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Glam Halal | January-February . 2021

could make US $ 76 billion in sales to Muslim consumers by 2024 , as it ’ s set to grow by 2.9 per cent a year in a post- Covid-19 recovery .

And , with the size of the market already standing at US $ 4 billion in 2019 for Malaysia and Indonesia , South-east Asia may be poised to capture a major slice of that pie .

That ’ s according to a new report by a United States-based research and advisory firm that focuses on Islamic market and economy segments .

Three Southeast Asian countries - Malaysia , Indonesia and Singapore - were scored among the top 15 world economies for the Islamic market , in DinarStandard ’ s latest State of the Global Islamic Economy study .

Malaysia , which took pole position , led the globe in areas such as as halal food , Muslimfriendly travel and pharmaceuticals and cosmetics .

Meanwhile , fourth-ranked Indonesia ’ s score was lifted by its Islamic finance market , and Singapore , which was 15th in the world , was buoyed by its halal food market .

Halal cosmetics brands have adapted to shifting consumer trends during the demand downturn of the Covid-19 pandemic , noted the report , which was produced in partnership with news website SalaamGateway . com .

Strategies included marketing in local languages , especially in South-east Asia , and releasing special Ramadan ranges to capture the seasonal pick-up in sales . Brands also built up new product ranges tailored to pandemic lifestyles .

In Indonesia , L ’ Oreal saw growth in at-home beauty treatments and above-themask eye products , while Wardah launched a halal-certified face cream targeting blue light from scenes , and Rose All Day produced a mask-and-sanitiser kit .

Cosmetics companies can rebound from the pandemic through regional expansion , with Malaysia , Indonesia and India highlighted as growth markets , the report suggested .

“ There is growing demand for halal cosmetics in the Middle East , Indonesia , and Malaysia , and also among Muslims in Europe , although our products are for everyone ,” said founder of Germany ’ s Beautylope Pure and Vegan Halal Cosmetic , Rachid Laarar .

Still , the report warned that demand for halal cosmetics may be limited to Muslimmajority markets , even as campaigns to promote domestic production in markets such as India could also pose trade barriers .

Malaysian coffee lovers have something halal to look forward to , as Nestlé Malaysia presents its first ever 100 per cent home-grown coffee , NESCAFÉ Classic Kopi Kedah ! This first edition is made with 100 per cent locally grown coffee beans from the NESCAFÉ Grown Respectfully Programme , a sustainable coffee farming initiative launched in 2019 .

The coffee beans used in NESCAFÉ Classic Kopi Kedah are grown with respect and selected with utmost care . Roasted to perfection and ground to a fine coffee powder , this delivers the signature aroma and taste of NESCAFÉ Classic , bringing Malaysians a truly authentic local coffee experience .

Further paying homage to the 100 per cent homegrown product , the all-new NESCAFÉ Classic Kopi Kedah is packaged in a printed traditional Malaysian batik aluminum collectible tin can , bringing to life local elements .

Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé ( Malaysia ) Berhad , Juan Aranols said , “ For many years we have been supporting rural communities in Malaysia . We have been engaged in chili and rice farms across several states and now we are so proud to revitalize the coffee farming in Kedah to deliver our first NESCAFÉ Classic Kopi Kedah !

“ Kopi Kedah delivers the best taste with coffee beans grown on Malaysian soil , with all the love , care and respect for the land and the people . This is one of the many ways how we unlock the power of food to enhance the quality of life for all Malaysians .”

Business Executive Officer of Beverages Business Unit , Othman Chraibi added , “ This is indeed a great start to the NESCAFÉ Grown Respectfully Programme , which to date has seen the participation of more than 100 farmers , planting close to 70,000 plantlets . While this is indeed a significant milestone , this is only the beginning . We will continue to heighten our efforts to cultivate a sustainable coffee future and positively impact the local farming community .”

The NESCAFÉ Grown Respectfully Programme is a collaboration with Federal Land Development Authority ( FelDA ), Kedah State Department of Agriculture ( KSDA ), Kedah Economic Development Authority ( KEDA ), Pertubuhan Kami Anak FelDA ( KAF ) and the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute ( MARDI ), aimed at reviving the local coffee sector in a sustainable manner , for the famers and the planet .