‘Halal exports to UK set to rise’

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s halal exports to the United Kingdom (UK) are expected to increase with the launch of Halal Street UK, which promises to bring more halal products from Malaysia to the country.

The new collaboration between Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) and Halal Street UK is the first eTRADE programme that targets the halal market in the UK.

Halal Street UK is the 20th e-marketplace under eTRADE, a programme that aims to increase small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) adoption of e-commerce by participating in leading international e-marketplaces.

Halal Street UK founder Simon Suresh said this was the first time the company opened its doors to traders outside the UK.

“Currently, we have about 30 companies with more than 300 products, with the top sellers being sweets, vitamins and hampers,” he said, adding that it was targeting 500 Malaysian companies by early next year.

Suresh said Halal Street UK would conduct training for those interested to export to the UK and was working with a local courier company that focused on smaller packages.

He said the company wanted to concentrate on halal logistics in the future.

Matrade deputy chief executive officer Sharimahton Mat Salleh said there was a rising demand for halal products from Malaysia.

“With or without Brexit, there is a market for halal products and we want to tap the market. This makes it easier for our SMEs which want to export to the UK and the European market,” she said at a press conference, here, yesterday.

Malaysia’s halal exports stood at RM40 billion last year and the ministry was confident of hitting RM45 billion this year.

Halal Street UK, established in 2014, is a Malaysian-owned halal e-marketplace in the UK.