Over the past two years, plant-based food consumption has grown by 49% across the EU, reaching a total sales volume of €3.6 billion.
More countries are looking for ways to gain substantial halal certification
2025-05-15
The Philippines is striving to join the world's $2.6 billion halal export market by adjusting its halal certification system and institutions.
A newly launched halal board, the Ramon Lopez Board of Industries and Trades, established under the Philippines' Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016, will initially develop a comprehensive set of guidelines for halal certification.
Lopez said a technical working group has been formed to develop rules and regulations for the law's implementation. Public consultations are expected in October and November, he added.
“What’s exciting is that the halal market is a huge market of 2 billion Muslims, of which more than 1 million are in the Philippines alone,” he said, adding that its value is expected to grow to $10 trillion by 2030.
“It has become a lifestyle product associated with health and quality attributes. It’s one of the fastest-consuming segments,” he said.
Elsewhere, South Korea has turned to Malaysia for halal certification as the country's halal industry is still in its infancy.
Earlier this year, the Minister of Tourism announced that measures would be taken to develop the halal food industry and strengthen infrastructure for Muslim tourists. Experts believe that South Korea will become a popular destination for Muslims due to the continued spread of their popular culture.
"Over the past year, the number of tourists from the Middle East has steadily increased, helped by the Korean Wave," the minister said at a press conference. "We must strengthen tourism infrastructure to attract more tourists from the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries now that sanctions on Iran have been lifted."
The number of Muslim tourists has increased from 540,000 in 2012 to 800,000 this year.
The government said it will work with the halal business community to expand the number of halal-certified food and restaurants nationwide.
Currently, there are only 12 restaurants officially certified by KMF, 8 of which are located in Seoul.
Malaysia's certification system, handled by its halal regulator Jakim, is widely used to replace a single unified standard, which the halal industry still lacks.