Korea Halal Export Association, in the international halal trade fair MIHAS2017, supports marketing to six promising export SMEs in Korea,

Actively promoting halal export consultation and attracting buyers

KOHEA participated in the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) for 4 days from 5th to 8th at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC). It actively promoted halal foods, cosmetics, and health functional foods for domestic companies.

MIHAS, organized by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE), is the world’s largest halal exhibition. This year is its 14th edition since 2004. 580 companies with 33 countries, including major Muslim countries around the world and non-Muslim such as Korea, Japan, and Thailand, participated in MIHAS. A total of 620 booths fiercely competed in marketing here.

At this time, ASEAN (Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, etc.) participated more than three times the size of the national pavilion booth. Also, China, Turkey, Japan, and Taiwan participated as large scale national pavilions with more than 20 to 30 companies. Belgium, Spain, Italy, Britain, Austria, and Finland from Europe joined in marketing campaigns to catch the halal market buyers.

Through a part of the participation fee of KOHEA with local marketing support, six companies that made up the Korea pavilion actively strived to promote Korean halal products and to attract overseas buyers.

In December 2016, KOHEA gathered with 150 SMEs which hope to export to Muslim regions and completed promoters’ conferences. By the end of this year, it aims to admit more than 200 companies into the association, and it is reported that, in April, it has launched the approval process of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for its official inauguration.

Along with supporting the participation of this MIHAS2017, KOHEA will support its member companies’ marketing with halal certification and hold a variety of seminars through 10 joint booths by KOHEA in the 34th Seoul International Food Industry Exhibition 2017 which will be held in May.

On August 17th to 19th this year at COEX in Seoul, KOHEA will also organize the 3rd Halal Trade Expo Korea 2017 with Korea Institute of Halal Industry (Sup. Jang-geon) and World Expo Co., Ltd. (Pres. David Yoo). The exhibition will be held at the same time as inviting overseas buyers of halal market, export consultation, Halal Certification Body meeting, and overseas certification briefing.

Booths of KOHEA and Korea Institute of Halal Industry (KIHI), which participated together with domestic SMEs to attract overseas halal market buyers, received a great attention from exhibitors, buyers, and visitors as well as organizers. KOHEA actively promoted the Halal Trade Expo Korea 2017 which it will host at COEX on August this year. Furthermore, through the negotiation with the organizer of MIHAS, they got a positive response on the mutual cooperation of the MIHAS2018.

In the MIHAS2017 Korea pavilion organized by KOHEA, there are △CH Harmony, △Lima Global, △Punggi Ginseng Cooperative Association, △Ongo Food Communication, △Daedong Korea Ginseng, etc. which exhibited various items including foods, cosmetics, and health functional foods. To capture local consumers’ opinions, they conducted various marketing activities such as tasting, sampling, and consumer evaluation. In particular, Ongo Food Communication got a great response by conducting a demonstration of Halal Korean dishes.

Byoung-yong Lim, the secretary general of KOHEA said, “Due to China’s Thaad revenge and US’s protectionism, participation in this exhibition is a good opportunity in many ways for a new export market. The halal market must be a new market we have to pay attention to.”

Membership information and specific business contents of the Korea Halal Export Association can be found on the web-site (www.kohea.org), and the inquiry for membership is available through the Association Secretariat (02-551-6636).