ID :
80763
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 17:50
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/80763
The shortlink copeid
GERMANY’S HALAL MARKET UNLEASHES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MALAYSIAN SUPPLIERS
By Manik Mehta
FRANKFURT, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- With the growing Muslim population in
Germany, there is also a growing demand for products that are halal certified.
This propensity also spells opportunities for Malaysian suppliers of halal
products; indeed, the Malaysian halal food industry, which has done pioneering
work in this food segment, stands a good chance of not only penetrating but also
asserting itself in a niche market for which competition is not, yet, as intense
as in other segments.
Nonetheless, Malaysian suppliers, with the possible support of Malaysia
External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) which has an office in
Frankfurt, could crack open a market that can generate good business in the long
run.
The added advantage is that the size of the market is likely to increase as
more and more German consumers are exposed to halal products which were, at one
time, confined to the Muslim population in the country.
Indeed, German and European suppliers are increasingly flooding the German
market with halal products, as is evident, for example, with the proliferating
stocks of halal products that are visible in the shelves of German supermarkets.
“Only a few years back, it was very rare, if at all, to see halal products
in a German supermarket. There was some misconception about the term halal that
was nebulously associated with religious fanaticism.
"However, that misconception is gradually being replaced by a healthy sense
of appreciation as many supermarkets are trying to court Muslims with halal
products,” says Armin Bollig, a consumer behaviour researcher who lives near
Frankfurt.
With over three million Muslims – and the trend shows further growth in
demographics – German food manufacturers are discovering an attractive market by
offering products that conform to the sentiments of Germany’s fastest growing
minority.
“This little section you see in the main shopping hall of this supermarket
will convey to you the change that is taking place in the behaviour pattern of
the German consumer who is today willing to accept food practices which were
once frowned upon,” maintains Bollig as he walks through a Frankfurt supermarket
that also caters to Turks and other Muslims.
The three million Muslim consumers in Germany may still be a small market
but it portends to grow fast as more and more of the local consumers also join
this following of consumers.
German consumers are now relishing the doner rolls – the pita bread rolled
around pieces of meat and vegetables and spiced with a hot red chilly sauce or
white garlic sauce.
But many German and European suppliers are catering their halal products not
only for the consumers in Germany and other neighbouring European countries but
also for their export markets in the Muslim world.
Some of the halal-conform products being manufactured include chocolates,
soups, biscuits and what have you.
The food company Nestle, for example, has created some 75 halal certified
units within its global chain of companies. Indeed, the Swiss company earns more
profits with its halal products than with its range of organic products which
are, incidentally, enjoying popularity amongst Western consumers.
France’s retail chain Casino even introduced last year an Internet site
called Wassila exclusively dedicated to halal products. Britain’s Boots has
launched a range of so-called halal baby foods in 30 of its retail stores.
After all, some of the German halal suppliers argued, Malaysia also has
halal burgers served by McDonald’s which has with this novel approach been able
to increase its sales by 30 percent in a short span of time.
However, many German suppliers are faced with a tricky question as to how
they should conform to the rituals under which halal food products are prepared.
For Muslims, for example, animals or birds would have to be slaughtered
without the use of any anesthesia, a required that is strictly prohibited under
German law.
But German suppliers have learnt to circumvent the problem by importing
halal-conforming meat from their overseas suppliers.
There is also the added problem of certification of halal-conforming units.
There is no officially recognised body in Germany authorised to issue halal
certificate.
The result is that there is an outgrowth of uncontrolled halal units which
are certified by imams who can do so only in an unofficial capacity.
There have also been some cases of forged or falsely issued certificates in
the past.
Nevertheless, the halal trade is here to stay.
The World Halal Forum reckons that the worldwide sales of halal products in
the current year would touch some 634 billion euros, up from 580 billion euros
in 2005.
The world’s biggest food exhibition, ANUGA, which will run in Cologne from
October 10 to 14, will also focus on halal products this year, with a third of
the 6,000 exhibitors showcasing a large variety of halal foods. Malaysia is
also being represented by a contingent of food-manufacturing companies, many of
whom are supplying halal products.
-- BERNAMA
FRANKFURT, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- With the growing Muslim population in
Germany, there is also a growing demand for products that are halal certified.
This propensity also spells opportunities for Malaysian suppliers of halal
products; indeed, the Malaysian halal food industry, which has done pioneering
work in this food segment, stands a good chance of not only penetrating but also
asserting itself in a niche market for which competition is not, yet, as intense
as in other segments.
Nonetheless, Malaysian suppliers, with the possible support of Malaysia
External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) which has an office in
Frankfurt, could crack open a market that can generate good business in the long
run.
The added advantage is that the size of the market is likely to increase as
more and more German consumers are exposed to halal products which were, at one
time, confined to the Muslim population in the country.
Indeed, German and European suppliers are increasingly flooding the German
market with halal products, as is evident, for example, with the proliferating
stocks of halal products that are visible in the shelves of German supermarkets.
“Only a few years back, it was very rare, if at all, to see halal products
in a German supermarket. There was some misconception about the term halal that
was nebulously associated with religious fanaticism.
"However, that misconception is gradually being replaced by a healthy sense
of appreciation as many supermarkets are trying to court Muslims with halal
products,” says Armin Bollig, a consumer behaviour researcher who lives near
Frankfurt.
With over three million Muslims – and the trend shows further growth in
demographics – German food manufacturers are discovering an attractive market by
offering products that conform to the sentiments of Germany’s fastest growing
minority.
“This little section you see in the main shopping hall of this supermarket
will convey to you the change that is taking place in the behaviour pattern of
the German consumer who is today willing to accept food practices which were
once frowned upon,” maintains Bollig as he walks through a Frankfurt supermarket
that also caters to Turks and other Muslims.
The three million Muslim consumers in Germany may still be a small market
but it portends to grow fast as more and more of the local consumers also join
this following of consumers.
German consumers are now relishing the doner rolls – the pita bread rolled
around pieces of meat and vegetables and spiced with a hot red chilly sauce or
white garlic sauce.
But many German and European suppliers are catering their halal products not
only for the consumers in Germany and other neighbouring European countries but
also for their export markets in the Muslim world.
Some of the halal-conform products being manufactured include chocolates,
soups, biscuits and what have you.
The food company Nestle, for example, has created some 75 halal certified
units within its global chain of companies. Indeed, the Swiss company earns more
profits with its halal products than with its range of organic products which
are, incidentally, enjoying popularity amongst Western consumers.
France’s retail chain Casino even introduced last year an Internet site
called Wassila exclusively dedicated to halal products. Britain’s Boots has
launched a range of so-called halal baby foods in 30 of its retail stores.
After all, some of the German halal suppliers argued, Malaysia also has
halal burgers served by McDonald’s which has with this novel approach been able
to increase its sales by 30 percent in a short span of time.
However, many German suppliers are faced with a tricky question as to how
they should conform to the rituals under which halal food products are prepared.
For Muslims, for example, animals or birds would have to be slaughtered
without the use of any anesthesia, a required that is strictly prohibited under
German law.
But German suppliers have learnt to circumvent the problem by importing
halal-conforming meat from their overseas suppliers.
There is also the added problem of certification of halal-conforming units.
There is no officially recognised body in Germany authorised to issue halal
certificate.
The result is that there is an outgrowth of uncontrolled halal units which
are certified by imams who can do so only in an unofficial capacity.
There have also been some cases of forged or falsely issued certificates in
the past.
Nevertheless, the halal trade is here to stay.
The World Halal Forum reckons that the worldwide sales of halal products in
the current year would touch some 634 billion euros, up from 580 billion euros
in 2005.
The world’s biggest food exhibition, ANUGA, which will run in Cologne from
October 10 to 14, will also focus on halal products this year, with a third of
the 6,000 exhibitors showcasing a large variety of halal foods. Malaysia is
also being represented by a contingent of food-manufacturing companies, many of
whom are supplying halal products.
-- BERNAMA
