HALAL / KOSHER Certification FAQ (The Eight Needs)

HALAL / KOSHER Certification FAQ

Q1: Why obtain HALAL / KOSHER certification?

A: Drawing on over a decade of experience in enterprise certification services, the SINOQUAL sales team has summarized the eight common needs for obtaining HALAL / KOSHER certification:

Products need to be exported to Southeast Asian and Belt-and-Road countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia. Two-thirds of the world's Halal consumer population is concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region, with Halal consumers making up 60% and 87% of the total populations of Malaysia and Indonesia respectively — Indonesia being the world's largest Halal-majority country. Products with HALAL certification can not only be chosen by Halal consumers but also provide more options for other consumers who value health and safety. Taking cosmetics as an example, according to industry forecasts, the global Halal beauty market was expected to grow from $20.25 million in 2015 to $54.16 million by 2022. This is due not only to growth in the global Halal consumer population, but also because Halal beauty products are safe, harmless, and free of most animal and cruel ingredients, attracting more ethics- and safety-conscious consumers as well as vegetarians/vegans — and increasingly, non-Halal-observing consumers are also using Halal beauty products.

Products aiming to enter European and American markets. In Europe and America, mid-sized and larger supermarkets all have Kosher sections. Besides consumers who follow Judaism and need to eat foods with Kosher certification, other vegetarians, the lactose-intolerant, those allergic to dairy products, and consumers with high food-quality requirements also choose Kosher foods, which symbolize cleanliness and premium quality. Especially since the outbreak of COVID-19, more and more people have returned to home dining, and convenient ready-to-eat products have become increasingly sought after by Kosher consumers. Newly popular snacks such as river-snail rice noodles, self-heating rice, canned fruit, and appetizing pickled mustard — these standout Chinese products — can all make their mark in the Kosher market.

For attending trade shows, having HALAL / KOSHER marks on products not only enhances corporate image and quality but also attracts buyers' attention. At recently held events such as the first China International Consumer Products Expo, the fifth Silk Road International Expo, and the 2021 China Brand Day activities, "national trend" and "Chinese brands" were market hits, and China's foreign trade export projects achieved fruitful results. We believe that at upcoming events such as the second China-CEEC Expo and International Consumer Products Expo, and the 23rd Health and Natural Ingredients & Food Ingredients China exhibition (Hi & Fi Asia-China), a HALAL / KOSHER certificate will surely help enterprises expand into international Halal/Kosher markets!

Seeing the impressive results achieved by peers who obtained HALAL / KOSHER certification, and wanting to seize market opportunities for oneself.

Encountering mandatory requirements from new or existing customers, or upstream/midstream/downstream enterprises (manufacturers), where products must have HALAL / KOSHER certification to reach cooperation.

Products exported to the Middle East, Pakistan, and other regions where customs strictly require Halal qualifications.

When products are sold in China's northwest market, a HALAL certification certificate needs to be provided.

The previously obtained certification was of too low a grade — not recognized by customers, or the issuing body has stopped issuing certificates and renewal is impossible.

Q2: Which products can obtain HALAL / KOSHER certification?

A: HALAL / KOSHER certification is not limited to the food sector. Daily necessities, cosmetics, chemical products, plant extracts, additives, oils and fats, and more can all obtain HALAL / KOSHER certification.

Q3: What are the costs of HALAL / KOSHER certification?

A: Because HALAL / KOSHER certification is essentially a religious certification, whether a product can obtain HALAL / KOSHER certification depends on whether the product complies with religious provisions. Therefore, the first factor determining the cost of HALAL / KOSHER certification is the difficulty of certifying the product. In addition, the number of products, the certification term, and the export market are also factors determining certification costs. So only after our certification specialists understand each client's specific needs in detail can we provide you with an accurate certification cost quote.

Q4: Is the certification process cumbersome? How many days to obtain the certificate?

A: For different products and different client needs, SINOQUAL has thoughtfully customized three certification schedules: 15 standard working days, 10 expedited working days, and 5 expedited working days. Throughout the entire certification process, a dedicated certification specialist team provides coaching and tracking until the certificate is finally obtained.