Tesco adds seven ranges to ethnic line-up

Tesco has dramatically beefed up its ethnic food offering with the launch of seven new ranges.
The supermarket giant is adding specialist Turkish, Sri Lankan, Latin, Filipino, African, South African and Greek-Cypriot ranges to a roster that already includes Asian, Oriental, Afro-Caribbean, Kosher, Polish, and Halal foods.
The new ranges will debut at the Tesco Extra stores in Wembley and Slough before being extended across the UK.
Tesco said it had doubled the number of ethic foods in the past year to 1,600 lines, while volumes had grown by more than a third (35%) over the period.
“Britain is one of the most ethnically diverse nations on earth and there is a very strong, growing demand from people who have settled here to buy food from their homelands,” said Tesco ethnic food buyer Muhammad Rahman.
“In just four years our Polish range has developed from just 20 products in 2006 to 260 and from being sold initially in 100 stores to nearly 600 now.”
He added: “There is also a natural curiosity from shoppers to try other cuisines – especially with interesting-looking sauces, condiments, vegetables, tinned products and sweets

MoU signed Between Halal Research Council and Malaysia

The ceremony held during International Conference on Halal Industry at Expo Centre Lahore and Zubair Mughal, CEO, Halal Research Council Pakistan and Haji Abdul Malik Kassim, State Minister for Religious Affairs & Domestic Trade Penang- Malaysia

Lahore (Press Release) “International Conference on Halal Industry” was organized today at Expo Centre, Lahore – Pakistan. The conference was inaugurated by Haji Abdul Malik Kassim, State Minister for Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade & Consumer Affair Penang Govt.- Malaysia in which speakers and researchers from America, Australia, U.A.E., Romania, U.K. and South Africa participated to deliver their valuable knowledge& Research about Halal Industry. The point of interest was the MoU signing ceremony between Halal research Council and Malaysia for the promotion of Halal industry, the establishment of Halal Industrial Park, the easy availability of Pakistani Halal products in Malaysian market and the exhibition of Pakistani Halal certified products in Malaysian market.

Addressing to the audience, Haji Abdul Malik Kassim, Religious Affairs, Domestic Trade & Consumer Affair Penang Govt.- Malaysia said that the MoU signing is a very significant occasion. He further added that Halal food market is very rapidly increasing market and Malaysia is playing a momentous role in this regard. During the occasion, Muhammad Zubair Mughal, Chief executive Office, Halal Research Council, Pakistan said that the MoU will prove to be a bridge between Pakistan and Malaysian market through which we will be able to brand our products on International platforms. He said that the main purpose of this conference is to introduce Pakistan among international market so that it could play its technical & Shariah role in this highly distinguished market of more that one trillion dollars worth.

Many national and international speakers delivered their valuable research works and speeches on this international conference in which Haji Bill Yahya Ibrahim Aossey, Founder and Senior Director, Regional Representative Islamic services Of America America, Engr. Shaukat Hussain, Director General, Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC), Islamabad, Pakistan. Mr. Alaa Kamal, Regional Representative, Of Islamic Service of America Dubai, Dr Muhammad M Khan, Food Technologist, (Canada), Executive Director, Halal Australia Halal Consultant Australia, Mr.Dorin Ecea, Development of the Halal Industrial Park, Halal Assets Council in Romania, Romania, Haji Abdul Malik Kassim, Minster of Religious Affairs, Penang- Malaysia, Mr.Hamid Ahmad, Halal Slaughter and Animal Welfare, Ex-Principal Scientific Officer, Biotech. and Food Research Centre, Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (PCSIR), Lahore, Dr.Hamid Talil, Chief Executive officer, Lahore Meat Company, Lahore, Dr.Shazad Afzal, Director, Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of Pakistan, Lahore, Dr. Zubair Usmani, Shariah Advisor, MCB Limited. Pakistan, Capt. M. Jamil Akhtar Khan, Managing Director, Universal Insurance Company, Mr.Raheel Iqbal, Chief Executive Officer, Halal Industry Research Centre, Karachi-Pakistan. Prof. Dr. Faqir M. Anjum, Director General, National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad- Pakistan, Prof. Dr. Javaid A Awan, Country Director, Islamic Food & Nutrition Council of America, Dr .Shahid Raza, Chairman, Bio world Forum. Pakistan, Mr. Mashood Ahmed Siddiqui, Manager products, Vectra foods, Karachi-Pakistan, Dr. Muhammad Jamil Khattak, Chairman Department of Microbiology & Biotechnology Kohat University, Pakistan and other speakers participated their thoughts on Halal Industry, Halal Food, Halal Tourism, Halal Slaughtering and Halal Banking etc. It is to note that Halal Research Council is an organization working nationally and internationally on Halal certification and accreditation, research and education.