1. CAN I SERVE BOTH HALAL & NON-HALAL MEAT?
Yes, it is possible (See Level 3 Certification below) but this is least preferred. If your restaurant chooses to source meat from a halal meat supplier, it is best not to serve non-halal meat at the same premises. Being fully halal certified is a quality assurance meaning the premises should not have any non-halal meat or pork at your premises.
2. WHO CAN APPLY FOR HALAL CERTIFICATION?
To request staff training or ensure your entire supply chain from production processes to ingredient selection is halal-compliant (food and ingredient manufacturer, producer, slaughter house, hotel, etc.,), please email: info@halalcb.org or call 9468 3308. Alternatively, visit: GBA Halal Certification Centre.
To apply for halal certification (restaurant, café, fast food restaurant, food court, canteen, kiosk, hotel, bakery, membership club, caterer), email: trustees@netvigator.com or bot1972@outlook.com
3. WHY ARE THERE 3-LEVELS OF HALAL CERTIFICATION?
- LEVEL 1: Halal Certified: Only Halal Food is prepared and served in the restaurant.
- LEVEL 2: Halal Kitchen Restaurant: Only Halal Food is prepared in the kitchen but Alcohol/non-halal food is also served in the dining area.
- LEVEL 3: Halal Friendly Restaurant: Halal and non-Halal Food are prepared in the kitchen but strict measures are implemented to avoid contamination on any level.
4. WHAT IS THE COST OF THE HALAL CERTIFICATION?
For normal restaurants (excluding restaurants in hotels), it ranges between HK$2,500 to HK$4,000 per year. Put another way, HK$7-HK$11 per day of extra costs. Meanwhile, 1 Muslim paying customer spending HK$100 per day or more, will increase your operating cash flow by HK$36,500 per year. Thats Halal Business Sense!
5. HOW TO APPLY AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Please contact GBA Halal Certification Centre for halal certification queries. They are staffed with billingual employees that are qualified to determine whether your menu, ingredients, products, utensils, facilities, etc., meet the halal requirements. A Halal certificate is only issued when the integrity of your supply chain is maintained, based on Halal CCP (critical control points) standards. The whole process takes up to six (6) weeks, or less.
6. I AM A MUSLIM OWNER OF A RESTAURANT. WHY DO I NEED HALAL CERTIFICATION?
The Halal certification is not just about your meat being slaughtered the halal way. It is also a quality-safety assurance that the product is clean and hygienic. Just as importantly, there are some non-Muslim restaurants in HK that claim to be halal by dishonestly displaying the Arabic word حلال to attract customers (targeting unsuspecting Muslim tourists and business visitors). By following one standard certification, real halal restaurants in HK can help minimise the problem.