Ming Pao News When talking about halal food, Middle Eastern dishes inevitably come to mind. However, it turns out that Korean, Japanese, and Chinese dishes can all be halal, as long as they comply with the requirements of Islamic teachings. As a third-generation Hong Kong Muslim, Sharifa discovered in her early years that there were few local halal food options and that non-Muslims did not know much about halal food, so she determined to promote local businesses to invest in the halal industry chain. In addition to food options, she found that the way Hong Kong entertains Muslim tourists is insufficient and needs to be improved to create a Halal-friendly atmosphere.
Help local businesses obtain halal certification
More than ten years ago, Sharifa served as a volunteer at the Hong Kong Islamic Youth Association, attending lectures and sharing talks about religion and Muslim food culture. Some people may ask if a foreign domestic helper at home should not eat during Ramadan. “After listening, (I realized) no one talks about this.” Sharifa then remembered her own experience: “Why can’t I buy some of the (food) I eat in convenience stores? Why can’t chicken legs be halal?” “I I think there is (halal) Hainanese chicken rice when I go down the street, why not?
With questions in mind, she and her partners visited the UK, South Korea and Japan. It turned out that there were already complete supporting facilities there. In 2012, she discovered that several cities in Japan had launched maps for Muslim travel, including information on halal restaurants, prayer spaces, travel, and even halal souvenir shops. In terms of food exports, the Japanese soy sauce factory with the longest history in the world has also applied for halal certification for its products. “Hong Kong only has Yingduo Ramen in Indonesian stores, or many Pakistani stores and Chungking Mansions. Can you explain some unique products?”
Hong Kong’s halal certification has not received international recognition
Sharifa first set up a company to import halal products from other places, and later focused on targeting non-Muslim local businesses to help them join the halal industry chain. So far, some large food companies in Hong Kong have obtained halal certification, but Sharifa bluntly said that local certification agencies have not yet been internationally recognized, and it will still be difficult to export to overseas markets. Therefore, her company provides related consulting services, including applying for halal certification required for sales locations.
Halal Hong Kong style dim sum only available in one store in Hong Kong
