Al Islami Foods – Taking “Halal”to New Heights

Al Islami Foods – Taking “Halal”to New Heights  By Staff writer, Zainab Mansoor  Posted, June 7, 2010
Conferred the “Best Halal Food” accolade at the 2010 inaugural Gulfood Awards and voted by The Superbrands Council of UAE (United Arab Emirates) as a 2010 "Super brand," Al Islami Foods has already become the first truly regional Halal Brand. A UAE based private company, Al Islami has also been recognized as one of the Top 40 Arab Brands by Forbes magazine. These accolades come as no surprise for Middle East’s top food producer. Since its establishment in 1981, Al Islami Foods has been raising the profile and standard of 'halal' food offerings and is building a reputation of being an industry visionary, and achieving it with integrity and commitment. The business portfolio of this conglomerate entails Al Islami Foods International, Al Islami Foods UAE, Al Farooj Fresh (a fast-casual chain of restaurants,) Al Islami Cart (a food kiosk and for franchising,) Al Islami Meat Shops (fresh chicken, mutton, lamb and beef) as well as offerings in the dry food category (tuna, beans, honey and dates).   The key to success at Al Islami has been focus and investment on pivotal areas: strong branding and Innovation, quality assurance and management, world class supply chain and resources, consumer insights and transparent communications/ operations. “HALAL”: A Philosophy Adherence to stringent Shariah laws has been the norm at Al Islami Foods since its inception. The abattoirs (slaughterhouses) are closely monitored and manned by authorities and Al Islami product managers.  The entire process is completed with special focus on the quality and sanctity of the products but Al Islami has managed to carve out a whole new meaning for the halal concept. Al-Islami's slaughtering process and quality adherence is a key part of its Philosphy At the same time, Al-Islami is not limiting "Halal" to mean just Shariah compliant slaughtering methods; rather recognizing its broader meaning by also considering the welfare and benefit of all stakeholders involved--be it customers, employees, suppliers or the management at Al Islami itself. “Halal is a philosophy for us. We maintain absolute transparency with all stakeholders involved. If we miscommunicate with our stakeholders or prioritize our profits over the health and welfare of our consumers, we cannot be classified as a halal enterprise,” asserted Mr. Saleh Abdullah Lootah, Managing Director at Al Islami Foods. “To become a halal manufacturer, it is imperative that companies treat this concept as a mandate, not a business. Taking the right decision at the right time is a true virtue of an Islamic company: to choose and prioritize morals over profits." Mr. Saleh Abdullah Lootah, Managing Director Al Islami is not just a food manufacturer; it is a role model for Islamic businesses around the world. To be classified as a halal establishment, it is essential to have the credentials and reputation for the same.  “To become a halal manufacturer, it is imperative that companies treat this concept as a mandate, not a business. Taking the right decision at the right time is a true virtue of an Islamic company: to choose and prioritize morals over profits,” said Mr.Lootah. Research & Innovation – Key to Growth  Innovation and the aspiration to provide quality products has been the driving force behind Al Islami’s success. Comprehensive research and development facilities are available with operating laboratories in Dubai. Research facilities of associate partners in Brazil, India and Australia are also availed from time to time, for meat processing and innovation in ingredients, seasoning and new products. The methodologies for research have been designed to focus on nutrition and health, vitality, food sciences, hygiene, microbiology and food safety. Right: Al-Islami's Cart franchise model Image Source: Al-Islami Presentation A Step Ahead in Corporate Social Responsibility Al Islami Foods runs an immaculate reputation in terms of fulfilling its social responsibility and is renowned for initiating and supporting causes which reflect well on the society and the underprivileged. - Al Islami Academy is a social initiative aimed at raising adequate awareness about food safety and halal products. The Al Islami team plans to disseminate information in terms of educating end-users on the benefits of halal products not just related to religious affinities but also on the basis of health and value additives. - Supporting the cause of Inspirational women in the community, Al Islami Foods has sponsored Elham al Qasimi, the first female UAE National ever to undertake a solo voyage to the North Pole. She has dared to challenge conventional mindsets and lays an inspirational example for women. - To support the war ravaged Palestinian nation and to pledge support for their children, Al Islami Foods donated 10% of its sales profits during January/February 2009 to the Gaza children. This was part of the week long initiative “For Our Children in Gaza”, undertaken by the company in collaboration with the UAE Crescent Authority. This initiative was to convince the UAE business community to pledge their support towards the larger cause of humanity. - Following the inauguration of Al Farooj Fresh as a solid and viable franchise model in 2009, Al Islami Foods signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Young Business Leaders to offer Al Farooj for franchising to the regional investors and entrepreneurs interested in the restaurant business. - With growing concerns of juvenile obesity and diabetes, Al Islami Foods launched the “100 Schools Health Awareness Drive” across the UAE in 2009 to combat this malaise. With UAE amongst the high risk countries in terms of obesity, Al Islami organized educational sessions for 100 schools across the UAE where students were invited to visit the manufacturing facility and understand - in detail - the concept of hygiene, quality and real halal. - Al Islami Foods recently announced plans of making regular meat donations to the Abu Dhabi Wildlife Centre (ADWC), a non-profit organization striving to offer a special environment for the protection, rehabilitation and breeding of endangered animals. This centre - in collaboration with other wildlife organizations – is assisting in various breeding programs. Special Focus on Consumer Education and Awareness Al Islami Foods has always prioritized its consumers and has connected directly with them in terms of awareness and educational campaigns. Taking the halal concept a step further, Al Islami has not only spread halal value additives to the Muslim community but has roped in the huge non-Muslim market too. Halal products have a longer shelf life, higher nutritional value and contribute significantly to the vitality and health of the consumers. Therefore, the concept is no longer linked to religious affinities & has been proved beneficial for all, irrespective of their cultural or religious ethnicities. “Our biggest challenge remains educating consumers to make the right decisions in terms halal food choices. It is imperative that adults choose quality products for their children and families, even if they are slightly expensive than others, as they entail better quality and high nutrition,” said Mr. Lootah. Al Islami Foods: Going Ahead With the global halal food industry estimated to be around $640 billion in 2010 (according to Business Monitor International) and a growing Muslim population of 1.8 billion, there is immense room for expansion in the current and prospective markets; Al Islami plans to leverage on both the growth factors. It plans to target a huge non-Muslim segment in the local markets to disseminate information regarding the benefits of halal versus non halal food. Additionally, it plans to expand to newer markets like Belgium, Sweden, Germany and the United Kingdom with specific product offerings which match the growing trends of those markets.