Obtaining halal certification generally brings the following benefits. First, for the general Islamic consumer, it means that a particular product is recognized in Islamic doctrine, which gives a sense of security and at the same time increases the range of consumption choices. Also, for companies or their business partners that handle halal products, halal certification not only has the advantage of gaining access to the Islamic market but also appeals to the company’s high transparency and safety standards. It also leads to things.
There are several halal certification bodies in Japan, and it is necessary to properly select the one that meets the specific needs of the company. MPJA Halal certification has great benefits for companies with the following needs and concerns and is reflected in past achievements.
① “We are looking for a certification body that can responsibly guarantee halal through high and strict standards in auditing ability and inspection.”
② “We have already exported our products to Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand, but we have been requested or instructed by our business partner or government to obtain halal certification.”
③ “We have created an export scheme to export to Malaysia, Indonesia, or Thailand, but halal certification was required in the process.”
④ “We want to reduce renewal costs and consulting costs, we are worried about long-term costs, and for this reason, we are thinking of switching to certification from another halal certification body.”
⑤ “When a business partner asks about the halal nature of a product, submitting a halal certificate eliminates the need to submit information related to corporate secrets such as process charts, so we would like to obtain halal certification.”
Each point can be explained as follows. ①, ②, and ③ can be said to be unique strengths gained by MPJA having a mutual certification relationship with the Malaysian Islamic Development Agency (JAKIM) or the Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) (the system of “International Mutual Halal Certification”, see here). Regarding ④, as shown in ①, we pursue strict standards in the initial audit, so renewal to a company that has once obtained certification does not require a large cost. Regarding ⑤, it is a pattern often seen in companies that provide raw materials to exporting business partners.
On the other hand, there are companies that do not have to obtain halal certification. For example, when halal certification is not particularly required by regulations at the export destination, or when there is no demand for halal certification from the general public. This pattern is seen in countries where the Islamic population is a minority. In this case, instead of immediately performing high-cost halal certification, it is advisable to conduct test marketing locally before considering it.
In addition, products made of raw materials registered in the “Positive List” of certification bodies such as MUI are automatically composed of halal components, so it is not necessary to obtain halal certification. However, there is a benefit of carrying out halal certification from a marketing perspective, such as increasing market value by acquiring halal certification.
Another issue is whether it is possible to automatically sell the products in the Muslim market by obtaining halal certification. Halal is just one of many conditions in the choices of Muslim consumers. We recommend that you obtain halal certification after going through processes of analyzing the needs, sales/sales strategy, marketing, etc. just like for ordinary non-halal products.
