UK halal plant targets export market

A halal food plant that aims to supply meat to Muslim consumers across Europe has received approval and funding from the UK agriculture ministry (Defra).

The European Halal Food Park, built in 2010, is now in full operation, with an abattoir, cold store, retail packing and boning lines, and will start promoting its added-value products at the Paris Halal Expo exhibition in April.

Project manager Nigel Weaver said: “We are definitely looking to export, which is why we got a trade stand at Halal Expo. Our abattoir has been up-and-running since 2010, but there was a massive opportunity to add value, so we wanted to offer a full range of products, including burgers and sausages, all under the Simply Halal brand.”

Ghulam Ghafoor, managing director of major UK halal retailer Pak Supermarkets, said: “We have been waiting for such a project, where we can purchase all our assured halal products, manufactured in the UK. I, for one, am in favour of halal products that are with complete Shariah compliance.”