Demand: With a high proportion of Muslims in the MENA region, the demand for halal product grows on a daily basis.

Photo: Hotelier Middle East

HORECA Trade noted that between 2009 and 2010 in Africa alone, the demand for halal food product increased by 3.5%.

Aramtec’s food service manager, Hossam Shabayk estimates the Middle East’s halal market value at present to be somewhere in the region of US $45-50bn, and it is expected to continue growing rapidly as the population grows.

Yas Island Rotana and Centro Yas Island in Abu Dhabi’s executive chef Raghu Pillai, agrees: “With the ever growing demand of food stuff in Middle East, fuelled by the economic boom, tourism and other developments, the market for halal produce will be growing more rapidly in order to meet current demand.

The whole region is slowly turning to a hub for halal produce; and re-exports are also gaining momentum which will fuel accelerated growth for this segment in the region.”

*This pictorial report was published on HotelierMiddleEast.com. Read more here.