Halal Halt in Singapore’s Food Chains
Yo, folks—Big news coming from the food‑service scene in Singapore. Two beloved eateries, Fish & Co and Delifrance Singapore, have just lost their halal stamps. That’s right: the certification that tells customers the food’s legitly halal has expired—and nobody applied for a fresh one this year.
Where’s the Halal Marks?
- Fish & Co had a fitting of 12 outlets. Their official halal paperwork panned out in March, but the council— the Malaysian Islamic Council (Muis) was the one that reminded them to sign up again. The chain’s renewal was tossed in February because it fell short of the council’s standards.
Since April 1, the 12 stores don’t have a halal tag. - Delifrance Singapore—the bakery‑the‑rest‑oft‑the‑room—has 19 outlets. Their certificate kicked out on June 30, and again, no new application has been filed. Their general manager, Mr. Alvin Goo, is on a mission to patch up some technical snafus that were unrelated to food preparation or ingredients.
Fish & Co’s Tight‑Fit Approach
In a bit of social media drama last Wednesday, Fish & Co announced that they’re still following Muis’s halal rules. They’ve enlisted a consultant called HalalHub, and the chief executive, Ustaz Azmi Abdul Samad, said that the denial was all about “incomplete information.” He’ve kept the specifics under wraps but promised a new application once the missing docs surface. So, basically, it’s a bureaucratic paperwork shuffle.
Delifrance’s One‑of‑Its‑Kind Dilemma
This is the first time in 16 years that Delifrance Singapore—originally tied to a France‑based company—has green‑lit to lose it. The big hurdle? A new regulation that states any brand with the same name must verify all related companies before they get turned on the halal switch. In practice, that means they can’t coerce “Delifrance Singapore Wholesale,” a frozen‑bakery supplier in France, into halal certification. Mr. Goo said “the complexity will take time to resolve,” but reassured customers that they’d never serve non‑halal goods.
The Riddle of Halal Certification
Here’s a quick rundown of the conditions you need to jump into the halal mayor’s parade:
- Halal Steering Team—a leader, a Muslim member, plus a crew from other fields.
- Product Breakdown—a full catalogue of items, raw materials, additives, and processing aids.
- Business Disclosure—any side businesses the applicant owns or controls.
- Hazard Identification—any threats to halal integrity.
- Monitoring System—tools that confirm halal compliance.
What It Means for Café‑Owners
Retail gurus suggest that halal certification can be a ticket to a larger customer base. Samuel Tan, who teaches retail management, reminds aspiring halal operators that to succeed, they’ll need a fresh sweep across recipes, handling, and even staffing. He also floated a tongue‑in‑cheek idea: keep the same brand but create a separate “halal‑only” franchise.
Some Concrete Examples
- “Han’s Café” rebranded to “Hanis.”
- Likewise, “Aston’s” lounge shifted gears to “Andes.”
Bottom line—halal certification can drive traffic, but it also demands an overhaul. And if you’re thinking of opening a halal‑ready place, be ready to juggle paperwork, policies, and perhaps a whole new look.
