31 January 2012 DUBAI – Trade between the UAE and New Zealand is expected to continue its significant growth, according to New Zealand Consul-General in Dubai Steve Jones.

Trade figures show New Zealand exports to the GCC have grown from $695 million in 2009 to $1.2 billion in 2011 that shows a 71 per cent increase over the two-year period.

Dubai’s attraction to more tourists will increase demand for food and beverage products and it will provide opportunities to New Zealand companies to boost exports, Jones, who is also trade commissioner for Middle East and Africa, told Khaleej Times in Dubai late on Sunday.

As the Dubai tourism market grows, demand for fine products will go up in parallel and New Zealand will be able to supply more products for tourism and hospitality sector in Dubai, he said.

“We would still be expected significant growth annual growth over the next couple of years,” Jones said, adding that UAE exports to New Zealand have also increased in the last couple of year, mostly petrochemicals.

Exports to the region are mostly dairy products where New Zealand companies have expertise at international level. It’s one of the biggest sectors for exports, he added.

“While New Zealand is well known as a food and beverage exporter, increasingly our exports to the Gulf region are diversifying away from just food and beverages to include ICT, education and consultancy, and specialised manufacturing,” he said.

He mentioned that 85 companies are working in the UAE and more new companies are expected to establish base in the UAE this year. He lists a number of companies which have made business impact in the region in the last year. These include weather forecasting and digital media company Metra, health technology company Winscribe, security systems firm Gallagher, and specialist composite construction engineering company Pultron Composites.

While trade ties are strengthened by New Zealand-based companies expanding into the region, there is also a clear government-level commitment to the region — with the opening of a New Zealand Embassy in the UAE, and joint New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise visits to Oman and Qatar. “New Zealand and the UAE have had an excellent economic and trade relationship for so many years now and the establishment of our embassy in Abu Dhabi underscores the fact that we are looking at further growing that relationship with the UAE across all sectors of society,” Malcolm Millar, Ambassador of New Zealand to the UAE, said.

“It is indeed noteworthy that our trade relations with this nation have witnessed tremendous growth and we are confident that those figures will keep an upward trajectory in the coming years.”

NZTE’s Beachheads programme — a global, public-private partnership of independent advisors and NZTE staff working closely with high-growth New Zealand businesses looking to succeed internationally — has helped an increasing number of growing businesses gain a foothold in the Middle East.

“Beachheads is a very successful programme worldwide, and we are planning to expand the service in the Middle East. It is most relevant to New Zealand companies with a permanent presence and senior management based in the region, and those planning for growth,” Jones said.

abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com

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Over half the week’s meals are consumed outside the home

Here is an interesting survey that just came out. These findings come from the combined efforts of LivingSocial and YouGov statistics are in and they show that United Arab Emirates (UAE) are eating out a whopping 11 times a week. Considering an average week consists of 21 meals, which implies that UAE residents are eating out over 50% of the time.

The survey suggests that local Arabic cuisine is still top dog. Italian and Chinese restaurants then round out the top three choices. Ethiopian, Brazilian, Argentinean and German were the least popular food choices. Unfortunately the survey also pointed to the fact that friends are beating out family members to the table as preferred dining companions outside the home.

This latest report was commissioned by LivingSocial as part of its ongoing efforts to discover and share information about local social trends. The survey itself was based on the dining habits provided by 1,131 residents. The results are quite interesting and do provide certain insight into the tastes of local residents.

A breakdown of the respondents

• Lebanon – 57%
• UAE  - 35%
• Jordan – 23%
• Egypt – 17%
• Others – 3%

The majority of those surveyed (61%) were between the ages of 18 and 34.

According to the results, 64% of UAE residents dine out with their friends verses their family. Business colleagues proved the least popular choice with only 23% of respondents choosing to dine with their colleagues.

The study also revealed women preferred Arabic cuisine followed by Italian. Men preferred BBQ and pizza.

Take out choices

When it comes to preferred take-out options, pizza is the number one food choice according to 54% of those responding. Spicy carry-out came in second with most choosing Indian cuisine. Third on the take out menu was Arabic food.

The survey suggests that residents in the UAE are also a health-conscious crowd with 28% of respondents considering themselves “health nuts. More than two-thirds of those surveyed also say they don’t have a sweet tooth.”

Conclusions

Surveys like this help companies such as LivingSocial in their efforts to target deals. It would make little sense for a daily dealer to offer food vouchers on those foods that are not favored. Even though the survey was conducted on a small amount of residents, it also shows that there may be a tremendous opportunity considering how often it appears that UAE residents dine out.

Source: The Gulf Today

Short URL: http://www.dailydealmedia.com/?p=26611

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Yesterday, Hotelier Middle East reported that the head chef and the butcher at the Burj Al Arab were being tried in court for taking kickbacks of nearly AED 900,000 in return for buying poor-quality food at inflated prices from four suppliers.

“It’s getting quite bad; it makes it really difficult to do business. For somebody that doesn’t have deep pockets or is not open to these unethical practices, it is very difficult,” commented Prairie Halal Foods general manager Wahid Kandil, Dubai.

Kandil said the suppliers were driving the practice of offering kickbacks: “But these individuals in the hotels shouldn’t buy into such unethical practice, and they’re the ones encouraging it by accepting it,” he added.

A Dubai hotel purchase and cost control manager, who did not wish to be named told Hotelier: “Kickbacks are not only in food and beverage, but also in engineering, pre-opening projects, purchase of furniture fixture and equipments and operating stocks and equipments.

“Kick backs are received in all levels. For example how many financial controllers make it a point to check engineering-related items? Did they check their prices in the market? Were these really needed? To whom were annual maintenance contracts awarded? These are higher kickbacks,” said the manager.

“Lower level employees, for example the receiving clerk who is in-charge of receiving goods. He can be bribed by a fruit and vegetable vendor to receive less. If the order was for 35kgs of tomatoes, then he would be receiving only 25kgs physically whereas the invoice would show 35kgs. These are some of the examples and there are more,” he added.

Former Taj Hotel Dubai executive chef Joe Vock also claimed that bribery was a “problem” in the market.

“It affects all hotels here as a lot of them aren’t buying the best product that is available because the guys are taking kickbacks, especially in the purchasing departments.”

Marcus Dudley, director of food and beverage, Moevenpick Hotel Jumeirah Beach, said he personally hadn’t been offered a bribe.

“But we had suspicioun about six months ago that one of our employees was involved in that, but no proof and we called in about five different suppliers and asked them directly and of course they said ‘no’ and were highly offended, whether they were involved in it or not,” he said.

Dudley attributed part of the problem to some hotel purchasing and receiving procedures in this part of the world.

“Traditionally in hotels you’d have a purchasing department and the purchasing manager oversees the receiving, but in our hotel that’s completely different.

“We have a purchasing manager who reports to the finance director and the receiving department is independent to the purchasing manager and reports as well to the finance department, so the guy who’s buying the things is not receiving the things, the two don’t meet.”

However, the hotel has recently introduced procedures to help prevent potential scams.

“We have introduced this year that – from sales and marketing contracts to food and beverage contracts – there needs to be a minimum of two signatures from a company’s side, where as before any one manager could do a deal and sign off. It’s a safety mechanism,” said Dudley.

Ibn Battuta Gate executive chef Tunji Oladipo, who has worked in Dubai for 11 years, asserted that such corruption is not a new problem in the emirate’s hotel sector.

“It’s always been the case everywhere, when I worked in London it was the same situation, it’s just become a little more aggressive recently because all the suppliers are going down the same route, supplying the same type of things – there aren’t a lot of specialist items.

“There has always been a lot of supplier buttering up, not so much bribes with money – but gifts and things like that and now they are a little more aggressive,’ added Oladipo.

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Consumers have been cheated due to economical reason?

On flights to the Islamic countries, Muslims are often the absolute majority of Passengers. The business of airline companies is booming not only in the Summer months, when Muslims with their large families in their home countries fly, but also during the Hajj season. As a target group that fly to the south and east to fill much sought after, we wondered how it looks like the onboard service for these customers?

According to information provided by IATA, the International Air Transport Association, there are no such rules as a “Muslim-friendly” look-flight meal, but each airline determines arbitrarily what they served their Muslim customers. This would be unobjectionable if the appropriate experts available in the employee pool would be sufficient among the airlines or the availability knowledge of Halal requirements for general education in Europe. But this is not so.

In reality, the airline caterer, supplier of on-board meals, in Europe simply overwhelmed them. So there are many caterers for the Muslim passengers are offering two different types of meal: the MOML – “Moslem Meal” and a “Halal Meal”.

The MOML – “Muslim Meal” is just a meal “without pork and without Alcohol “(In the jargon Airline Caterer term it is called a “Non-Pork”-Meal). Everything else does not meet the Islamic dietary laws. It is also not the laid down claim that the meat would be Halal slaughtered or the ingredients are Halal-compliant.

But the “Halal Meal”, instead is something “more halal” because the ingredients are purchased and processed so that they are Islam-compliant. This is true especially for the meat with halal confirmation.

Anyone familiar with the intricacies of the assessment of halal, knows that the buyers from the caterer should be overwhelmed with the appropriate ingredients to find for a Halal Meal, because on the local market do have only a few food ingredients and a Halal Certificate from a recognized Certification Authority or Halal Body.

According to information from the airline caterer, there are purely economic reasons, instead of “Halal Meals” is usually the cheaper to offer MOML “Muslim Meal”(Non Pork meal).

That with the (false) labeling MOML “Muslim Meal” for their Muslim Passengers and cheated or deceived halal meals are served to them, neither halal nor Islam is justifiable by these companies tacitly to accept it and claim the main component is true halal. As the claim of the airlines  companies agree to open-mindedness and customer orientation with the practice, their Muslim passengers are not been informed about what they are served and what will get to be seen.

As proven, that it can be handled in different manner without any negative impact on revenue and have real Halal service as demonstrated by the good example of Malaysia Airlines. This airline ordered in their contract from designated caterers throughout the year a specially compiled “Halal Meal “which are produced according to the strict Malaysian Airline Halal standards and is guaranteed to Islam-compliant.

Halal.deRedaktion
www.halal.de

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Halal India management is working with an Indian legal team to initiate a campaign with Indian Muslims association, leaders, and political parties to file a case to IATA office in India.

The following was a letter produced by Mr Jinna to IATA in India:

RE: Appeal to change the air catering food labelling name from “MOML” (Muslim Meal) to HALAL MEAL”  “HLML “(Permitted Meal).

May the peace be with you, Good day.

This is with reference to our on-board carting services under the auspicious of IATA standard for all the on-flight food & beverages services being provided to the passengers. We recollect that as per the existing categories of food services being practised by different faiths and religious affinities of the travelling passengers are dully recognized in India & worldwide.

We take this opportunity to most sincerely bring to your kind attention that as for as serving the food and beverages as per Muslim Faith and need , it is currently widely accepted and practised worldwide to serve and consume food & beverages under the label “MOML” (Muslim Meal). We most humbly put forward our sincere request to redefine this label “MOML”and to change it to “Halal” Meal. For Kosher meals, KSML meal is used (not ‘Jewish’ Meal) but when it comes to Muslims they code it to MOML (Moslem Meal). This is an open discrimination. It restricts in some way the popularity of Halal Meal among non-Muslims however it is fit for human consumption.

Your esteemed organization can also re-emphasize the same to IATA which will ultimately strengthen our community as whole.

Halal (Arabic: means lawful or legal) is a term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in, according to Islamic law. It is the opposite of haraam. The term is used to designate food seen as permissible according to Islamic law (Sharia).

This will have more specific reach to the set classified passenger travelling world wide.

This is only the first stage to give a more customer friendly understanding of the on-flight catering services available worldwide, and our first step is to address the need of on-flight catering services being provided to the people of Islamic Faith. Today many airline food catering service providers claim & label meals as “MOML” without proper halal certification processes being followed, and they self claim that the food is suitable for Muslim travellers. Authorised Halal Certification should be obtained if they claim the food is suitable for Muslim travellers.

We will forever be grateful to you and your organization if you would consider our aforesaid request and proposal. Expecting your positive reply and advice as soon as possible.

Thanking You,

Yours Truly,

Mohamed Jinna

CEO, Halal India

IN +91-9884399988 SG + 65-97638009

www.halalindia.org

“Eat Permitted Food – Live Healthy”

“O you people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and clean…”(Quran 2:168)

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The specialist has developed chicken, vegetable, beef and lamb flavoured stocks that meet Halal Food Agency guidelines and give Muslims more choice in what they can eat out.

Nigel Crane, Dorchester-trained chef and managing director of Essential Cuisine, said, according to the World Halal Forum, there were now two million ¬halal consumers in Britain.

“This is now a integral consumer group for UK caterers to consider, but what’s the point of buying halal meat if you then add ingredients to a dish which go against the religious beliefs of the Muslim community?, he said. “It restricts what you can offer and what they can enjoy.

“One of the key ingredients in many dishes is stock, which delivers depth and balance of flavour, and, while there are other halal-approved stocks on the professional market, many just do not cut it in terms of flavour, consistency and yield. We wanted to put this right.”

Essential Cuisine’s powdered halal stocks make life easier for everyone from school caterers, who must make every effort possible to cater for every pupil’s needs, whatever their culture, to leisure venues such as sports stadia, which cater for a high ethnic consumer base.

Each halal stock is made in a dedicated, licensed production unit by staff trained in appropriate handling of halal ingredients and products, and managed according to HACCP principals to ensure segregation from non-halal materials throughout the production process.

Like the rest of the Essential Cuisine range, each stock offers a superior yield of 50ltrs per 800g tub, with each variant tasting just like kitchen-made stock with a clear appearance and appropriate levels of seasoning, a low level of fat (c3%) and no MSG or preservatives.

Essential Cuisine’s halal stocks are:
• Permitted for Muslims to consume according to the Q’uran and Islamic Jurisprudance, which prohibits the consumption of pork, alcohol and intoxicants, meat from carnivores and from animals not slaughtered according to dhabihah
• Specifically developed for Halal dietary requirements and fully comply with the requirements of the Q’uran in terms of ingredients and their manufacture
• Audited and accredited by the HFA (Halal Food Authority), with Essential Cuisine holding a yearly license to produce the certified products (HFA Approved halal logo)
• Suitable for vegetarians

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KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 2, 2011): LSG Skychef-Brahim’s Sdn Bhd, formerly known as MAS Catering Sdn Bhd and the world’s biggest halal flight kitchen caterer, is embarking on expanding its services to new markets such as China, Eastern Europe as well as scouting for opportunities in the former Soviet states and the Middle East.
Datuk Ibrahim Ahmad Badawi, Executive Chairman of Brahim’s Holding Bhd — the parent company of LSG Skychef–Brahim’s Sdn Bhd, said there were numerous enquiries for the company to supply halal food not only for the Muslim market, but for non-Muslims as well globally given the wide range of cuisine offered under its menu.
A potential market was the republic of Tatarstan in Russia which is the gateway to the whole of the former Soviet Union states for halal food, he told Bernama in an interview today.
Similarly, he said, the company was also in Ningxia, China’s second Muslim autonomous province, through a joint venture company — Ningxia-Fahim International Halal Industries Corporation.
Ibrahim, who is also the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Dewina Holdings (the manufacturer of famous household brand, Brahims) said that another subsidiary company was operating military cook houses in Malaysia under a government privatisation exercise in 1998.
“We have invested more than RM65 million to revamp the catering operations in 63 military camps.”
The company has already formed a 50:50 joint venture company with King Abdullah Design and Development Bureau from Jordan, which is expected to be launched in the first quarter of next year, a move which offers lucrative expansion opportunities.
“The joint venture is worth about RM50 million including factory construction and machinery excluding land,” he said, citing how the Jordanian monarch was taken up by the company’s ability to provide halal food in such an efficient manner.
The oldest subsidiary of the group, Dewina Food, had also supplied halal food to the United Nations, in view that its multinational peace keeping forces comprised army personnel from many Islamic countries including Malaysia.
LSG Skychef-Brahim’s Sdn Bhd was established in 2003 through a joint venture between Brahim’s International Franchises and LSG Sky Chefs, following which the JV acquired 70% of loss-making MAS Catering Sdn Bhd’s share.
The other 30% is held by MAS.
“The government (at that time) under Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had proposed that Malaysia Airlines privatise its catering business, considering that the airlines incurred huge losses to the tune of about RM200 million through MAS Catering with negative shareholders’ funds of about RM80 million.
“So, I ventured with LSG, which is Lufthansa’s catering arm, the biggest flight kitchen operator in the world and formed a joint venture company. After we came in around November 2003, we started to make changes to the business,” Ibrahim said.
He said that negotiations for the acquisition lasted for more than a year before they sealed the deal worth about RM250 million, which was much higher than the RM50 million estimated by analysts at that time.
“MAS, at that time, wanted to get as much as money they could get to cover the losses. So, we were awarded a 25-year contract for catering for MAS to justify the amount of money they wanted,” he said, dismissing internet reports that the company made a windfall from the deal when in fact, it had to pay quite a premium for the acquisition for a loss-making company.
He said that the company would only be able to cover its accumulated losses next year.
He said that some of the internet reports painted a negative perception about the company as information about it having to acquire a company which had RM200 million in accumulated losses were not shared with the public.
Ibrahim clarified that despite the acquisition of MAS catering, the buildings and all the facilities belonged to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) and that LSG Skychef-Brahim’s Sdn Bhd was only given the rights to operate the business.
Since the takeover, LSG Skychefs – Brahim Sdn Bhd had brought about tremendous improvements which increased business’ efficiency, productivity and profits by controlling costs and purchasing in order to cover the losses, Ibrahim said.
“When we took over, we have 1,800 workers, producing about 26,000 meals per day and now, we have 1,200 workers, but we managed to doubled our capacity to an average of 40,000 meals per day,” he said.
Besides MAS, the company also catered for 35 other airlines, representing about 90% of the airlines which land in Kuala Lumpur. Their Penang operations cater to 10 airlines.
The Mahathir administration at that time felt that MAS should stick to its core business of running an airline and therefore should hive off the loss-making catering unit to someone who knew how to run the business.
“That’s how we got it. That was a correct move and the exercise (acquisition) was more like a rescue operation.” he said.
Ibrahim said that it was also wrong to imply that losses incurred by MAS now were due to its catering services as catering only accounted for 1.7 percent of its operating costs, but the way the reports painted it was as if catering was the main contributor to its losses. — Bernama

http://www.thesundaily.my/news/162624

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The Marrybrown franchise currently operates in 15 countries worldwide. The restaurant in the Maldives was established by Lily International Private Limited, a leading business venture in the Maldives.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, the president thanked Lily International for its various contributions to Maldivian businesses since the 1980s.

The president also noted that the Maldivian lifestyle is changing to accommodate businesses enterprises such as Marrybrown, and that steps are being taken by the government to facilitate competition in the open market. The president said necessary legal amendments such as tax and state income laws were being made, and hoped more service enterprises would be established in the Maldives.

Marrybrown Chairman Lawrence Liew said the chain caters to a general population. “We have something different for everyone at a reasonable price in a clean environment. Our kids play centre creates a positive family space,” he said.

President Nasheed eats the inaugural fried chicken burger

After a moment of technical difficulties, Marrybrown opened its doors to the president, the press and the public. The President tasted the chain’s first fried chicken burger in the Maldives alongside franchise and government officials, and was given a tour of the facility which includes an air conditioned interior dining and play area and an upper open air veranda.

Families flocked to the restaurant doors for the next few hours, eager to acquire the free fried chicken meals that were being distributed in honor of the occasion.  A chipmunk mascot in a signature pair of green overalls welcomed children to the event outside, while groups were let in in stages to avoid crowding.

“The menu for Maldives was specially designed over the last six months by our chefs, and is a combination of Malaysian and Maldivian cuisines,” Co-Founder and Group Management Director Nancy Leiw told Minivan News.

When asked about the health value of the fast food menu, Leiw claimed Marrybrown “delivered all the necessary nutrients.”

“It’s a very balanced diet. Think about a burger. You have your carbohydrates, your protein, the lettuce gives you valuable vitamins and minerals, you have everything you need.”

Burgers are served with tomato and chili sauce packets and soft drinks.

Liew said that the franchise owner is “an ambitious businessman”, and that Marrybrown will be expanding business in the Maldives. “We don’t just serve food, we serve people. We will be providing opportunities in employment, business management, and local development,” she said.

The Marrybrown opening was facilitated by Malaysian staff, who will train Maldivian employees to “pass on our expertise and style of customer service,” said Liew.

The franchise’s nationality bore special connotations for the Maldives. “Malaysia is Muslim, and the Maldives is Muslim. We share a special synergy in Islam,” said Liew. “This synergy will allow us to work together in productive ways to create new opportunities for growth in line with our shared cultural standards.”

Liew noted that Marrybrown is celebrating 30 years of operation this year, and will be holding promotions and fundraising events for local charities and businesses throughout the year.

Marrybrown plans to open several more restaurants in the Maldives in the near future.

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