MATRADE (Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation) made the initiative to promote the awareness of
Halal as a business value proposition among German businesses through a webinar titled ‘Halal as a Catalyst of Innovation and Sustainability for Manufacturers’ on 17 June 2022, in Frankfurt.
The webinar, co-organised with IHK Hannover (Chamber of Commerce Hannover), was participated by more than 45 business representatives.
The speakers included Zuhaila Sedek, Trade Commissioner at MATRADE Frankfurt; Prof. Ir. Dr. Yus Aniza Yusof, Deputy Director at Halal Products Research Institute, University Putra Malaysia; Prof. Dr. Katharina Riehn from German Agricultural Society; and Romzi Sulaimen, Senior Manager, International Cooperation, Halal Development Corporation. The event was opened by the Consul General of Malaysia in Frankfurt, Farzamie Sarkawi.
The said initiative saw the sharing of knowledge between Malaysian and German experts within the industry with a specific focus on Halal’s strong application in innovation and sustainability. According to Farzamie, Halal is a business value proposition that appeals universally as it is aimed at ensuring the highest level of care in product manufacturing – not only in refraining from using forbidden ingredients, but in caring for the environment, social well-being, and good governance.
“This, of course, is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 set by the United Nations and Malaysia’s commitment as a signatory of the Paris Agreement,” he said.
In a similar vein, Zuhaila shared with the German participants that Halal is a multi-billion and dynamic industry with a pool of consumers with strong purchasing power.
“In 2021, the spending of the global Muslim population was valued at US$2 trillion and the value is projected to grow to US$2.8 trillion in 2024, as indicated by the 2022 State of the Global Islamic Economy Report. In Germany, Halal is seen as a value proposition that has a lot of similarities with organic and vegan products, and can serve the demand of between 5.3 and 5.6 million Muslims living in the country.”
“We believe that Malaysia and Germany can collaborate to explore the potential of this industry through partnership in innovation as well as in sustainable supply chain management. We would like to welcome all German industry players, not only in the Food & Beverages sector but from other manufacturing segments such as pharmaceuticals or FMCGs to partner with Malaysia to capitalise on the prospects of the Halal industry in the European region,” she added.
At the end of the webinar, the German participants were invited to attend the world’s largest halal trade fair, Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2022 from 7- 10 September 2022 in Kuala Lumpur. MIHAS 2022, organised by MATRADE.
