If you have been keeping up to date with Halal Consumer Magazine, you’ll know that IFANCA celebrated its 40th anniversary in September 2023. Our celebration featured a banquet and a two-day conference, both of which were sponsored by Abbott, Amway, the Coca-Cola Company, and PepsiCo. Several companies were honored at the banquet for their achievements in halal production, and we would like to take a moment to recognize them. Please find the full list of award winners below. 

 

Company of the Year: Ecolab 

Ecolab is the global leader in water, hygiene, and energy technologies and services. For 99 years, Ecolab has been an innovator in providing solutions and services that businesses in the foodservice, food processing, hospitality, healthcare, and industrial markets choose to help keep their environments clean and safe, operate efficiently, and achieve sustainability goals.

Ecolab has served 170 countries and maintains 16 technology centers worldwide. Its team of 47,000 associates includes 1,200 research, development, and engineering scientists who help Ecolab create advanced solutions for customers worldwide. Ecolab was the first company to initiate the halal certification process for cleaning and sanitation chemicals, and it has a portfolio of 405 halal-certified products and 65 plants.  

 

Excellence in Halal Production of Dairy Products: Milk Specialties Global 

Milk Specialties Global is one of the foremost companies in the dairy space. It got its start over 70 years ago and has since become the largest producer of whey protein isolate in the world. The company’s 900+ employees have helped make Milk Specialties Global a leader in milk and whey protein ingredients, with its products sold under the consumer labels of partners around the globe. The company serves 38 countries from 11 facilities and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Milk Specialties Global is committed to sustainability, focusing on responsible sourcing, efficient transportation, and water conservation. The company was founded in part by the desire for waste reduction in cheesemaking, and whey, once considered a waste byproduct, is now one of the staples of the Milk Specialties Global portfolio. Milk Specialties Global currently has 18 plants registered with IFANCA, as well as numerous dairy ingredients and products that have received IFANCA halal certification. 

 

Excellence in Halal Production of Flavor and Fragrances Products: Symrise 

Symrise is a leader in providing fragrances, flavors, food, nutrition, and cosmetic ingredients to 150 countries around the world. Its two main segments of focus include the taste, nutrition, and health space and the scent and care space. The company, which got its start in 1874, now has over 11,000 employees who help Symrise maintain its high standards of innovation and emphasis on customers. Though its headquarters are in Holzminden, Germany, Symrise has over 100 sites in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America.

Symrise has numerous plants and products that have been certified halal by IFANCA. Over the years, Symrise took the initiative of adjusting its formulas in order to meet halal requirements, demonstrating its care for the needs of halal consumers and its clients. 

 

Excellence in Halal Production of Nutritional Products: Arbonne 

Arbonne International is focused on using high-quality ingredients to create choice nutrition and skincare products. Arbonne was founded in the 1980s by Petter Mørck and has since grown to be a multinational company with its headquarters in Irvine, California. Arbonne emphasizes four key factors in all its products: plant-based ingredients, high clean standards, co-developments with experts, and scientific testing.

As a direct-selling company, Arbonne empowers its independent consultants. The company also emphasizes transparency and sustainability in its business practices, striving to do its part to protect the planet and its inhabitants. Arbonne currently has six plants registered with IFANCA and 141 halal-certified retail supplement products. The company has shown flexibility in developing formulas that meet the needs of halal consumers around the world.  

 

Excellence in Halal Production of Retail Products: Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds 

Wonderful Pistachios & Almonds leads the world in the production of almonds and pistachios. As the world’s largest grower and producer of these nuts, Wonderful produces over 640 million pounds of almonds and pistachios from its 310,000 acres of land. Its headquarters are in Los Angeles, California, and it has three processing plant locations in Firebaugh, King Facility, and Lost Hills that measure over 4,000,000 square feet.

Wonderful not only leads the world in almonds and pistachios; it also places an enormous emphasis on sustainability. Through its focus on renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and upcycling waste, Wonderful demonstrates its care for the environment and the planet. The company’s innovative marketing process has helped Wonderful become a favorite among halal consumers, and its products adorn shelves in stores in bulk and retail categories.

We thank all our sponsors for their generous aid in making the event happen and the award winners for their excellent work over the years. Without your support, IFANCA would not be the successful halal-certifying body it is today.