KOTA KINABALU, Aug 28 — The Halal Business Transformation Programme (HBT) has generated RM1.51 billion or an average of RM500 million annually, in sales for companies in various halal-related sectors in the country.

Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) Deputy Chief Executive Officer Hasni Zarina Mohamed Khan said initially 149 companies participated in the programme but today the numbers have grown to 520 companies.

“Of the more than 300 Bumiputera companies which participated in HBT, 50 companies have become regular suppliers to hyper markets such as Giant, Aeon and Tesco and main distributors to Felda D’Saji, Angkasa Food dan Ramly Food Processing,” she said at the opening of an halal outreach programme by Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industrial Development Datuk Hashim Paijan.

The Halal Business Transformation Programme is a nurturing programme introduced by HDC in 2011 to facilitate the development of local companies to become global players in the halal industry.

The programme is designed toward assisting local halal companies to increase their overall competitiveness and enhance their business performance and growth.

Saying that entrepreneurs in Sabah should become suppliers of halal products, Hasni added that HDC had entered into collaboration with halal zone companies to provide a market platform for halal products from Sabah.

“My Outlets Pte Ltd from Singapore has also come forward to participate in this programme to help local entrepreneurs penetrate the global market.

Besides mentoring programmes by Nestle Malaysia, HDC also organises business matching sessions with multinational companies and distributors to pave the way for entrepreneurs in Sabah to become global suppliers for halal products and to promote business networking.

She said the market for halal products were not only confined to food products but was also applicable to halal cosmestic and pharmaceutical products and logistics services. — Bernama