Maybank Islamic Launches Halal Route to Market Programme

An enabler for SMEs to expand halal businesses abroad

Maybank Islamic Bhd has recently embarked on an initiative called Halal Route to Market Programme (HalMap) with the main objective to enable small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to expand their halal businesses outside Malaysia.

The programme will be kicked off with the selection of 10 SMEs to venture into Singapore’s halal food market.

Under this programme, the SMEs will be provided a distribution platform, service advisory and training to market their products in the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market segment.

The 10 SMEs and their 50 products are expected to be on the shelves of a supermarket and specialty grocery store called Eccellente by HAO Mart located in @Kinex Mall, Singapore, by the fourth quarter of this year.

To facilitate this programme, Maybank Islamic has entered into a strategic partnership with amaxMALL Sdn Bhd (amaxMALL) and Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE). Being one of the established online and physical business platforms for SMEs, amaxMALL will collaborate with HAO Mart to market and promote the SME products physically and online.

The partnership with amaxMALL and MATRADE is part of Maybank Islamic’s on-going efforts to tap on the ever-growing Halal market by enhancing the awareness of the Halal industry, increasing the number of new Halal-certified companies, and ultimately assist them to expand into the overseas Halal markets.

“This collaboration is part of our plans to provide access to the marketplace for local SMEs to expand their reach outside Malaysia, bringing the halal businesses to the world,” said Maybank Islamic CEO Dato’ Mohamed Rafique Merican in a statement.

With the current challenges faced by SMEs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, HalMap can be a new channel to provide the Bank’s SME customers with additional opportunities to expand their operations.

He added that the Bank is hopeful that this initiative would help ensure local SMEs remain resilient, despite the challenges.

“We are also committed to assist not just the SMEs but also our Business Banking customers and Corporate businesses to expand their Halal business opportunities globally. To this end, we are focusing on 4 areas to drive the growth of halal supply chain, namely the awareness, financing, capability and capacity building and access to the marketplace,” said Dato’ Mohamed Rafique.

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