Halal Food Industry In Malaysia

Halal food industry in Malaysia is booming in recent years. Consumer demand on food has also changed considerably. Alongside with the national aim to make Malaysia as the world halal hub (Harun, 2011), the industry is gaining its popularity day by day and opens up opportunities to halal food producers to expand their target market domestically and internationally. Though halal concept relates the Muslim society in specific (Alam & Sayuti, 2011), there is a huge potential to tap the non-Muslim community interests when it comes to food. Food in general is defined as the source of energy which anything people or animals eaten or taken orally to the body. Furthermore, food is a common need among people, the market potential is even more promising

During the period, the duty of certification of Halal product is under jurisdiction of Research Center of the Islamic Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Office. A company with Halal certified product was given a letter from above-mentioned division and only in 1994, issuance of Halal certificate and Halal logo was practised. MS 1500:2004 (Malaysian Standard: Halal Food Production, Preparation and Storage General Guidelines) was introduced in 2004. It was revised in 2009 with the addition of GMP and Good Hygiene Practices

To date there are eight Malaysian Standards (MS) which provide practical guidance for the food industry on the preparation and handling of Halal food, Halal cosmetics and personal care products and Halal pharmaceutical products as a basic requirement for Halal product and trade or business in Malaysia (HDC, 2013).

Malaysia plays host to two of the most important annual events in the halal industry, namely the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) and the World Halal Forum (WHF). Both play a pivotal role in building the country’s reputation as the global reference and trade centre for the new mainstream halal industry since 2003. With the government’s full support and heavy involvements, Malaysia’s credibility and leadership in the halal sector is also recognised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Today, Malaysia is the leading global halal hub with an annual export value of RM35.4 billion for halal products, which contributes approximately 5.1% of the total exports for the country (Islamic Tourism Centre of Malaysia, 2017). The country provides the world’s first halal in-flight catering on board its national carrier, Malaysia Airlines. The Malaysian halal standard is now being widely used by several renowned global multinational companies (MNCs) including Nestlé, Colgate Palmolive and Unilever. Malaysia’s halal portfolio has also expanded beyond food and beverage, venturing into various