halalfocus.net » Trade Events

UAE: Processed foods ‘claim 50pc of F&B market’

salama — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:50:19 +0000

Demand for processed food is growing rapidly across all food and beverage categories in the Middle East, and accounts for 50 per cent of the food market in the region, said the organisers of an upcoming food expo in Dubai.

Gulfood 2012, a major annual food and beverage trade show, takes place from February 19 to 22 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

More than 350 exhibitors out of a total of 3,800 companies participating at this year’s event are focused on food processing and packaging, and include such global giants as Al Bayader, Al Thika, IPS, Ishida, Multivac, SIG Combibloc Obeikan, Rieckerman and Rondo.

“Packaging and processing solutions have never been more important, particularly for the Middle East region, and Gulfood presents the best platform for companies in this sector to gain access to this market,” said Trixee Loh, senior vice president, Dubai World Trade Centre, organiser of Gulfood 2012.

“With governments in the GCC promoting movement up the value chain by supporting domestic food processing, there are exceptional business opportunities for raw material suppliers, food processing equipment providers and packaging manufacturers, and this is clearly being recognised by the global players coming to Gulfood this year,” Loh added.

Given the significant growth potential, international companies are also setting up food processing plants in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with duty-free access to markets across the GCC region adding to the prospects.

Suppliers of food processing and manufacturing equipment at this year’s show are bullish about the regional market.

Yamato, a leading manufacturer of multihead weighers and check weighers will be showcasing its Alpha machine at Gulfood 2012, a series which offers food manufacturers flexibility, precision and high speed in packaging.

Managing director Neil Fowell said: “We’re looking forward to meeting potential new customers from all over the Middle East, Africa and South Asia at Gulfood 2012. We’re especially keen to demonstrate how we can improve the food manufacturing process and believe that our Alpha machine will illustrate this perfectly.”

The structures and requirements applying in the food & beverage industry have witnessed change in the last several years, with many food and beverage companies looking for turnkey solutions and suppliers capable of offering ready formulated products.

With food safety heading the agenda of many governments and regulatory authorities throughout the Middle East and beyond, food packaging is coming under even closer scrutiny in terms of food protection.

SIG Combibloc Obeikan (SIG CBOB), a leading systems supplier of aseptic beverage cartons and filling machines for longlife food and beverages, offers innovative packaging solutions that are unrivalled.

Martin Schmedes, director of Business Development and Marketing, SIG CBOB said: “We believe our offering can improve production economics and provide better product differentiation for the food and beverage manufacturers.”

“This year we will showcase a revolutionary filling module that enables manufacturers to fill particulates (fruit, cereal and vegetables) on their standard filling machine.” – TradeArabia News Service

Malaysia: Commercial Halal collagen

salama — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 11:05:07 +0000

By KATHERINA MARIE
educate@thestar.com.my

STEAMED with chilli and garlic, the tilapia fish makes for a delicious meal, but a Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) researcher has discovered that the spiny-finned freshwater fish is a rich source of collagen.

The discovery offers consumers a halal alternative for the important protein, which is traditionally obtained from pigs and cows.

The collagen was discovered by UPM Faculty of Food and Science Technology lecturer and researcher Prof Dr Jamilah Bakar.

She then introduced it to biotech company Bionic Lifesciences, which included the ingredient in its bird’s nest product.

The improved final product was displayed at the Biomalaysia 2011 Conference and Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur recently. Bionic Lifesciences director Prof Mohd Saleh Yahya and UPM deputy vice-chancellor (Research and Innovation) Prof Mohd Saleh Jaafar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to seal the collaboration between the company and varsity to commercialise the product.

Prof Mohd Saleh said UPM’s objective for the collaboration is to enhance research and development for the biotechnological processes.

“This collaboration will help to provide technical assistance and knowledge and will be beneficial for UPM students to further their research on collagen,” he said.

Prof Jamilah shared that she had spent 12 years on the research.

“I actually started my research with gelatine which is used in almost all the food products and from there, I discovered that gelatine is obtained from collagen by hydrolysis,” she said.

“Collagen is used widely in the food industry as a food supplement in capsule, beverage and tablet forms.

Students and visitors looking at the raw collagen sample and the range of products it could be used for at the signing ceremony.

“Society is starting to realise the importance of collagen in maintaining skin health, improving immunity, activating muscles and treating joint pain,” she said.

She added that prior to this, collagen had to be imported from China and Korea as there was no local source.

“We are the first in the region to produce halal aquatic collagen.

“The cosmetics industry can use it for its anti-ageing properties and include it into facemasks, hair products, nail products, creams and even directly into beverages because it is halal,” she added.

Malaysia: UAE business women look at opportunities in Islamic Finance and Halal food

salama — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:50:56 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR: United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s leading businesswomen are looking into investment opportunities to work with Malaysians in two areas – Islamic finance and halal food.

President of the Abu Dhabi Business Women Council and chief operating officer of Al Jaber Group Fatima Al Jaber said Islamic finance and halal food were the two mutual areas that Malaysia and UAE could work together.

“Islamic finance is a very important sector that Malaysia is pioneering and I chair an investment bank (in the UAE). We are looking into investment opportunities in Malaysia,” she told Bernama after the UAE – Malaysia Power Ladies Roundtable 2011 here today.

Al Jaber is among ten influential UAE businesswomen who are in Malaysia for the Power Ladies UAE-Malaysia Roundtable 2011 tour. The Power Ladies tour, organised by Inside Investor, runs from December 5-9 and is aimed at providing the UAE guests with a greater understanding of the business opportunities available in Malaysia.

She said UAE offered huge opportunities for Malaysians in many areas included leisure, hotel, sports, property, healthcare and education.

“UAE is a consumer market. The sports and healthcare industry are growing. Education is another area. We have all types of school and universities in the UAE. There is also a great demand for certain types of properties there,” she said.

She also said that financial services were another area Malaysians could tap as foreigners were currently involved in the business in the Emirates.

“The should be two-way (business ties)…Malaysians should come to UAE and venture into these areas,” she added.

The Power Ladies group also mentioned that three important areas that they would look into before venturing into businesses in Malaysia were government rules regulations, taxation and the business environment.

The group, over the previous two days, met Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation chief executive officer Dr Wong Lai Sum, chief executive officer of the Malaysian Investment Development Authority Datuk Noharuddin Nordin, SME Corp Chief Operating Officer Datuk Hafsah Hashim.

Today, they are scheduled to meet the Prime Minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and Duli Yang Maha Mulia Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah. — BERNAMA

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UAE ‘power ladies’ explore bilateral investment ties opportunities with Malaysia

KUCHING: United Arab Emirates (UAE) businesswomen visiting Malaysia paid a courtesy call Malaysian Government Chief Secretary, Tan Sri Sidek Mohd Hassan yesterday to explore opportunities for closer business ties between the two countries to boost bilateral trade and investment.

The visitors, who are here to attend the Power Ladies UAE-Malaysia Roundtable 2011 from December 5 to 9, will be visiting leading officials of the government and corporate sector to discover further opportunities in the country.

Dubai Business Women Council president and Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group managing director, Raja Easa Al Gurg noted in a press release yesterday, “I would like to see the embassies of UAE and Malaysia working closely to synchronise business relations and seek out investment windows for both countries.”

Currently, bilateral trade between UAE and Malaysia is estimated at US$6.4 billion.

Abu Dhabi Business Women Council president and Al Jaber Group chief operating officer, Fatima Obaid Al Jaber urged Malaysia to create more visibility for the country’s investment environment, especially in places such as the UAE where investors are keen to tap into the Malaysian market.

Sidek concurred with the ladies as he highlighted that Malaysia was an ideal investment destination as the government intended to go beyond incentives to lure incoming investment.

“We are also training human resources for the needs of investors with a strong focus on the high-tech and the services industy,” he noted this as a step taken in conjunction with the nation’s vision to be a fully developed country by 2020.

Sidek pointed out various transformation programmes that the government led to enhance competitiveness, such as Pemudah, a special task force set up between the public and private sector to simplify the process of doing business in Malaysia.

The task force had been working on easing licensing and immigration requirements and visas for highly skilled talents and investors.

Other topics that the meeting touched on include the unemployment rate in Malaysia, business registration processes, programmes for small and medium enterprises, special incentives as well as the most promising sectors for investment.

Viet Nam: Confab promotes Mideast trade

salama — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:14:45 +0000

VUÕNG TAØU — The advantages and challenges of bilateral relations between Vieät Nam and the Middle East came under the spotlight at a conference yesterday in the southern province of Baø Ròa-Vuõng Taøu.

Speaking at the event, deputy head of the the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Africa – Western Asia – Southern Asia Department Leâ Thaùi Hoøa outlined crude oil, tourism, labour, and science and technology as promising sectors for bilateral co-operation in the future.

Last year, Vieät Nam exported US$1.65 billion worth of goods to the Middle East, mainly seafood, textiles, footwear, iron and steel, electronics, handicrafts, agricultural products, machinery and equipment, surging 45 per cent over the same period of the previous year.

Exports were likely to reach approximately $2.4 billion by the end of the year, up 69 per cent year-on-year.

Despite these encouraging results, Vieät Nam was still faced with several barriers in fostering trade relations with the Middle East, such as cumbersome administrative procedures, political instability and insufficient market information, Hoøa said.

Other experts at the event called on Vietnamese exporters to foster their understanding of the market’s culture, communication and business customs. They were also urged to win Halal certification, necessary if the firms wanted to effectively access the market.

The Halal certification is a global scheme for products and services. It is an independent process to verify halal and haram ingredients and purity conditions required to meet Qur’an and Shariah standards.

Halal (permitted) and Haram (prohibited) are universal Arabic terms applied to all facts of life and commerce. Shariah is defined as a legal framework under Islamic Law.

Vieät Nam now has Halal certification agencies in both Haø Noäi and HCM City.

In a move to help local businesses better understand the respective business customs and market demands before meeting potential partners, the department planned to organise online business meetings between Vietnamese enterprises and firms from six Middle Eastern countries early next year. —VNS

Malaysia: Muslim PR Practitioners Should Correct Misconception Of Islam

salama — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:39:25 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 (Bernama) — International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir has urged Muslim public relations (PR) practitioners to play their role in correcting whatever misconception or wrong perception of Islam.

He said they should also refute the malicious disinformation and spin which were intended to give a wrong picture of Muslims.

“Prejudices, racism and Islamophobia are tangible expressions that do not go away easily.

“So, effective PR is one method to address these problems and reinstate the truth,” he said.

His speech was read by the ministry’s advisor, Datuk Nik Zainiah Nik Abdul Rahman, at the 1st Global Congress for Muslim Public Relations Practitioners here today.

On Malaysia’s role in promoting Islam, Mukhriz said, the nation had played a major part by developing an Islamic financial system and the halal industry.

“The global halal market is valued at US$2.7 trillion annually, fuelled not only because of the huge Muslim market, as non-Muslims now consider halal products more hygienic and reliable,” he said.

On the Islamic financial system, Mukhriz noted that the number of Syariah-compliant loans had begun to rise, indicating the growing demand for such financial tools from among Muslim and non-Muslim clients for Islamic financial products.

“It is no longer strange to see international commercial banks issuing Islamic loans to clients,” he said.

The first-ever global congress for Muslim PR practitioners is jointly held by the International Islamic University Malaysia and Tehran-based Kargozar PR Institute.

The three-day conference focused on paper presentations, dialogues and panelist discussions, comprising more than 200 delegates from Malaysia and neighbouring countries.

The congress was set up to create a platform for discussions among PR professionals on how to be more effective, discussions on current world issues and the important role of Muslim PR practitioners.

BERNAMA

Malaysia: Matrade’s 2012 Work Programme To Meet Government Initiatives

salama — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:39:11 +0000

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 (Bernama) — The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation’s (Matrade) 2012 Work Programme will continue to meet the strategic requirements of the New Economic Model (NEM), Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

In a statement Wednesday, chief executive officer Dr Wong Lai Sum, said in formulating its 2012 Work Programme, Matrade had taken into account several key factors, such as, the continuity of programmes under the ETP and the 10MP.

Other factors include the changes in Matrade’s structure to be more industry-centric, the imperative to double manufactured exports by 2015 and other challenges in the domestic economic and global trading environment.

“With these issues factored in, the 2012 Work Programme will focus on key strategic markets, pushing export opportunities for new sources of growth, strengthening the competitiveness of Malaysian exporters, improving service delivery to support export promotion activities and collaboration with private sectors on new vehicles for market access,” she said.

A key component of the 2012 Work Programme will be the execution and delivery of more than 120 trade promotion activities that involves participation in international trade fairs, Specialised Marketing Missions (SMM), promotion booths, In-coming Buying Missions (IBM), joint promotion activities and the organising of three exhibitions.

The exhibitions are the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS), Malaysia Services Exhibition (MSE) and International Trade Malaysia (INTRADE).

“The industry sectors that will be covered by these trade activities under the 2012 Work Programme will be construction services and building materials, electrical and electronics and ICT, health and environmental products and services, lifestyle, machinery, transportation, logistics and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), oil and gas and chemicals, processed food, biotech and halal as well as professional and business services.

“These trade promotion activities will be carried out in geographical regions according to market segmentation, the statement added.

– BERNAMA

‘Philippines products need more exposure in Kuwaiti market’

salama — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:52:14 +0000

By Ben Garcia

KUWAIT: The Philippines needs more exposure to a ‘highly competitive Kuwaiti market,’ said Dr Hani M Al-Mazeedi, Associate Research Scientist at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR). Speaking before the delegation of Filipino business representatives from food sectors, Al-Mazeedi said that the Philippines has a lot more to do when it comes to securing Kuwaiti consumer’s trust when it comes to buying products.

I think the fact that food products from the Philippines were not exposed to Kuwaiti market they need a lot more of ‘convincing power’ to persuade us [Kuwaitis] to buy your food products. An exhibition of this kind will help, but I proposed that a commercial trading facility is necessary. They need to introduce their products and explain the ingredients to consumers,” he added.

He also proposed labeling all their products/ingredients with ‘halal’ as many in Kuwait would prefer to eat/use halal food products under the supervision of Halal Certification Board of the Philippines. The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) is visiting the country as part of the Middle East roadshow, which will take them to Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia.

The message of Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Shulan Primavera was read out by Vice Consul Rea Oreta during the event. He said, the event was being held at a unfortunate time when the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Kuwait was shut down a year of operations.

Short-lived as it was, it helped sustain opportunities to promote the Philippines as a viable investment destination with the entry of Kuwait Gulf Link in Clarkfield Pampanga,” he said. “KGL invested over a billion dollars in developing of global gateway logistics city which could generate of up to 70,000 new jobs,” the envoy added. He said, the Philippines is awaiting promised investments from Alghanim and Alshaya group of companies.

In terms of product availability in Kuwait, Primavera noted that almost all major supermarkets here have already been selling products which captured not just the Filipino market but also the Kuwaiti and other expat groups alike. He revealed that the 2009 CITEM exhibition in Kuwait produces about US $10 million worth of contracts.

That is why we are supporting such exhibitions which are constant variables in our economic work plan, support the proposal to relax documentary procedures for our exporters, reduce the cost of authentication fees for documents and shortens the clearance period for trade samples in addition to relaxing visa requirements for visiting businessmen and exporters to the Philippines,” he stated.

Jojie Dinsay, Commercial Attache for the GCC region, remarked that the food exhibition has offered a very good opportunity for both the delegates and prospective buyers to penetrate Philippines and Kuwaiti markets. According to Dinsay, food accounts for 35 percent of Philippines’ total exports to Kuwait.

Some of our top food exports were tuna [15 percent], fresh bananas [14 percent] canned and fish products [4.5 percent]. Kuwait serves as the gateway to the Iraqi and Saudi Arabia. However, it still has a lot of untapped potential as a market for our world-class food products.” There are 12 companies from the Philippines that participated in a one-day food exhibition event held at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel last Thursday.

Opinion: Islam-centric branding and marketing essential for global businesses

salama — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 15:29:13 +0000

Islam-centric branding and marketing essential for global businesses, says University of Greenwich expert
Businesses are failing to make the most of one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, according to an international expert in Islamic marketing, Jon Wilson from the University of Greenwich. Islam-centric branding and marketing are essential for global companies, he argues, pointing out that Muslims make up a quarter of the world’s consumers.

Jon Wilson will chair Total Marketing, a conference of marketing professionals in Dubai next week, followed by a workshop on Islamic Marketing and Muslim Consumer Behaviour. He is Senior Lecturer and Course Leader in Advertising & Marketing Communications Management in the university Business School; the new editor of the international Journal of Islamic Marketing; and co-author of award-winning research on shaping Halal into a brand. Jon has recently completed a tour of Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, speaking at an international conference, universities and businesses. He also hails Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and London as being hubs offering benchmarks and the potential for further development.

“Muslims are an often neglected and misunderstood group of consumers,” Jon says. “Businesses have not yet thought through in sufficient depth their marketing, branding and PR for this section of the market.” He argues that businesses need to develop a greater understanding of different Muslim markets, providing a broader range of products that move beyond the traditional focus on “meat and money” such as Halal foods and shariah finance.

Jon says that non-Muslim consumers could also feel a strong affinity with Islamic-focussed products, if marketed properly. He believes this can open up new areas for product development and help to bring insight into other areas of marketing where there is a high degree of emotional connection between consumers and brands beyond conventional interpretations of faith and religion, for example areas such as sports and music.

“Islamic consumerism will throw up new issues and paradoxes,” says Jon. “Can a super-expensive designer hijab with Swarovski crystals be consistent with the idea of ‘modest fashion’? Or, can there be such a thing as a ‘luxury’ Hajj pilgrimage?”

He has particular interests in the rapid growth of the vibrant Islamic youth market; over a half of all Muslims are under 24. “Increasingly, their consumption, religious views and opinions are decided through empowered consensus, using social media and the internet. This approach is drawing Muslim behaviour towards conspicuous consumption, rebellion and leaderless collective individualism.”

He predicts that products targeted at Islamic consumers will come to appeal to wider markets across increasingly blurred ethnic divides, in the same way that food, fashion, music and other commodities were once targeted at Afro-American and Caribbean communities and have now been adopted by the mainstream.

For more information:

Total Marketing conference: www.iirme.com/totalmarketing<http://www.iirme.com/totalmarketing>

Workshop on Islamic Marketing and Muslim Consumer Behaviour: www.iirme.com/totalmarketing/agenda/post-summit-workshopswww.iirme.com/totalmarketing/agenda/post-summit-workshops>

Jon Wilson: www.gre.ac.uk/schools/business/about-us/departments/mktg/staff/Jonathan_W<http://www.gre.ac.uk/schools/business/about-us/departments/mktg/staff/Jonathan_W>

Journal of Islamic Marketing: www.emeraldinsight.com/products/journals/editorial_team.htm?id=jima

DinarStandard, New York column: http://experts.dinarstandard.com/author/jonathan-wilson/

Halal Products Exhibited in Kazakhstan

salama — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:34:15 +0000

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – The 2nd edition of Kazakhstan International Halal Expo 2011 and KazFood 2011 was held by the Expo Damu Company and the Association of Halal Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Astana.

The exhibition was supported by Ministry of Economic Development and Commerce, Ministry of Agriculture and Astana Administration.

About one hundred companies from 9 countries including Iran, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia and the Netherlands cooperated in holding the exhibition.

The purpose of holding of “Kazakhstan International Halal Expo’ 2011″ Exhibition was introducing of of products and services offered by domestic and foreign halal-enterprises, searching for partners, establishment of trade turnover between countries, explanation to the people about the usefulness of Halal and about its importance and immeasurable contribution to the health and safeness of nation.

The exhibition was visited by representatives of Ministries and Departments, by people of all religions, and also foreign businessmen interested in export and import of Halal productions.

Scientific and experimental workshops were also held in this respect on the sidelines of the three-day exhibition which was held from October 19 to 21.

Pakistan: Multilateral Investment and Trade Conference 2011 & Expo

salama — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 09:00:19 +0000

Foreign delegates show interest in investment, bilateral trade

By Mohsin Khan Daily Times

KARACHI: There is great potential in Pakistan for investment besides exploration of the natural resources in the country.

The participating members of foreign delegations at the Multilateral Investment and Trade Conference 2011 and Expo Pakistan Opportunities Unlimited moots expressed those sentiments. Pakistan is an emerging growth country with its strategic location, growing consumer market, richness of raw materials and abundance of qualified labour, they said.

The Multilateral Investment and Trade Conference 2011 is a joint effort of the Bilateral Business Forums of Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, Switzerland and USA in Pakistan. Special delegations and experts from friendly countries also participated in this prolific initiative. Board of Investment (BoI) and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) were partners in the moot to boost global business relations between progressive countries.

Tundra Fonder’s CEO Mattias Martinsson of Sweden during his interview revealed Pakistan as a place for long-term investment. He expressed his confidence to invest in sectors including agriculture, energy, food, oil and gas and textile etc. Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese and Egyptian trade delegations at 3 days Multilateral Conference.

Halal raw materials for export were also focused on. KCCI President Mian Abrar Ahmad meeting with foreign delegations highlighted Halal Foods potential. This sector attracted Malaysia to suggest conducting a seminar on Halal Foods in March 2012. Not only Muslims but non-Muslims countries have shown their interest in importing Halal Foods from Pakistan.

The working groups also discussed Infrastructure and energy, engineering, agriculture and dairy, mines and minerals and pharmaceuticals sectors during the event. The infrastructure and energy remained on top agenda.

State Bank of Pakistan Governor, Yaseen Anwar highlighted capital markets and house-financing sector in comparison with other countries. It is just one percent of Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Product, while 65 percent of United States’, 110 percent of United Kingdom’s and more than 65 percent in many other countries.

Many upcoming projects were highlighted including Track Access Project and Bhambore Dairy Project etc. Mines and minerals keep much potential and significance at their place. In comparing it with Karachi, it was stated Rs 10 million investment in Karachi may create employment opportunities for 50 people but the equal investment in mines and minerals can create employment for 350 people.
Delegations from Japan, United Kingdom, United States of America, Greece, Belgium, South Africa, South Korea, India. Brazil, Poland, Malaysia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Columbia, Serbia, Romania, Egypt and New Zealand visited Expo Centre. They showed interest for bilateral trade and were urged to explore the opportunities in Pakistan.