The Halal Ecosystem: How Food Brands Can Enter the Halal Market

Is organic and local the same as Halal? People care more than ever about where their food comes from, and Halal consumers are no exception.

In a recent column, Shelina Janmohamed of Ogilvy Noor (a renowned US media group) explained why people care about brands.

If you really want to talk to Halal consumers, then you first need to understand the meaning of the term 'Halal.'

In layman's terms, 'Halal' refers to the meat of animals slaughtered according to Islamic law and items that comply with Islamic law. This is similar to, but not exactly the same as, Jewish dietary rules.

Products also cannot use ingredients prohibited for Muslims, such as alcohol and pork derivatives. Halal means 'permitted'; the opposite is non-Halal, meaning 'forbidden.'

When Muslims talk about Halal, they use a broad description, 'wholesome (Tayyib),' the essence of which is that a product should demonstrate its purity from the beginning of production to final consumption, with animals and the environment considered and treated well at every stage of production.

In recent decades, the world has been moving toward mass production, no longer limited to traditional farming methods and local goods. Like other consumers, Muslims are increasingly concerned about whether their products are ethical and organic. Muslims consider these part of the broader sense of Halal.

However, considering that a complete product market cannot be covered in a short article, we will focus on the most basic food.

There is another reason for doing this: in our research on Muslims' views on the Islamic-friendliness of a range of well-known brands, we found that brands related to food and beverages ranked at the top.

Muslims believe that what their bodies take in will directly affect their spiritual life. This is why Muslim consumers care so much about ensuring that what they consume is Halal.

Brands should note: the Halal market has a share of about US$500 billion per year, and it is still growing.