Fara Ahmadnawi Nestle Malaysia committed to providing Halal products

Mohd Fauzai Mohd Ezah, Othman Yusoff, Mohammad Zahidi bin Abdul Rahman and Alfyan Adnan of Nestle Malaysia. - FARAH AHMADNAWI

Nestle Malaysia is fully committed to providing quality Halal food products for the Muslim population.

In an interview, the Chairman of Nestle Halal committee, Othman Md Yusoff, explained the rules and procedures Nestle has to go through to ensure its food products are Halal certified.

Globally, Nestle company has 400 factories of which 75 factories and 100 Halal production lines are certified Halal. To date, Nestle Malaysia is the biggest Halal food producer in the world.

Nestle Malaysia has also been recognised as the Centre of Halal Excellence for its expertise and proactive efforts in the promotion of Halal products worldwide. Until today, Nestle Malaysia only produces 100 per cent halal food.

In 1996, Nestle Malaysia was the first group to voluntarily request the Halal certification for all of its food products. However, this does not mean that the food products were not halal prior to that.

Othman said, "During the early days, we pulled ourselves together where all the Muslim senior executives would gather and look after the halal affairs of the Nestle company. In 1980, we (had) already formed our own halal committee just merely to take care of the integrity of halal quality in our products. In 1992, they formed into a more structured group.

"We started (to use) Halal knowledge way back in the 1970s. As early as 1997, Nestle had already established internal guidelines on how to manufacture Halal products.

"Today the committee's 16 senior Muslim executives are from various divisions of the company and from each Nestle factory. And each factory has its own operational committee. So currently we have over 70 people looking after the halal affairs of our products."

Nestle is committed to ensuring that the products it distributes in Brunei and Malaysia are certified Halal by recognised Islamic authorities, Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) which includes the Halal logo on the packaging.

Its products and premises are thoroughly and regularly inspected under strict hygienic conditions in line with the Islamic faith.

Othman said, "If you make halal certification on products, a thorough check will be made on the products. You must fulfill the Syariah requirements. If the manufacturing premises is not hygienic, in terms of safety, you will not be certified."

Nestle Malaysia uses halal ingredients imported from all over the country which are certified by the Islamic Food & Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). It follows the guidelines for intermarket supply of halal food detailing established in 1997, which includes export of halal products.

He also stated that even non-Muslims are attracted to the efficient manufacturing process of Nestle halal products. Now Nestle products are available on shop shelves in many countries.

"I come across people that are not Muslim who look for products with the halal logo."

Nestle Malaysia which is participating in the International Halal Expo currently held at the International C recently introduced two new products - Nestle Tongkat Ali and Nestle Kacip Fatimah.

"Nestle is all about innovation and renovation. At Nestle, we offer a wide range of products that are sensitive to what customers want," Othman said.