IFANCA Sheds Light On Animal Welfare in Islam & Current Industry Perspectives at 49th Annual ISNA Convention, August 31- Sept 3, 2012

A ug. 31 - Sept. 3, 2012, Washington, DC – Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America
(IFANCA) and Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) will be presenting on Animal Welfare in Islam & Current Industry Perspectives at the 49th Annual ISNA Convention, August 31- Sept 3, 2012. The ISNA convention will be held at 801 Mount Vernon Place NW. Washington, DC. Speakers will include representatives from the food industry, animal welfare organizations, halal certification agencies, academia and Islamic religious advisors from the Fiqh Council.

“From current cattle and poultry welfare standards to Islamic tenets on animal welfare, the panel is a great learning opportunity to clarify misconceptions and gain an in-depth, educated view of this very important topic,” said Dr. Muhammad M. Chaudry, President, IFANCA.

The presentation is open to all Convention goers. Day passes are also available for those interested specifically in this panel.

IFANCA will be at the bazaar at booth number 914 for the entire duration, to take questions from convention-goers. IFANCA halal certified Kontos Foods Inc. and Cabot Creamery Co-operative will be sponsoring promotions at the booth.

IFANCA Presenting at Content Marketing World, Sept 4 - 6,
2012 Columbus, Ohio

S ept 4 – 6, 2012 Columbus, Ohio – Earlier this year, IFANCA re-launched its flagship publication, Halal Consumer magazine. Formerly B2B2C, the magazine has been reinvented as a digital ‘flip’ consumer magazine, and combines videos, text, photos and slide shows. The magazine was re-branded so as to fully engage halal consumers and provide IFANCA halal certified companies with a platform to reach this coveted demographic. The halal food market in the USA alone is valued at $20 billion. Globally, halal consumers form a $ 1.3 Trillion market for products that range from food to personal care to finance.

Ms. YarKhan, IFANCA, Director Content Strategy who led the re-launch and re-branding initiative, will present on a panel titled “Content Discovery: Strategies and Tactics to Make Sure Your Content is Found” on September 6, 2012, at Content Marketing World at 3:00 pm. Details at http://bit.ly/HalalCMW. The Convention will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 400 N. High Street, in Columbus, OH. She will weigh in on how Halal Consumer magazine has successfully connected with a global audience, while furthering IFANCA’s organizational goals. Follow the panel on Twitter @ifanca, #CMworld, #CMWDiscovery.

Halal Consumer magazine #22 Fall 2012, will also feature 30 second video interviews with the magazine’s writers, embedded in their respective articles. The only publication of its kind, it continues to be available free as a print publication to 30,000 subscribers. Read it at www.ifanca.org/magazine/halalmagazines/catalog. The digital version is at http://read.uberflip.com/issue/73981. The magazine also engages readers worldwide via www.facebook.com/halalconsumer, sharing news of IFANCA client's doings, food trends, nutrition and wellness .

IFANCA to Showcase North American Halal Products at First Halal Food
Middle East Expo, Sharjah, UAE, December 10-12, 2012

Sharjah, UAE, December 10-12, 2012 - IFANCA will showcase a selection of North American halal certified foods at the the first ever Halal Food Middle East Expo in Sharjah, UAE, from December 10 - 12, 2012. Clients will gain exposure to the Middle Eastern market and some of the most vibrant and innovative economies in the region; brand exposure under a culturally sensitive umbrella; opportunity to gain visibility as key players in the halal industry and direct contact with importers and exporters.

Why Sharjah and the Gulf Region?

Though Sharjah and other Gulf countries are amongst theworld’s richest in terms of oil and gas reserves and per capita wealth, when it comes to food sufficiency, the region imports almost 80 per cent of its requirements. According to the latest statistics, annual food imports for GCC are expected to grow from $25.8 billion in 2010 to $53 billion in 2020 (Khaleej Times, April 5, 2012). These statistics confirm the huge potential for food related business opportunities in this region. Participation at the Halal Food Middle East Expo in Sharjah will help American and global exporters find a firm foothold in this market.

"With the world's Muslim population now around 1.8 billion and rising, few in business can turn their back on such a demographic. Since more than 50% of Muslims worldwide are under the age of 25 and, together, account for more than 10% of the world's population, the prospects for the future look remarkably bright," according to Nigel Gibson writing in The Economist Intelligence Unit, March 2012. The Economist Intelligence Unit confirms that manufactured food presents the biggest opportunity for growth in both Muslim majority and mixed culture countries right now, through the next five years. Globally, Muslims have an annual buying power of $1.3 trillion annually, according to MarketingWeek.com, 2010. Much of this opportunity is untapped.

IFANCA Halal Certified Cambridge Manufacturing Company Ltd Wins The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade

August 2012 – IFANCA halal certified Cambridge Manufacturing Company Ltd (CMC) won the UK’s most prestigious business award for the first time for its outstanding achievement in overseas earnings growth with year-on-year increases in export sales calculated at 119% since 2008. Manufacturers and distributors of dietary products in the UK and internationally, the company produces dry powders to make shakes, soups, or porridges for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; and chocolate coated meal bars and ready-made shakes.

CMC released this media statement by Managing Director, Eileen Skinner: “We are very proud to win The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade especially as 2012 is also Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee year. The growth in our export sales since 2008 has been built around a very successful UK business model that encourages and empowers individuals to be entrepreneurial. In partnership with our distributors around the world we have taken this model and successfully exported it to many international markets. As such we have not only helped more than 25 million people to lose and maintain their weight but also empowered many people in both developed and developing countries to realize their dream of owning and running their own businesses. In Vietnam for example many of the Consultants are earning their own income for the first time. This has had a direct impact not only on their families but also on the wider communities in which they live. Winning this award is also a testament to all our staff in Corby who have had to deal with company turnover growing by more than 400% since 2005. Their commitment to quality and excellence has been a big factor in our success and winning this award is recognition at the highest level of what we have all achieved."

Newly Certified Halal Companies:

IFANCA Halal Certified Fish Oil From Quimica Industrial Spes S.A. Available for Manufacturing

June 12, 2012 – IFANCA recently visited with Quimica Industrial Spes S.A., based in Chile. It is the most important Chilean manufacturer of Omega-3 concentrates, extracted from fish oil and its derived goods, that are traded worldwide. The company has been IFANCA halal certified since 11/2009, making it a crucial element of their marketing strategy for Asia, Europe and Africa.

Quimica Industrial Spes S.A products are formulated for both consumers and for requirements in agriculture, aquaculture and industry. Their main operation is the processing and transformation of fat and traditional oils, preserving their natural properties and applying them to a variety of goods manufactured for national and international markets. They manufacture Omega-3 supplements as well as Omega-3 bases for foods like eggs or chocolate; energy supplements for cattle and poultry; by-pass fats and refined oils enriched with Omega-3. For the aquaculture market, they have developed products like Top Coating for pellets and refined oil mixtures enriched with Omega-3, as well as disinfectants and fungicides, for multiple purposes. In addition, SPES has formulated a wide range of industrial products, such as raw materials for different kinds of industries, including pharmaceutical laboratories, water companies, and paint manufacturers, plastic, leather, rubber and supplies for making paints.

“We are proud to be associated with and to certify Quimica Industrial Spes S.A. as halal. Their success is, in part, testimony to the demand for IFANCA halal certification,” said Dr. Muhammad Munir Chaudry, IFANCA president.