Halal food firm eyes Middle East mart

Friday August 1, 2008

Halal food firm eyes Middle East mart

By SIMON KHOO

KUANTAN: The East Coast Economic Region’s (ECER) push to boost halal food production will see spice and seasoning producer, PJ Foods Industries, expanding to the Middle East.

The firm’s managing director Norehan Mohd Nor said the Middle East had growing demand for processed food condiments and ingredients.

“This increase in demand bodes well for those in the spice and prepared food sector.

“As the halal food market becomes more sophisticated, it is increasingly important for Malaysian food producers to tap into new markets and demonstrate the ingredients are halal.

“Because of its purchasing power, the Middle East will grow in importance. Malaysian spice manufacturers should tap into the market and explore its supply network,” she said.

Besides targeting the Middle East, the company sought to be known as among the country’s premier halal spice and seasoning suppliers.

Norehan said their factory in Bandar Indera Mahkota near here produced seven tonnes of fried chicken flour, three tonnes of all-purpose seasoning flour and four tonnes of various spices.

She said some 90% of its output was for local consumption while the rest was exported to Brunei.

“Our export business has grown steadily and it is time for us grow in another halal region,” she said.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen said that women entrepreneurs had made their presence felt in the export business.

She said, as of June this year, women made up 21% of exporters registered with Matrade and there was big potential for them to grow.

The global halal food market is worth an estimated US$2.1tril ( RM6.8tril) a year.

The world market for spices and seasonings was expected to hit 1.857 million tonnes by 2010, driven by the growing popularity of exotic ethnic cuisines, innovation in blended spices and flavours with low-fat ingredients.

The ECER masterplan provides for several halal parks.

It has identified business and financial services, production and storage facilities, logistics and transport, infrastructure and utility, and land availability as crucial for the development of the halal food industry.