Opportunities abound for Halal compliant organizations

Cedar Rapids, March 2010: Established in 1975, Islamic Services of America has become a world renowned Halal services organization. Over the years, there has been growing demand for Halal certified food products both domestically and internationally.

More and more, US companies are seeking to tap into the growing market for Halal products . There are 8 million American Muslims living in the USA. In the past, Muslim individuals had to monitor what they purchased for consumption from their neighborhood retailers. This included reading all ingredient labels, researching what was in prepared foods, calling food companies, bakeries, dairy companies and others to verify ingredients, and ensuring that restaurants prepared foods in a manner which was permissible.

If Muslims wanted Halal meats, some would find a farmer who would allow them to slaughter their own meat and others would purchase Kosher products, which were considered the next best thing to Halal.

Times have changed. As the population of Muslims in America grew, they began to demand Shariah compliant consumable products. In response, Islamic Services of America, began inspecting and certifying facilities, processes and ingredients of companies in the food sector and other sectors like pharmaceuticals, health and beauty. Halal certification by reputable bodies took the guessing out of complying with Islamic requirements.

For companies in the Middle East and Asia, the American Halal food market has tremendous potential. One of the challenges of this market is that it is very diverse. There are more than 50 groups and subgroups in the market. For example, products demanded by Pakistani Muslims differ greatly from those demanded by African American Muslims. Middle Eastern companies need to determine exactly who their product appeals to, and figure out how to reach them. If done properly, the potential for the US market is endless.

Similarly, there are nearly 2 billion Halal consumers worldwide. Becoming Halal compliant is essential if US companies wish to enter and prosper in emerging Muslim countries. It is very important that the certifier is known and accredited by foreign regulatory agencies. Islamic Services of America certification is recognized and accepted for all consumable products worldwide. For more information contact: islamicservices@isaHalal.orgtool prefix ending prefix