Industry News

Singapore's halal industry is booming. Over the past decade, as more businesses have entered the halal market, the number of halal-certified factories has increased fivefold to 2,650.

This number is expected to grow to 5,000 by 2015, and this growth is driving MUIS Singapore to become an institution that does more than just provide certification.

MUIS will work with Standards, Productivity & Innovation Singapore, International Enterprise Singapore and other partners to build Singapore's halal brand through product development, trade and consultancy.

Closely related to this is the US$661 million (S$860 million) global halal food market. According to MUIS chief executive Alami Musa, tapping into the halal market can boost profits by 20% to 25%.

At a seminar yesterday, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Singapore Affairs, pointed out that the five-fold increase in halal-certified factories in the past 10 years has also boosted the tourism industry.

Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, who is also Minister for Community Development and Sports, said this is a positive trend as Singapore's three main tourist markets include Indonesia and Malaysia, both of which are predominantly Muslim.

He also pointed out that this also provides convenience for the growing number of tourists from the Middle East. He said: "Now that we have halal hotels, hotels that can provide all halal facilities will attract more tourists to Singapore."

Dr. Yaacob spoke at a halal seminar organized by MUIS at the Concorde Hotel in 2011. The event, which discussed trends, opportunities, and challenges in the halal industry, attracted more than 300 participants, ranging from business owners to representatives from government agencies.

One of these restaurants is the Sapphire restaurant at Marina Mandarin Singapore, which has seen a significant increase in revenue after becoming Halal certified. A spokesperson for the hotel said that since the restaurant received Halal certification in July, it has attracted more local Muslim diners and foreign Muslim tourists.

Bakery and dessert chain De Yi France has seen a 20% increase in revenue since becoming certified in 2001, confirmed Jason Tan, its overseas branch manager. He added, "Our goal is to expand our customer base and cater to the needs of the Muslim community."

Mr. LTOng, the owner of "For You Pizza" in Clementi, decided to maintain the halal certification after acquiring the shop from a Muslim owner to attract Muslim customers. He said, "It's not a losing proposition for me."

Mr. Tan says ensuring the ingredients he buys are certified Halal and adhere to Halal principles is a real challenge. "We can't compromise by lowering our product standards, even though that would cost more," he says. "But we'll continue because we see the potential and are already seeing the benefits."

At the seminar, Dr Yaacob launched the MUIS Singapore Halal Dietary Guide app, which is available as a free download and is an electronic version of the printed book available in some bookstores and mosques.