[Seizing Business Opportunities in the International Market] Enterprises Are Encouraged to Explore the Halal Market to Promote the Diversified Development of Macao Products

MACAU, June 21 - “Halal Certificate Presentation Ceremony and Introduction to the Halal Certification Application Process” was held today (20 June), attracting over 180 representatives from local enterprises to attend. The event was organised by the Industrial Association of Macau, and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) was one of the co-organisers. Building upon the previous collaboration between IPIM and the Industrial Association of Macau, which facilitated the participation of Macau enterprises in large-scale food expos in Singapore in July last year and Thailand in May this year, this event has been organized with the objective of engaging enterprises in activities that focus on expanding into markets in Southeast Asia and other relevant markets, aiming at assisting local enterprises in seizing international opportunities.

At the event, Secretary for Economy and Finance Lei Wai Nong stated that Macao welcomed over 14 million visitor arrivals in the first five months of this year, representing a year-on-year increase of around 50%. The number of international visitors to Macao increased 1.75 times year-on-year, including markets such as Indonesia and Malaysia, which have a considerable Muslim population. On the other hand, the State Council has previously approved the expansion of the "Individual Visit Scheme" to include ten additional cities, such as Yinchuan, Xining, and Lanzhou, allowing more diverse customer groups to visit Macao. This will also increase the demand for services catering to the needs of these visitors, including halal-certified food and dining options.

He also expressed the hope that through this event, the Macao business community can better and more specifically cater to the needs of the relevant market. By adopting scientific and systematic management standards, continuously improving service quality, and meeting the needs of the relevant visitor and customer groups, they can more precisely seize opportunities and achieve success in different markets.

President of the Industrial Association of Macau Chui Yuk Lum, and Chairman of the Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong Saeed Uddin also delivered speeches at the event.

Macao Enterprises Are Encouraged to Apply for Halal Certification to Explore the Huge Halal Market

At the event, 17 Macao enterprises and restaurants were awarded Halal certificates. In addition, the halal certification agency introduced the application process; a certified local enterprise shared experiences, and some halal-certified products were also exhibited on-site. The event aims to assist local enterprises in understanding the potential and the opportunities in the halal market and strengthening their confidence in exploring the Halal market. This assistance will also contribute to creating a halal-friendly consumption environment in Macao, catering to the needs of international tourists.

One of the certified enterprises states that obtaining halal certification brings benefits to their products. For instance, there was a significant increase in customer inquiries about their Halal-certified products at the recent food expo in Thailand, and many businesspeople from Southeast Asia and the Middle East took the initiative to exchange contacts with them. It is believed that the halal certification is very helpful for their products to enter these markets.

IPIM’s Assists local Enterprises in Exploring Diverse Market Opportunities through Exhibitions

In order to assist local enterprises in exploring diverse markets, IPIM has actively organised Macao enterprise delegations to participate in international exhibitions. In 2023, IPIM organised 17 Macao enterprises to participate in the “Singapore Food Expo 2023”; In addition, a “Macao Pavilion” was set up at the “THAIFEX-Anuga Asia 2024”, and a delegation of 17 Macao enterprises was organised to promote “Made in Macao” and “Macao Brand” products at the “THAIFEX-Anuga Asia”. Among them, seven enterprises that had obtained Halal certification. According to some enterprises, participating in the expos is conducive to their exploration of these markets and they hope to participate in more similar events organised by IPIM to seize more business opportunities. In the future, IPIM will continue to organise economic and trade promotion events based on the needs of enterprises and the market trends, to encourage local enterprises to further expand the international market.