Assalamu Alaikum

2011 proved that the halal industry is not in its infancy any more. We knew the industry had attained mainstream status when HSBC, a global bank corporation, had advertisements at the airports stating, “halal trade is worth 3 trillion dollars globally”. Yes, halal is a $3 trillion economy. Today, every major food manufacturer in the world produces halal products; be it for export or domestic consumption; for humanitarian rations; for the military; for school and university cafeterias and even for the airlines. The word halal was also very visible in the media, sometimes within an Islamophobic context but for the most part, it was positive reporting. The IFANCA name appeared almost every week in the print and soft media.

We saw a significant rise in conferences, expos, forums and workshops throughout the world that addressed halal stakeholders’ concerns. Controversies erupted and biases came to the surface in many countries in the name of religion or animal welfare. Nonetheless, the word “halal” spread. The year 2011 was also a year of expansion for IFANCA both in staff and number of certified companies. The growth in the depth and breadth of our work, despite the recession in many parts of the world, can only be linked to the growth in the global economy and the increased reliance of the economy on the global Halal Consumer.

These trends are projected to continue into 2012 with opportunities in every walk of life; halal foods and beverages, halal meat; halal pharmaceuticals; halal cosmetics; halal vaccines; halal nutritional supplements; halal processing aids; halal packaging materials; halal dinnerware and halal financing. The businesses, even in the worst economy will try to meet the requirements of halal life style.

For three decades, IFANCA has been the leader in halal education and technology. Over the years, we have had the opportunity to work closely with small businesses, large businesses, governmental organizations, animal rights groups and educational institutions. In 2012, we look forward to working in the global market to meet the needs of industry, retailers, consumers, government and educators. We hope to accomplish this while continuing to build IFANCA into a world class organization.

Sincerely,

Muhammad Munir Chaudry, president, IFANCA