Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim today launched the largest ever Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2023) edition during the opening ceremony of Global Halal Summit (GHaS) 2023.
The 19th edition of MIHAS 2023, hosted by the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), features close to 1,900 booths represented by 44 participating countries, and expects to host 35,000 visitors. This makes it as not only the largest MIHAS event to date but also the world’s leading Halal showcase.
The showcase will be held at Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur from 12 to 15 September 2023.
According to MATRADE Chairman YB Dato’ Sri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, MIHAS has been a driving force in the global Halal industry, generating RM21.66 billion in sales over the last 18 editions and as such it is not surprising that the number of exhibitors continue to grow.
“The success of MIHAS 2023 showcases the immense potential and growth opportunities within the Halal market. We provide businesses an opportunity to capitalise on the rising Halal market which is expected to grow to nearly USD3.5 trillion by 2030. It is also an opportunity for Malaysian companies to connect, network and learn from industry leaders, making it a must-attend event for anyone within the Halal economy,” he said.
He added that for the 19th edition of MIHAS this year, MATRADE was optimistic of achieving its sales target of RM2.5 billion.
Apart from MIHAS 2023, GHaS 2023 will also feature other components, namely the 13th Halal Certification Bodies Convention (HCBC) by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM); the Halal Sector Forum by the Halal Development Corporation (HDC); and the Seminar on Halal Profession by the Department of Standards, Malaysia (DSM).
Key Highlights of MIHAS 2023
According to MATRADE Chief Executive Officer YBhg. Datuk Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz, MIHAS 2023 has taken a very inclusive approach by giving greater focus on strategic collaboration with Ministries, Agencies and State Governments, to ensure greater participation of local companies, especially Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), in this year’s showcase. This year’s edition has attracted the participation of 34 government agencies including Ministries, Agencies and State Governments.
He also pointed out that MIHAS has laid greater emphasis to ensure Malaysian exporters’ focus goes beyond the food and beverage segment. In total, MIHAS 2023 focussed on 13 clusters, namely:
- Food and beverages
- Food technology and packaging
- Pharmaceuticals and medicals
- Education
- Modest fashion and lifestyle
- E-commerce
- Retail and franchise
- Muslim-friendly hospitality and tourism
- Services and enablers
- Islamic finance and fintech
- Media and recreation
- Cosmetics and personal care
- Islamic arts and crafts
Apart from the trade fair, MIHAS 2023 features other components including the International Sourcing Programme (INSP) in-conjunction with MIHAS 2023, which brought together close to 500 international buyers to have physical and virtual business meetings with 822 Malaysian exporters. These buyers include 11 premium buyers from eight countries, namely Australia, France, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Qatar, Thailand, Türkiye, and United Kingdom. These premium buyers represent some of the largest conglomerates, retail, international procurement centres (IPCs) and hypermarkets with nationwide outlets, and have a collective revenue of USD28 billion.
Another highlight of MIHAS 2023 is the Knowledge Hub, which will hold “meet the experts” sessions focusing on providing insights on trends, market access and sourcing requirements through direct engagements with premium buyers brought in physically to MIHAS 2023. This underlines the role MIHAS 2023 as a platform to foster knowledge exchange and collaboration. The Knowledge Hub sessions will be moderated by prominent business leaders representing chambers of commerce and trade associations.
MIHAS 2023 will feature the MIHAS Awards, which aim to celebrate excellence and uniqueness of exhibitors and Halal products and services. It encompasses two (2) main categories:
- MIHAS Excellence Award – the outstanding MIHAS 2023 exhibitors are automatically included in the selection process for the award;
- MIHAS Innovative Award – the selection process involves exhibitor nominations and participants in a physical pitching session which will be scheduled on 13 September.
In line with the push towards environmentalism and net zero carbon, MIHAS 2023 is also organising programmes that highlight its commitment to sustainability. Malaysian actress, singer and television host Nur Fazura, will be running a “Tudung Lama, Kasi Baru” campaign, a collaboration between Fazfit Sdn Bhd, Puspanita Cawangan MITI (PCM) and MATRADE Club. Through this programme, visitors are welcome to exchange their old hijabs for a voucher to purchase a new hijab from Fazura. This is to encourage sustainability practices within the community.
Besides that, MIHAS 2023 will showcase the MODA Sustainable Threads Affair (MOSTA), an event by the Malaysian Official Designers Association (MODA), that will take place on 13 September at MIHAS 2023. The event aims to highlight the latest designs and innovations in modest fashion while providing a platform to establish a network of collaboration and exchange views.
Durioo+ (Durioo Plus), a streaming channel featuring fun, high-quality cartoons and shows with Islamic values and virtues, will also leave a mark at MIHAS this year as the partner for the media and recreation cluster. Its beloved animation characters will make appearances during MIHAS 2023.
