Nestle targets Germany for halal meat

Nestle, world leading manufacturer of Halal food with a turnover of 3.5 billion euros (US$5.28 million) in 2008 is eyeing Germany as a potential huge market for halal meat.

 

According to the company executive vice President, Frits van Dijk, there is increasing market potential for Halal products in Europe with an anticipated growth of 20-25 percent by 2020.

 

Jenny Singer from Bord Bia Frankfurt--Ireland's food agency--the total European halal food market is valued at 44 billion euros.

 

Germany, with a Muslim population of around four million, is worth 4 billion euros of halal market.

 

Within this figure, kebab meat accounts for 2.8 billion euros of the total. The market continues to show good growth and offers potential for Irish companies, particularly in the meat sector.

 

As Halal slaughtering does not take place in Germany due to legal constraints, German Halal certifying bodies such as Halal Control and m-haditec do not certify German meat.

 

According to Das-Parlament, Holland and Denmark are two of the leading exporters of Halal meat to Germany.

 

Potential contacts for Irish companies with a Halal certificate that want to enter the German market include International Meat GmbH, an importer of Halal meat and Mekkafood Gmbh, a leading manufacturer of frozen Halal meat products.

 

Mekkafood supplies to the retail and wholesale trade such as Toom Hypermarket (part of the Rewe Group) and Real (part of the Metro Group).

 

US$1 = EUR0.66 (Dec 2)