawa are strong products. We offer varieties in these two foodstuffs. Now with Maamoul for babies we have a wide range in the date-filled biscuits,” he added.
Hussain Shehata, sales and marketing manager of the Tema brand of products from the National Confectionery & Tahina Factory Co. Ltd., was confident that his company’s products would be palatable to the connoisseurs. “We are participating for the first time here. And it is not only Tahena and Halawa that we are promoting, but a whole range of foodstuffs that work for the benefit of both our company and the consumers,” he said.
Only companies that have valid halal certification for its products are allowed to take part in MIHAS. There is now a greater awareness among Muslims that strict halal practices are observed especially in the modern consumable industry that uses food chemicals, stabilizers, colorings or emulsifiers that are often derived from dubious substances to enhance product quality or taste.
Modern quality management and food safety assurances have led to a growth of halal certification bodies while also creating an encouraging demand for quality halal products. This trend has already taken roots in Europe with two British companies already in the process of looking out for newer markets after making inroads in Europe with their baby food.
Mumtaz Baby Food has been in business for the last 27 years and boasts of a fully halal process from front to the back end. “Yes, ours is a pork-free environment and our meat (lambs and chickens) are fully certified,” said Ansar Ali of Mumtaz Ventures Ltd. that is based in Bradford, Yorkshire. “The meat comes from halal-certified abattoirs and our whole process conforms to halal,” he said.
“Now we are looking for new markets, though we are already selling in 38 countries. Now that we have a wide range of baby foods after six years of research and development, we are hoping to make it big in Saudi Arabia. We had a two-week trial run in Saudi Arabia and our products were snapped up,” he pointed out, adding that we are now looking to tie up with a Saudi distribution company and enter the market. “I think within the next two months, our products will be in the Saudi market,” he said.
A direct competitor of Mumtaz Ventures in baby food is Petit Gems, which is certified by the Halal Monitoring Committee and independent regulatory body which stringently monitors and controls Petit Gems’ whole production process in accordance with Shariah and with full traceability from farm to fork. Petit Gems is a Coventry-based British firm and has already entered the Dubai markets, and are in the planning process of entering the Saudi market. “We carry out inspections from slaughter to packaging,” said HMC representative Mohammed Benkhelifa. “We carry out certification in Europe too, especially in France where Petit Gems has a strong presence,” he added.
While the exhibition’s strong suit is food and beverages, it is the halal cure stands that are proving to be a draw. Singapore-based Naturo Health International markets health supplements — Joint Health, Colon Health, ImmunOHealth and Pancreas Health — with the products’ names clearly spelling out what the supplements are for.
Malaysian firm Laisyaa lays stress on a horse milk supplement for higher energy, while two of their other products, one made of Gotu Kola (Cantella Asiatic) — a nerve tonic and memory enhancer while also acting as a stress reliever — and the second of brown rice — for dietary problems — are their top sellers.
Then the world’s first halal-patented Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma Longifolia Jack) root extract promises energetic and healthy lifestyle for men that is “superior, safe and effective.” The supplement distributed by Malaysia firm ZNZ Medico SDN BHD, also promises cancer prevention, strengthening the body defense system against cancer, malaria and even HIV.