Incorporating the theme “ Strengthening the Core of the Halal Industry Post-Pandemic ”, the Halal Theatre is a continuance of Halal Perspectives , a one-day webinar themed “ Opportunities in Times of Uncertainty ” held in November 2020 , jointly organised with Informa Markets .

It will showcase seminar sessions , cooking demonstrations and panel discussions that bring insights into the latest developments , opportunities and best practices in the halal industry .

“ One of the biggest sectors of the global halal economy is food ,” said Dewi Hartaty Suratty , Chief Executive Officer , Warees Halal Limited .

“ In Singapore , there are about 5,000 food establishments and 50,000 products certified halal by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore ( Muis ). Halal certification has increased trade and business opportunities .

“ It has also created more spaces for social mixing through more halal dining options , which has contributed significantly to strengthening Singapore ’ s social cohesion within its multi-racial and multi-religious society .”

Dewi Hartaty Suratty ( left ) ( CEO of Warees Halal ) and Dr Goh Lay Beng , ( Director , School of Applied Science , Temasek-Polytechnic ) signing the agreement

Strengthening the Core of the Halal Industry Post-Pandemic

As the world economy recovers from the Covid-19 crisis , the food and halal value chains are seeing immense changes in their operations . Globally , consumers are predominantly fed through international trade , and countries rely heavily on food imports . International food security depends on functional global supply chains , characterised by a smooth flow of goods from producers to consumers .

The Covid-19 pandemic also saw the closure of travel borders and lockdowns on a massive scale , and logistics in food value chains such as transportation , warehousing , procurement , packaging , and inventory management were disrupted . These impacted the safety , quantity , quality and

affordability of food .

Despite many challenges , there are notable developments in the food industry that came out of the pandemic . It includes the acceleration of digitalisation and a national focus on food security .

Businesses are embarking on digital platforms for the sale and delivery of food . Virtual technologies are used by government and non-government agencies to maintain service delivery . And product innovations such as alternative proteins , lab-cultured meat and urban farming have emerged to address food security concerns .

A new normal will emerge post-pandemic , requiring businesses to transform their strategies and government bodies to rethink their regulations and policies .