Bandar Seri Begawan - Ten local companies are set to promote their products at the Singapore International Halal Showcase (SIHAS) next week in their effort to attract suppliers to distribute their goods throughout the lucrative halal food market.

Dayang Mariani bte Sabtu, the Acting Head of Industry and Trade Promotion of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources (MIPR) said the 10 companies will showcase their products at the MIPR pavilion.

"This is the first time Singapore is organising a halal exposition in the republic. However we have participated in other trade expos held in the country in the past," she said.

The event will be held at the Singapore Expo from Jan 24-27. Some MIPR officers will be in the republic within the next few days to arrange the arrival of MIPR officers and trade participants.

Hosted by the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry and organised by Adex Communications Pte Ltd; the event is set to be participated by over 100 firms from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The showcase, themed "Halal Asia Markets - The Untapped Opportunities", will feature side activities too, such as a business seminar and a halal cuisine competition.

Singapore is holding the event in response to the need to service the emerging halal markets in Asean, China, India and the Middle East, that offer a staggering multi-billion halal industry to be tapped.

SIHAS is expected to attract about 30,000 trade visitors, including representatives of Asia's trade association, chambers of commerce, government agencies and halal-related organisations.

A two-day halal seminar, themed "The 2V Century International Market: Asia's Untapped Opportunities" will be held on the sidelines of the event. The seminar reflects the fast growing halal industry in the region currently gaining momentum in the global market.

It will also highlight channels to reap the vast potential of halal business opportunities in the Asian market.

The event will see a convergence of halal food industry experts, Asian trade spokesmen and halal service professionals who will speak on the rationale of focusing on the halal market.

The Halal Asia Business Networking, meanwhile, offers entrepreneurs and service providers a platform to meet and discuss seminar topics, personal experiences and business opportunities with international trade visitors, sponsoring companies and halal professionals.

Well-known chefs from many parts of the world will find creative ways to serve consumers by demonstrating halal integrity in the process of developing new products at another side-event entitled "Halal Cuisine Competition".

Participating teams will be asked questions to assess their halal competency during the competition. There will also be special events for halal companies to demonstrate and display to visitors their products on stage.

To provide diversity, four categories are available for the companies to choose from: men's event, women's event, children's event, and money mind (featuring Islamic financial solutions and business opportunities). -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Thursday, January 17th, 2008.