One step ahead: UK and UAE collaborate on Halal
The HHIC 2018, held by the Halal Food Authority, now in it’s fourth year, is a one of its kind event in the UK. This year it was honoured by the presence of the newly appointed CEO of Emirates International Accreditation Center (EIAC), Amina Ahmed Mohammed, as their chief guest.
The conference drew attendees from UK, Europe, Middle-East and Far-East including representatives from mainstream global food brands. It saw an increased number of Halal enthusiasts attending this year’s event held on 3rd of May at Marriott Regents Park, London.
This high profile event informed delegates, including certifiers, regulators, industry experts, halal producers and customers, about global developments, market insights and networking opportunities.
The conference started off with Opportunities and Market Expansion. Bolst Global and Global Halal Hub Pte Ltd Singapore representatives both gave presentations. Both opportunities and strong collaboration were established between UK companies to export their products to the Far East region.
This was followed by a Branding session which had a combination of academia and industry research presented by a Professor in Marketing from University of Strathclyde and a representative from Education Partnerships UK.
The most awaited and anticipated session by the delegates was The Impact of Brexit on UK and European Halal Food Trade. The panel session comprised of people from trade associations within UK and the EU.
The afternoon included a session on retail with guest speakers representing a mixture of both meat and non-meat companies including Ben and Jerry’s Europe, 1 Stop Halal and Haloodies.
Then the final session focused on Halal regulations, certification, accreditation and recognitions. In this session, respected speakers presented on Halal standards worldwide. Representatives from Spain, Turkey, UAE and Malaysia shared and exchanged views on Halal standards covering not only food, but also cosmetics and pharmaceuticals which are both rising sectors in the Halal industry.
At the close of the conference delegates and speakers were invited to a mocktail session to focus on networking and discussions. HFA also took this opportunity to learn more about their clientele and vice versa.
Halal Academy Training
As part of this year’s conference, HFA collaborated with the Emirates International Accreditation Center (EIAC) and introduced the first Halal Academy Training focusing on the UAE and SMIIC Halal Standard. This training was held at the same venue on the day before the actual event for people who registered in advance. Many companies who export their products to the UAE, and other participants, benefited greatly from the expert talks given at the training sessions. It is not often people can have easy access to this information to assist them with the expansion of their company into the region.
HFA would like to thank all supporters, event sponsors and delegates who came together to make this year’s HHIC a success, once again. They welcome you to join them in opportunities and discussions on collaborations, suggestions, sponsorships and participation in future HHIC events.
For further info please contact: hifza@halalfoodauthority.com
