At the recent FHA – Food & Beverage which took place in April, we spoke with Dewi Hartaty Suratty, CEO of Warees Halal. Warees Halal is the only agency authorised by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), a Singapore government agency, to provide Halal capacity building programmes and international certification based on the Singapore Muis Halal Quality Management System.
FHA partnered with Warees Halal at the recent event to bring together a series of content sessions on trends and opportunities in the Halal food industry. In this interview, Dewi shared with us her experience at FHA – Food & Beverage and her outlook on the Halal food industry.
Ms. Dewi Hartaty Suratty from Warees Halal Limited shared about key trends and opportunities in the local Halal food sector at FHA – Food and Beverage 2023.
Q: How was your experience at FHA – Food & Beverage 2023?
Overall it has been very exciting and I can feel the very positive vibes among the food industry players within the halls. I can see them coming together, networking and exchanging ideas. Personally, I am looking forward to the Alternative Protein Asia zone. As a Halal professional service provider, this is a good opportunity for me to enhance my knowledge and be updated on the trends in the alternative protein space. Within the exhibition, there will be a convergence of innovators, leaders and industry players for me to network and potentially collaborate with.
Q: What is the valuable aspect of attending the show?
It would be the opportunity for me to network with various associations and companies, not only in Singapore but from other parts of the world, in one single event. This makes the engagement more productive and definitely time and cost-saving.
Q: What are some trends in the Halal food industry?
“When we look at trends within the Halal food industry, they are very much similar to trends within the food industry itself, which is aligned to consumer preferences. What we observe are 3 key trends – a focus on health and wellness, sustainability and digital transformation.”
We are seeing a growth in the Halal food industry. Currently it is valued at USD$1.2 trillion and projected to increase to USD$1.6 trillion by 2025. When we look at trends within the Halal food industry, they are very much similar to trends within the food industry itself, which is aligned to consumer preferences. What we observe are 3 key trends – a focus on health and wellness, sustainability and digital transformation.
Firstly, with the aging population and the focus on health and wellness, we see businesses not only providing Halal products, but also healthier options low in salt, sugar and fats, and fortified with vitamins and minerals, and even those with plant-based rather than animal-derived sources. Consumers are now more concerned with the environment because of climate change so businesses are now adopting more sustainable practices through using eco-friendly packaging, reducing food wastage, replacing animal proteins with plant-based proteins. With digital transformation businesses are leveraging on technology to enhance their operations and marketing strategies to better engage customers.
Q: What is your outlook on the Halal food industry?
“As part of Singapore’s food security agenda, we’re looking to diversify sources of import from overseas as well as increasing local food production. In future, we can potentially see more diversified Halal food options that cater to various customer needs and preferences.”
By and large, the outlook for the Halal food industry would continue to focus on sustainability, health and wellness as well as digital transformation.
In addition, as part of Singapore’s food security agenda, we’re looking to diversify sources of import from overseas as well as increasing local food production. In future, we can potentially see more diversified Halal food options that cater to various customer needs and preferences. In addition, because of the growth of the Halal industry, countries are also starting to strengthen their regulations to provide greater assurance and manage the growth of the halal industry. For countries that are looking to export to particularly Muslim-majority countries, they will need to understand that they will be local laws that they need to adhere to, potentially Halal trade requirements they will need to comply with.
Looking to expand your business into the Asian market?
FHA – Food and Beverage returns next year on 23-26 April 2024 at Singapore Expo. With a line-up of leading global suppliers, industry professionals can anticipate the most extensive showcase of trending F&B and hospitality products and solutions, cutting-edge technologies for food & drinks manufacturing, and more at the mega event. Contact us to get involved.
