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Halal World Expo to showcase a growing industry’s potential

ABU DHABI — The growing Halal industry, worth an estimated $2.1 trillion, brings renewed focus on the UAE as a financial and trade hub, said IIR Middle East, organisers of the forthcoming Halal World Expo, to be organised at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from December 9 to 11.

The annual growth of Halal food market stands at $500 billion.

The UAE imports 80 per cent of the Halal food it consumes from Brazil and Australia, the latter exporting 43,071 tonnes of mutton, 17,685 tonnes of lamb and 3,312 tonnes of beef to the Middle East in 2006.

“Importing, production and exporting of Halal products are a growing industry, especially for companies working in or with the UAE,” said Christine Weaver, exhibitions manager for Halal World Expo.

“Businesses now have the opportunity to take part in the most comprehensive event in the Middle East, focusing on the increasingly global Halal industry.

The event offers regional and international exhibitors a gateway to the Middle East and international markets, and therefore, a cost-effective platform for exhibitors to market their products and services to an ever-increasing demand in a worldwide industry,” she added.

Tawfik Mathlouthi, the creator of Mecca Cola, a Halal energy drink, claims to have created the first truly Halal energy drink because unlike other energy drinks, the ingredient taurine in Mecca Cola comes from a source that is Halal.

“Saudi Arabia has already ordered 5 million 1.5-litre bottles of Mecca Cola,” said Mathlouthi, a Franco-Tunisian radio journalist.

Mecca Middle East Co. will be taking part in the Halal World Expo.