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September-October. 2026 | @ Halal
MIHAS 2026
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will use artificial intelligence for physical and virtual business matching, market-trend analytics and product showcasing.
Buyers can enter their requirements and identify potential Malaysian suppliers, while registered visitors and exhibitors will have access to an AI assistant to help navigate the exhibition and find relevant businesses.
The intention is to make participation more targeted and productive rather than leaving business connections to chance.
Raja Badrulnizam stressed that this also places responsibility on participants to provide accurate information.
“ When you register, make sure you fill in the details correctly,” he said.
Businesses unable to attend in person can also explore products and virtual booths and connect with potential partners online, extending MIHAS
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beyond the physical exhibition floor.
CONNECTING ECONOMIES The trade flow is not intended to move in only one direction.
MIHAS’ Hosted Buyer Programme connects foreign exhibitors with Malaysian importers, distributors, retailers and potential strategic partners, reinforcing Malaysia’ s ambition to position itself as a gateway into the wider halal economy.
A dedicated Women in Export component at MIHAS 2026 will provide another avenue for women entrepreneurs seeking to develop international business opportunities.
Together, these initiatives reflect MATRADE’ s broader strategy of building an export ecosystem around businesses rather than expecting an exhibition alone to generate sustainable trade.
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That effort feeds into Malaysia’ s national target of achieving RM80 billion in halal exports by 2030. According to the interview transcript, halal exports reached RM68 billion last year.
READY TO EXPORT Ultimately, MIHAS can open doors. Malaysian businesses still have to be ready to walk through them.
Raja Badrulnizam urged prospective exporters to understand their products, prepare samples and business materials, know their numbers and be ready to engage seriously with buyers.
“ Small and medium enterprises( SMEs) should not miss the opportunity,” he said, stressing the importance of samples, business cards, calculations and product knowledge.
MIHAS cannot remove the
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demands of competing internationally. What it can do is reduce some barriers by bringing exporters, credible certification, market intelligence, and potential buyers into the same ecosystem.
For Malaysian micro, small and medium enterprises still hesitant about venturing overseas, the opportunity is substantial. The global halal economy is projected to exceed USD5 trillion by 2030, with demand increasingly extending beyond Muslim-majority markets.
That makes MIHAS more than Malaysia’ s annual halal showcase.
It is increasingly a trade gateway built around something Malaysia has spent decades establishing: trust.
The challenge now is to convert that trust into contracts, exports and lasting positions in global markets.
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Beyond the plate
The global halal economy is expanding well beyond food, opening opportunities across cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, modest fashion, Islamic finance and digital technology.
For Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation( MA- TRADE) Strategic Planning Division Senior Director Raja Badrulnizam Raja Kamalzaman, this broader landscape is reflected in the 14 sectors curated for the Malaysia International Halal Showcase( MIHAS).
They span food and beverage, e-commerce, education, retail, pharmaceuticals, halal ingredients, cosmetics, tourism, Islamic finance, technology, services, and Islamic arts and crafts— showing how far the halal economy has evolved beyond its traditional association with food.
EXPANDING SECTORS Food and beverage remains the largest segment, projected to reach US $ 1.9 trillion by 2030.
But some of the strongest opportunities are emerging at sector intersections.
Halal ingredients, for example, feed into cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food technology, making them part of a much wider supply chain.
Pharmaceuticals and medical products remain relatively underserved, partly because of high barriers to entry and stringent requirements around treatment efficacy, halal standards, and Shariah compliance.
Cosmetics and personal care present another growing opportunity.
Raja Badrulnizam highlight- ed the US $ 93 billion global " Clean Beauty " movement and growing consumer interest in products that are ethical, vegan and alcohol-free.
These trends suggest that some values associated with halal are increasingly resonating with consumers beyond traditionally Muslim markets.
BEAUTY OPPORTUNITY Malaysia ' s cosmetics and personal care sector illustrates how halal certification can intersect with wider consumer expectations.
Certification alone is not enough. Businesses must consider ingredients and chemicals, processing methods, logistics and the integrity of the wider supply chain.
Halal cosmetics and personal care exports were worth RM3.68 billion last year, according to the interview transcript, underscoring the sector ' s commercial potential.
The product range itself is extensive, stretching from skincare and haircare to shampoo and toothpaste.
This breadth also creates opportunities for businesses operating further upstream, particularly in halal ingredients, formulation, manufacturing and logistics.
FINANCE AND FASHION Islamic finance represents another established Malaysian strength.
Islamic financing accounts for almost half of financing within Malaysia ' s banking system, while Islamic capital markets represent more than 64 per cent of the domestic capital market. Malaysia also accounts for approximately 37 per cent of global sukuk outstanding.
That financial infrastructure can play a wider role in supporting the growth of halal businesses seeking to expand domestically and internationally.
Modest fashion, meanwhile, accounts for nearly 10 per cent of global fashion spending, demonstrating another area where the halal economy overlaps with broader consumer and lifestyle trends.
Together, these sectors reinforce a central point: halal is neither confined to food nor limited to a particular group of consumers.
" Halal is a broad term with wide applications beyond just food, and can be undertaken even by non-Muslims," Raja Badrulnizam said.
CONNECTED ECOSYSTEM The bigger opportunity lies in connecting these individual sectors. Ingredients feed into food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Islamic finance can support businesses seeking to grow. Technology and e-commerce can connect producers with consumers and international markets. Certification provides the trust underpinning the entire chain.
Seen this way, the halal economy is not simply a collection of separate industries. It is an increasingly interconnected ecosystem.
MIHAS reflects that evolution by bringing different parts of the economy together on a single international trade platform.
For Malaysia, that broadens the opportunity considerably.
Its halal ambitions are no longer simply about exporting more certified food products. They are about using the country ' s established halal credentials to build competitive businesses across a much wider range of industries— and capturing a greater share of a global economy that continues to expand beyond the plate.