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.
Global Halal Food Industry Set to Prosper as Market Grows
2025-05-15
Alicia Buller – Arab News
LONDON: The global halal food and beverage (F&B) market is expected to boom over the next five years, driven by new entrants.“Global Islamic EconomyThe industry is expected to grow from $1.24 trillion in 2016 to $1.93 trillion by 2022, according to a report from the National Institute of Allergy and Informatics.
A report jointly released by the Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre (DIEDC) and Thomson Reuters shows that: Muslim spending on food and beverages is growing at almost double the global rate – creating significant opportunities for investment and the creation of global halal food brands.
“Halal food is the largest and most diverse sector of the Islamic economy. New entrants have entered the market and the product offering has firmly expanded beyond meat-based products to include confectionery, ready meals, snacks and children’s food.”
Commenting on the report, Imran Kausar, founder of Haloodies, a London-based multinational halal food company, told Arab News: “The halal opportunity will continue to grow, with innovative and consumer-centric brands leading the way. Halal brands that appeal to a mainstream audience will open up halal food to a wider audience.”
The report said food and beverages led Muslim spending, followed by clothing and apparel at $254 billion, media and entertainment at $198 billion, tourism at $169 billion, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics at $83 billion and $57.4 billion respectively.
The report noted that demand is expected to rise as established businesses expand domestically and internationally through franchising and multinational corporations make large investments in Muslim-majority markets.
The report said investment and sovereign wealth funds were particularly active, and a number of halal investment funds were under development.
Family-friendlyHalal TravelIndia is another growth market, with Muslims travelling in record numbers and demanding travel that aligns with Islamic values – from hotels and beach resorts to dining options and airlines.
In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), halal hotel chains are emerging and family-friendly attractions are also developing.
A surge in new online travel agencies catering to Muslim tourists has also emerged in the UK and globally, with Muslims spending $169 billion on travel in 2016 and forecast to rise to $283 billion by 2022.
Designer brands and boutiques are also developing new modestFashionseries and Ramadan series.
The report states, "Emerging fashion brands are also making inroads globally, particularly in the headscarf, gaining increasing attention through social media messaging." Modest sportswear is a notable trend, with Nike following suit, as is Denmark's Hummel. Muslim spending on clothing reached $254 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach $373 billion by 2022.
Romanna Bint-Abubaker, founder and CEO of global modest fashion brand Haute-Elan, told Arab News: “As the world’s first modest fashion marketplace, we welcome international brands to produce collections and pieces for the fastest-growing global consumer: Muslims. Our main problem as a marketplace is that the current supply cannot meet the demand, while our consumers are still forced to go to the streets to meet their basic needs.”