Webinar explores world halaal market opportunities

WESGRO, in association with Serunai Commerce and the Halal Centre of Excellence South Africa, hosted a very exciting and informative webinar on September 6, 2021 to empower the manufacturers of halaal products and to demonstrate the opportunities and introduce participants to the world of halaal.

Wesgro is the official trade, investment and tourism promotion agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape

Serunai Commerce is a Malaysian-based systems developer and consultancy firm specialising in the halaal industry with the aim of creating a global halaal digital marketplace that is secured and connected throughout the value chain.

Its key products include the Global Halal Data Pool (GHDP), the Verify Halal mobile app, Halal Digital Chain and the Certification Bodies Portal, amongst others.

High Commissioner David Evan Malcomson, of the South Africa Consulate in Malaysia welcomed the webinar delegates followed by speakers from Halal Centre of Excellence South Africa (HCOE SA), Wesgro and Serunai Commerce.

Participants included South African manufacturers and producers who were either interested in or are already involved in the halaal industry and those who were keen to venture into the halaal space.

Lubabalo Dyantiyi, assistant trade manager at Wesgro, briefly explained how the agency, together with Serunai and HCOE SA, worked towards establishing the World Halal Market webinar platform.

Dyantiyi said Wesgro’s role was to work with companies across board in order to get them export ready and to expand their export market. This webinar, however, was specifically focussed on the halaal sector and the strategic position it occupies in the Western Cape to grow the market.

The success of the event was measured by the inflows of queries for halaal certification prospectus and road maps to become export ready for the global halaal market.

In addition, there were a great number of attendees that ranged from different markets; some of whom already had halaal certification and others who enquiring about the halaal certification process.

The webinar specifically focused on the South African manufacturers allowing them to gain access to opportunities and inform them of how it is that institutions such as Serunai Commerce and HCOE SA can be of assistance to clear the uncertainty regarding halaal certification and the misconceptions surrounding it.

Shaikh Ziyaat Isaacs, local partner of HCOE SA, highlighted that halaal certification was not only for Muslims and halaal was not only a religious concept.

He pointed out that halaal was not only confined to food and drink but also cosmetics, pharmaceutical and personal care, amongst others.

Shaikh Isaacs said HCOE SA has three key areas of focus: development of halaal technology; development of human capital in halaal; and ultimately fostering trade relationships between South African and Malaysia and the greater ASEAN region from its offices in Cape Town, Western Cape.

‘We look forward to educating and assisting companies that are interested to venture into halaal, said Shaikh Isaacs.

Globally the demand for halaal products and services is growing exponentially backed by increasing demand from both Muslims and the wider world population.

The global halaal market is estimated to value US$3 trillion (approximately ZAR49.6 trillion) by 2024, which amounts to 3.5 per cent of the world’s economy. The growing Muslim population globally and its increasing income levels, coupled with the rising awareness of halaal, are among some of the significant propellers of this growth.

Companies around the world are waking up to the potential of halaal and its potential to rapidly expand their brand to a wider market.

While COVID-19 has forced many businesses, restaurants and stores across the country to shut down the demand for halaal products, however, is on the rise. And as the number of Muslims worldwide continues to rise, so too will the demand for halal-certified products.

Ustaad Mohammed Jabal Abd Rahim, who represented Serunai Commerce at the webinar pointed out that ‘although halaal food is a requirement for Muslims, it is not always easily accessible for those living outside of Muslim-majority countries. Manufacturers should therefore take up the opportunities to export their products to countries like Tanzania, Ethiopia, India, China and Russia.’

The nature of halaal makes it challenging to determine whether or not a product deemed is halaal by simply by looking at it. It is important for both public and the industry to use the Verify Halal app as a tool for verification and for industry to find their halaal certified ingredients. According to Intan Suriya, the Head of International Partnership and Global Events of Serunai Commerce, the app is being used in 172 countries, across 4492 cities to date.

For further information visit www.serunai.com, https://www.facebook.com/HalalCOE or contact Ms Intan Suriya on 012-6766 534; email: intan.suriya@serunai.com.

• This press release was prepared by Ms Naseefah Adhikarie, Executive Administrator, Halal Centre of Excellence SA. She can be reached via email: naseefah.adhikarie@serunai.com or call 021 291 8896/ 060 505 2950.