90% Muslim Population Indonesia All Stores and Production Facilities Halal Certified
[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Toujours, operated by CJ Foodville, announced on the 29th that it has obtained halal certification in Indonesia and will start producing products tailored to Muslim standards.
Last month, Toujours acquired halal certification issued by MUI, the official halal certification body in Indonesia. As a result, all Toujours stores in Indonesia will sell only products that have completed halal certification. Additionally, the production facility located in Bekasi, West Java, has also secured halal certification, establishing a specialized mass production base for halal products, which will boost the expansion of new distribution businesses such as B2B (business-to-business) in the future.
Halal, meaning "permitted" in Arabic, refers to all items that are allowed for "use" or "action" according to Islamic law, Syariah. Halal not only has religious significance but also functions as a kind of safety mark that has undergone thorough verification of the product's distribution and storage processes, making it increasingly popular even among non-Muslims.
Indonesia is the largest single Muslim country with about 230 million Muslims, accounting for approximately 90% of the total population, and its halal food consumption is the largest in the world, about 200 trillion won. The Indonesian government has been fostering its halal industry to become a global halal economic nation by enforcing the "New Halal Certification Law" in October 2019, which mandates the distinction between halal and non-halal for all products.
Ko Hyun-deuk, head of CJ Foodville Indonesia, said, "Toujours has focused on co-growth with local communities and companies through the 'One Village One Product' (OVOP) program, a local specialty product development cooperation project, last year," adding, "Obtaining halal certification is also an essential matter for Toujours' sustainable growth and regional coexistence."
Meanwhile, CJ Foodville entered Indonesia in 2011 and currently operates a total of 48 stores, leading the local premium bakery market.
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