American Halal Co. Launches IFANCA Certified Saffron Road Brand, Distributed Exclusively by Whole Foods

The Saffron Road brand of Indian entrees sold at Whole Foods contain only 100% Natural Ingredients and uses pasture raised, humanely treated livestock with a guarantee of 100% vegetarian feed and no hormones. Saffron Roads’ mission is to offer All Natural halal certified foods which are also holistic, sustainably farmed, and antibiotic free. American Halal Co. markets All Natural Halal Certified food under the Saffron Road brand which was launched in Ramadan and sells its products into select natural, specialty, and gourmet retail channels in the United States.

Adnan Durrani leads the company as “Chief Halal Officer”. Mr. Durrani is a serial entrepreneur having founded Vermont Pure Spring Water and was the principal financial partner for Stonyfield Farms Inc. The rest of the Company’s management and Board represent a team of proven entrepreneurs at building premium food brands.

“We are blessed to have IFANCA on board as our halal certification agency. IFANCA’s standards, professionalism, integrity, and acceptance worldwide is unmatched. Indeed, it’s no coincidence that IFANCA is the go-to halal certifier for 2,200 consumer companies. Now our line of Saffron Road halal cuisine will be in good company with major food companies like Pepsi Co., Nestle, Kraft, etc. We feel privileged to have been awarded IFANCA’s full endorsement of our Saffron Road Indian entrees,” commented Adnan Durrani, Chief Halal Officer of American Halal.

For a complete list of halal certified Saffron Road products, go to www.ifanca.org.

 

IFANCA Client, Nestle, Is “Role Model” for Islamic Branding, Reports WARC News

As reported by WARC News, “Nestle is the leading multinational company for developing marketing strategies for Muslim consumers.” WARC is a leading supplier of information, knowledge, insight and data to the global marketing, advertising, media and research communities.

Miles Young, CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, a keynote speaker at the Oxford Global Islamic Branding and Marketing Forum at the Said Business School, Oxford University, acknowledged Nestle as  having recognized Muslim shoppers as a significant market. “Nestle is probably the role model for doing this properly. It has done it out of conviction – there’s a commitment in everything the company does. ” He added that “503 of the potential audience in the so-called “next 11″ emerging economies are Muslim.” However, he pointed out that just using religious connotations as a badge without understanding what it means to be a brand could be a recipe for failure. For instance, he said, Mecca Cola had been targeted to Muslim consumers without success. Brand owners must think “seriously about how they are perceived by Muslim customers.”

 

Olympia Food Industries Sells Halal Gyros Like Hot Cakes

Chicago is home to all five of the major gyro manufacturers in the USA, including IFANCA Halal Certified Olympia Food Industries, makers of gyros, Mediterranean pastries, pita breads and various other food items for distribution to restaurants and supermarkets. The origins of this company, however, are in the restaurant industry. Company President Andre Papantoniou and his brother had first set up a restaurant on Sheridan Road in 1971. Their business later changed into a pita company and finally came to include gyros as well. Gyros alone are responsible for half of Olympia’s revenue and are available in retail markets all over the United States.

 

IFANCA Halal-Certified Client, American Bakery, Unwrapped

For lunch on-the-run, there is nothing simpler than wrapping dinner leftovers in some fresh Lawash Flatbread. And more than just individual consumers think that is a great idea. Dearborn, Michigan based American Bakery, the makers of IFANCA halal-certified Lawash Flatbread, Pita bread and Pita chips are suppliers to schools, universities, supermarkets and restaurants. Their Lawash is available in white or whole wheat and is available in flavors ranging from spinach to tomato. Their Pita Chips, too, tease the taste buds in flavors that include BBQ, Onion, Cinnamon Sugar to Zataar. Their distributors include I&K, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Gordon Food Service, Lipari, SuperValu, Sysco and U.S. Foods. Their products can be found at Busch’s Fresh Food Markets, GFS Marketplace, Meijers, Krogers, Spartan Food Stores, TOPS Markets and more.

 

Is Your Baby the Next Gerber Baby?

IFANCA Client, Gerber Products Company, a major international stakeholder in the baby food industry, offering more than 190 products in 80 countries, is currently running its Gerber Generation Photo Search for children under 48 months. Visitors to www.gerber.com/photo can upload pictures of their babies and toddlers and once approved, the picture is posted to the Gerber Generation Gallery. Here, pictures with the most votes proceed to the next stage.

Gerber baby food products that are IFANCA halal certified include Good Start 2 Supreme Soy DHA & ARA and Good Start Supreme DHA & AEA.

According to the company, “DHA & ARA are fatty acids, or lipids, found naturally in breast-milk. They’re important components of Baby’s healthy brain and eye tissues. During the third trimester of pregnancy, Mom passes DHA & ARA to Baby. After Baby is born, Mom can provide DHA & ARA to Baby by breastfeeding or giving her formula with added DHA & ARA” Gerber products are labeled in 16 languages.

 

English Biscuit Manufacturers Mixes Treats with Social Responsibility

IFANCA halal-certified English Biscuit Manufacturers (Private) Limited, based in Pakistan, is a producer of high quality biscuits. Besides its domestic market, English Biscuit Manufacturers exports its products in special sea worthy packing to USA, Canada, UK, Middle East and African countries.

EBM, strongly vested in being socially responsible, also supports education, especially for females and adults and has sponsored several programs such as the Garage School, Clifton Karachi, the CHAEF (Children Health and Education Foundation) School and the Shaheen KG School in Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore. Further, the company has initiated an in-house literacy program for its employees by the name of Ujala. Regular donations and fundraising activities have also become part of day-to-day business at EBM. English Biscuit Manufacturers is an ISO 9001:2000 & ISO 14001:2004, IIP (Investor in People) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) Certified Company.

For a list of IFANCA halal certified products for all these companies, visit www.ifanca.org

 

Kontos – IFANCA Halal-Certified for Your Kitchen, Restaurant or Pastry Corner

Whether you’re preparing dinner for your family, lunch for a hundred restaurant patrons, or those special desserts for the pastry counter, Kontos (www.kontos.com) has the finest products for your culinary needs. From flatbread, gyro and meat products and fillo dough to Mediterranean delights, Kontos has something for you, all conveniently available at your closest grocery store. Look no further, for your next party!

 

Bruschetta & Toasted Flatbread

Bruschetta Ingredients:

  • red and yellow grape tomatoes, diced
  • onion, finely diced
  • fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • garlic, finely chopped
  • vegetable oil
  • black pepper (optional)
  • balsamic glaze* (optional)

 

Flatbread Ingredients:

Kontos Flatbread

  • Butter, softened or olive oil
  • Fresh herbs , finely chopped (basil, parsley, oregano, or rosemary)

 

Bruschetta Directions: Combine tomato, onion, garlic, and basil with a little oil. If preparing in advance, refrigerate in covered container until ready to serve. Serve with prepared crispy flatbread wedges (see below).

Toasted Flatbread Wedges Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush Kontos Flatbread with butter or oil. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with herbs. Heat in oven for about 2 minutes (or longer if you prefer them crispier). Cut into 1 to 1 ½ inch strips or wedges and place in serving basket. To add a spicy zip, sprinkle flatbread with red pepper flakes, white or black sesame seeds, and/or cracked black pepper.

*Balsamic Glaze: 1 cup Balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup water, ¼ cup brown sugar. Combine and reduce by 50% over medium heat while stirring constantly.

 

Quick & Easy Pizza

Ingredients:

  • Kontos Pizza Parlor Crust
  • pizza sauce (or spaghetti sauce with dried oregano added)
  • mozzarella and cheddar cheese, shredded
  • suggested additional toppings: Fresh basil, artichoke hearts, pepperoni, crumbled sausage, and/or sliced mushrooms, peppers, onions, and olives

Directions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread sauce over Kontos Flatbread almost to edge. Sprinkle cheese over sauce and add your favorite toppings. Bake on a baking sheet until cheese melts (about 4 minutes). For a crisper pizza crust, place directly on oven rack. Slice into wedges and serve.