Event
@ Halal | January-February . 2022
Halal F & B to boost economy
Sector can boost State and national economies significantly
BY KHIRTINI K KUMARAN
THE SELANGOR International Expo ( SIE ) ( F & B ), which was part of the Selangor International Business Summit 2021 ( SIBS ), featured a mix of domestic , international and halal food and beverages ( F & B ) brands .
Food and beverage , meat and poultry , seafood products , canned foods , processed and ready-to-eat products , chocolate and dairy products , biscuits , pastries , and so on were among the range of consumables on display at the expo .
SIE ( F & B ) showcased booths and exhibitors by Sauce Empire Manufacturing Sdn Bhd , Kikkoman Halal Asian Sauce , and small and medium entrepreneurs ( SMEs ).
Meanwhile , international exhibitors included nations from Vietnam , Indonesia , India , Taiwan , Tajikistan , and Australia ’ s True Aussie Beef & Lamb by Meat & Livestock Australia ( MLA ).
In his opening ceremony speech , Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said SIBS 2021 presented growth opportunities , particularly in Selangor ’ s five core clusters , through its various conferences and exhibitions .
“ These five core clusters encompass a diverse range of industries , from aerospace to pharmaceuticals , which have the most significant potential to drive economic growth in the short and long term .
“ Furthermore , the F & B cluster is one of the fastest-growing industries , particularly the halal market , which has the potential to boost the State and national economies significantly .”
Selangor ’ s F & B industry
According to Invest Selangor Berhad , the F & B sector , which is Selangor ’ s fifth-largest industry , has attracted more than RM12 billion of investment throughout the years and produced over 33,000 job opportunities in the food manufacturing sector . Meanwhile , the beverages sector has attracted about RM 1.3 billion of investment .
Many larger companies in Selangor have been producing food products for decades , successfully catering to domestic and international markets . Furthermore , several SMEs also export their food products to regional markets .
The State ’ s F & B cluster is growing thanks to a favourable business environment , which includes robust infrastructures , significant local and foreign multinational companies , access to a low to the medium-skilled workforce , an important domestic food market demand , and diverse SMEs .
Culinary Festival
Selangor International Culinary Festival 2021 returned to the annual SIE ( F & B ) as a parallel programme . Beyond being a mere tradeshow , the SIE ( F & B ) 2021 also served as a platform that brought the crème de la crème of the rapidly growing and diversifying food and beverage industry together .
Jointly organised with Professional Culinaire Association ( PCA ), the culinary festival featured the Worldchefs Endorsed Culinary Competition , SICF2021 Culinary Challenge ; Gastronomic Master Class , Malaysia Chefs Forum and two new components , Malaysia Chefs Village and SICF TV .
The Culinary Challenge , a Worldchefs Endorsed Culinary Competition , featured a total of eight categories from fruit and vegetable carving , Malay , Peranakan and Nyonya , to Pastry Artistic Showpiece .
Gastronomic Master Class returned with signature dishes from celebrity and awardwinning chefs . It included Malay heritage cuisine by Chef Bob Adnin , eclectic cuisine by Chef Johari Edrus , plant-based inspired cuisine by Chef Dave Murugaya , Peranakan Nyonya cuisine by Chef Debbie Teah , contemporary pastry by Chef Patrick Siau and Chef Otto Tay , and modern Malaysian cuisine by Chef Ismail Yusoff .
SIBS 2021
The SIBS , initiated by the Selangor State Government and Invest Selangor Berhad , has been a platform for international businesses to use Selangor as a springboard to tap into the broader ASEAN market , home for over 600 million consumers and over 200 of the world ’ s largest companies .
“ SIBS 2021 , a key annual initiative by Selangor , is one of Southeast Asia ’ s premier business summits , where local and international industry players can convene to explore the great potential of the ASEAN market . The chance to connect business to new opportunities is undoubtedly important amidst a highly challenging economic environment today ,” said Amirudin .
The summit featured six main events ; the 7th Selangor International Expo ( F & B ); the 5th Selangor ASEAN Business Conference ; the 6th Selangor Smart City and Digital Economy Convention ; the 2nd Selangor R & D and Innovation Expo ; the 7th Selangor International Expo ( Medic ); and the 1st Selangor Industrial Park Expo ( SPARK ).
Other halal centric sectors and exhibitors featured in the summit included Halal International Selangor ( HIS ), Halal Development Corporation ( HDC ), and halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics by International Islamic University Malaysia ( IIUM ).
In a hybrid format , SIBS 2021 was held on Nov 18-21 . The physical event was held across 13,339sqm , with 500 physical booths , at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre and over 800 virtual booths at www . selangorbusinesshub . my portal .
The summit was officiated by the Raja Muda of Selangor Tengku Amir Shah Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah , who represented the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah . After officiating , Tengku Amir Shah toured the exhibition halls and interacted with participating exhibitors .