KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 (Bernama) — Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) will be assisting Malaysian food and beverage companies to expand their presence in France’s huge halal food sector.
Through participation at major food events, like the upcoming Salon International de I’Alimentation (SIAL) Paris 2010 from Oct 17 to 21, Malaysian companies will be able to market their products to France’s Muslim community which is the largest in Europe.
“Although Malaysia’s share of France’s halal food market is very small at just 0.33 per cent, nevertheless, it does represent a foothold in which Malaysian halal food products can gain further local traction and rapidly expand their consumer base within France,” said Matrade chief executive officer Datuk Noharuddin Nordin.
“At the last show in 2008, Malaysian exhibitors generated total sales of RM115.25 million. This year, we expect to increase the figure by more than 10 per cent due to the large Muslim community and halal food demand in France and the region,” he said in a statement Fridaty.
This year, 32 selected Malaysian food and beverage companies, hosted by Matrade at the Malaysia Pavilion, will participate in SIAL Paris 2010 with displays of products like beverages, confectionaries, frozen food, fruit juices, palm oil and edible oil products, and snacks.
It is estimated that halal food consumption in France has been increasing by 10 to 15 per cent annually since 1998, with annual sales of more than RM24.5 billion.
— BERNAMA
