Assalamu alaikum

Consumers are the ones who drive the change towards halal ingredients in the food industry, and the best consumer is an educated one. Hence, our decision to publish some of the presentations made at the 9th International Halal Food Conference and Banquet, organized by IFANCA, in this issue of Halal Consumer. The conference covered an array of topics including the latest goings-on in this arena and all aspects of trade, marketing, and certification. Industry and religious professionals were on hand to answer questions and discuss the needs of the halal consumer.

IFANCA is not a political organization and yet visas for our attendees and speakers from overseas were incredibly hard to get. Despite those circumstances, our banquet a day before the conference was extremely successful because it brought members of the industry and the Muslim community together. When the community and the food industry get to know each other, then will there be mutual understanding to enhance and promote halal products.

In its 25th year of existence, IFANCA has become a source of information for the consumer and the food industry, and also for the media, government agencies and schools. Most of its work, over the past 15 years, has been for the overseas markets. In the last five years, we have seen companies – Olympia Foods, Al Safa Halal, China Mist, to name a few – paying attention to the needs of U.S. halal consumers. We anticipate that this trend will continue and the consumer will see an increasing number of products in the local market with halal certification markings, God willing.

Sincerely,

Dr. Muhammad Munir Chaudry
President, IFANCA