Saturday 5 December 2009, Tutong – Brunei
made food products received good response from customers during
domestic and overseas food fairs, according to some local small and
medium entrepreneurs.
These views were shared with The Brunei Times yesterday at the Tutong
District Carnival consumer fair by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
and establishments involved in the food-making and supply industry.
Managing Director of HKH Fast Food and Take Away, Hjh Kamariah
Hasbullah believed that local SMEs could compete at international level
and felt that local products have met the international standards.
“We had positive feedback when we participated in overseas fairs like
in China, Japan and Korea,” she said, adding that the company had also
participated in other overseas fairs in Oman and Thailand.
She recalled how they were approached by locals at food carnivals that they participated in, in several provinces of China.
“It was hard to control the flow of customers, they were just too many
of them,” she said, stressing her point on the positive response
received at the fairs.
She shared that the company at present had not attained the Brunei
Halal brand as they have yet to meet some criteria, including having
their own factory to run their operations in.
Hjh Hamidah Hj Ahmad, manager of Aseana Taste also expressed the same
view that local food products were internationally marketable.
She said this based on her past experiences at regional and
international consumer fairs, like the ones she attended in China and
Malaysia.
She said customers flocked to their booths and showed interest in their products and purchased most of them.
Hjh Hamidah also expressed her interest in obtaining the Brunei Halal brand.
“We SMEs are slowly but definitely going towards international level
with the help of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR)
as well as other parties,” said Hjh Aishah Hj Abdul Karim, the manager
of Mishah Enterprise.
She said that MIPR had been making endless efforts on promoting
Brunei’s local food products at the regional and international level.
Hjh Aishah also said that attending regional and international consumer fairs gave the right exposure to local SMEs.
The Tutong consumer fair was launched yesterday by District Officer Hj
Idris Hj Md Ali. It is being held at the Petani Mall in Tutong until
December 13.
Various SMEs, private companiesare participating in the fair that
display various items ranging from electrical home appliances to food
products.
Also taking the opportunity to display their wares were government
agenciessuch as the Royal Brunei Police Force, Anti-Narcotics Bureau,
and the Fire and Rescue Department.
The fair was part of the activities organised under the Tutong District
Carnival, which is to make the district a popular place for local and
foreign tourists.~ Courtesy of The Brunei Times
