Halal pet food – an emerging segment on the global market

What is halal food?
Halal food refers to food prepared according to the Islamic dietary law’s rigorous guidelines. Under these guidelines, alcohol, blood and pork are haram (prohibited for consumption), but when it comes to production standards, there is more to it than that. Any animals that are dead before slaughtering as well as animals that are not slain in the name of Allah are all deemed haram. Moreover, halal food must be packaged and stored using utensils and materials that have been cleansed according to strict rules.

The global demand for halal food has been steadily rising over the past few years. As estimated by the research provider ResearchAndMarkets, the global halal food market size was valued at $842.3 million (€771.9M) in 2020 and is predicted to grow by 10% in the coming years, reaching $1.72 billion (€1.58B) by 2027.

Europe is the key market
Halal pet food is a relatively new trend that is primarily gaining traction in Europe, where a couple of new companies have been launched during the past year to manufacture cat food in accordance with Muslim standards.

One such company is UK-based Alif Pet Food which was established in late 2021 to produce halal cat food. Within the first few months, it was already receiving inquiries from all around the world. “Most notably from Europe, where we believe the halal pet food market will see the most growth in coming years,” said founder Muhammad Khan.

The anticipated rise in global demand for halal pet food stems to some extent from the ongoing humanization and customization trends, which are more evident in Western countries than in traditionally Muslim countries.

“As we know, pet humanization is the hottest trend of the moment, so it makes perfect sense that brands are increasingly accommodating the unique needs of influential minorities,” commented Pankaj Hurria, owner of Manchester-based Tiana Pet Food. The company was founded in mid-2021 to establish Europe’s first halal-friendly cat food made with best- in-class, human-grade ingredients.

According to Hurria, the demand for halal pet food existed before the new companies were launched. There are believed to be around 500,000 Muslim cat owners in the UK alone, including millennials and professional females with more liberal religious leanings. “Early research made me aware of the fact that Muslim cat parents have historically spent inordinate amounts of time on either tracking down fish-based products or home-preparing meals with trusted ingredients,” he added.

South-East Asia
Outside Europe, the halal pet food segment is primarily represented by Powercat, a Malaysian pet food brand that originally claimed to be the only halal-certified cat food in the world. The company is active in South-East Asia, selling food for adult cats and kittens in Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. In Indonesia, home to the world’s biggest Muslim population, the producer received halal certification from the Halal Product Assurance Body of the Indonesian Ulema Council – the nation’s highest Islamic authority.

No viable market for halal dog food
Technically, Islamic law doesn’t directly prescribe feeding cats or other pets with only halal pet food. However, Muslims are prohibited from buying anything recognized as haram, and pet food is no exception. Muslim scholar Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid describes it as “permissible” to feed cats with non- halal meat. “If you find such meat thrown away or it is given to you for free, then you may give it to the cat. As for buying it, that is not permissible”, he explained in a statement.

So far, halal pet food production is limited to cat food. According to Hurria, cats are revered or deemed holy in traditional Islamic culture, whilst dogs are not seen in the same light. Despite the fact that Muslim dog owners are on the rise, the industry does not appear to see a business opportunity there. “In Islam, it is prohibited to keep dogs as pets, so we don’t believe the market for halal dog food to be a viable one,” commented Khan.

Not only for Muslims
Halal food for humans owes part of its popularity to non-Muslim customers who are looking for products manufactured in accordance with strict quality standards. A similar trend is expected in relation to pet food, as non-Muslim cat owners also want to be guaranteed that the food for their cats is absolutely safe. “Brands like Tiana appeal, not simply because they reflect Muslim values, but also because they have very stringent values with regard to ingredient integrity and nutritional worth. Tiana also uses leading-edge, freeze-dried technology, which helps ensure the product’s taste cues and nutritional worth are unrivaled,” continued Hurria.

In addition, by meeting certain standards, producers are free to opt for different pet food formulations to attract different categories of customers. Along these lines, Alif uses the “freshest, cleanest and purest halal meats” that are suitable for human consumption. “Being raw, we are mirroring the diet a cat would have had in the wild. After all, lions don’t cook their prey before eating it!” added Khan.

Both these companies see halal food as a good choice for pet food retailers that want to modernize their product range and differentiate themselves from more predictable supermarket offerings. According to Hurria, there is a “growing appetite” for these products among the independent chains and online players.