THE CURRENT GLOBAL HALAL MARKET VALUE FOR TRADE IN FOOD PRODUCTS IS ESTIMATED AT US$547 BILLION A YEAR AND EXPECTED TO REACH $1.6 TRILLION BY 2018.
Over the past two decades, HALAL food has been transformed from an exclusive niche market for MUSLIM consumers into a dynamic global market phenomenon that shows every indication of playing a significant role in global trade in the coming years.
Given the continued expansion of the HALAL market, both in size and complexity, and with the crossover potential into the mainstream and other eco-ethical markets, there is a significant window of opportunity.
MFA’s vision is to make a valuable contribution to the growth of the regional economies by supporting and developing expertise within the Halal market and using this to nurture SMEs and entrepreneurial startups, and even assisting major corporations looking for a pivot into the Halal sector.
The UAE is leading the world in the standardization of Halal accreditation and certification, creating one standard, one process and one mark for Halal products globally. Dubai has positioned itself as a primary global trading hub for the international Halal food industry – a strategic enabler in the emirate’s long-term vision to become the global Islamic Economy capital.
MFA is proactively working with multiple International Halal accreditation bodies to create a Global platform to promote Halal brands.
“GCC Halal food imports are set to increase to USD 53.1 billion by 2020, and the UAE’s annual Halal food imports is expected to reach USD 8.4 billion by the end of the decade and most importantly, the UAE is leading the world in standardization.”
Despite attempts by international Islamic bodies, such as the World Halal Food Council, to achieve worldwide guidelines, no global standards for Halal certificates exist.
The UAE is pioneering one Halal mark and establishing a universal system of accreditation and certification.
The current global Halal market value for trade in food products is estimated at US$547 billion a year and expected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2018, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.9%.
Although the Halal market is primarily produced for Muslim consumption, quality Halal products are consumed by all sectors of society due to the strict guidelines and requirements that follow each procedure in the manufacturing process.
80% of all Halal producers are non-Muslim but value the quality of the end product.
Also, it is not only Muslim countries that are mainly responsible for Halal accredited food production:
- The Brazilian food market has been producing Halal accredited products for many years and has been proven to be a very successful player within the global market due to their proven track record of producing quality goods.
- It is however still predominantly Muslim countries that are responsible for the most consumption as the top countries in 2012 with the largest Halal food consumption included Indonesia (USD 197 billion), Turkey (USD 100 billion), Pakistan (USD 93 billion) and Egypt (USD 88 billion).
What is HALAL?
- Halal food has been around for more than 1,400 years, but only in recent decades have Halal products gained global prominence.
- The global Muslim population exceeds 1.6 billion, is growing at twice the rate of the non-Muslim world and is expected to reach 2.2 billion by 2030. It is therefore not surprising that the market for Halal products and services is attracting more attention.
- As a defining market parameter, Halal is evolving and expanding. Traditionally, Halal was seen to refer only to meat and poultry, specifically with reference to the method of slaughter. More recently, this has grown to include non-meat foods such as dairy, baked goods, snacks, confectionery, ready-made meals and other processed food and beverage products.
- And as Halal is a ‘farm-to- fork’ process with Halal compliance needed all the way through the supply chain, aspects such as warehousing, transportation and logistics all play a role in maintaining and demonstrating Halal integrity.