The unfortunate incident of a local frozen foods manufacturer having wrongly printed the Halal logo on its product packaging could have easily been avoided had the industry been better equipped with the right media tools.
On March 11, local newspapers reported a complaint from the Malaysian Muslim Consumers Association (PPIM) about an oddly looking Halal logo on a product by Saudi Cold Storage Sdn Bhd.
The cause of confusion. Pic courtesy of PPIM.
Its chief executive officer Mohd Ariffin Don said that while they are obligated to rectify the issue at any cost, he did also mention they are expecting a loss of at least 15% in their monthly sales revenue from here on.
What he did not mention is that there are also the additional costs, like the recall exercise cost, redesigning and printing of new packaging cost, and let’s not forget the special fact-finding committee set up cost.
Had the Halal industry possessed a clearer communication channel not just between themselves but also with the consuming public, this could have easily been averted.
Imagine for awhile, that there exists such a platform.
Utilising the vast possibilities of the World Wide Web, industry players can network with one another on a more global scale. And when we say network it doesn’t just stop at a simple exchange of vCards.
We’re talking standard social networking like messaging, chats and calendaring and these are just for starters. Next stage must be mobile, where contacts are so much more normal ordinary friends than business representatives.
The experience must be so enriching that it negates the use of any other social networks currently out there. The Halal media must have the best of each, but with an exclusive focus on the Halal economy.
Package it in different little modules suitable for different media platforms, vary the content format and work to enhance trade links between partners and we might just have the ‘killer app’ so sought after just a decade ago.
By creating dependency, it must target to solving one industry problem at a time. In the long run, it works to bridge the gap between manufacturers and consumers and rally the participation of the rest of the players.
Business groups, Halal authorities, government agencies, trade and consumer associations all must play their part in cementing the overall relationship.
In the end, the entire economy – the supply side represented by the industry players, the demand side for the consumers and everything in between, including services, finance and even media – will be covered.
By having a comprehensive platform that extends from farm to fork of the Halal supply chain, members can work to build brand reputation, recognition, and inadvertently, trust among their consumers and industry peers.
Because Halal is undeniably, but so far only potentially lucrative, everybody who wants a taste must be willing to put in their own secret ingredient and work in concert with the rest of the components of the economy.
If such a platform indeed exist right now, how much would you think Saudi Cold Storage be willing to pay for a member’s access?
Suddenly, no amount seemed too big.
March 22nd, 2010 → 9:43 am @ HalalMedia Admin
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