16th Mihas Tradeshow To Strengthen Malaysia As a Halal Hub

The world’s largest halal trade show – the 16th edition of Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS 2019), is officially launched today and is set to host exhibitors and visitors from over 70 countries. The dedicated halal trade fair organised by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) will showcase high-quality halal products and services from around the world in Kuala Lumpur and will take place from 3 to 6 April 2019 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC).

Launched by MATRADE’s Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Wan Latiff Wan Musa, the soft launch of MIHAS was attended by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM) and Halal Development Corporation. Also in attendance were sponsors of MIHAS 2019, associations, industry players and members of media.

According to Dato’ Wan Latiff, MIHAS 2019 will reflect the maturity of the event as a world-class platform for the world’s halal industry. “With the strong support from both the public and private sector, MIHAS has earned the status as the centre point for industry players to converge under one roof in showcasing the latest trends and innovations in halal apart from exchanging insights and knowledge on the halal industry,” he said.

MIHAS 2019 will attract over 1,000 exhibitors and 30,000 trade visitors. Other than congregating industry players, MIHAS 2019 will also provide trade visitors with the unprecedented opportunity to benefit from a series of value-added programmes. Among the wide range of programmes include six conferences and more than 30 seminars such as:

 Trade Talk by MATRADE focusing on international market insights
 Islamic Tourism Conference by Islamic Tourism Center and HalalTrip to provide the latest halal tourism industry developments
 IMHalal Conference by iHALALMAS@FBUiTM, which brings together international and local practitioners as well as academicians to develop ideas and initiatives for the halal industry
 Halal Innovation Forum by World Startup Festival to strengthen Malaysia’s economy through Islamic Digital Initiatives and enhance Malaysia’s Halal Ecosystem through technology and e-commerce.

Complementing the world-class seminars and fora is MIHAS high-powered business matching. Two business matching programmes will be rolled out namely the International Sourcing Programme (INSP) and MIHAS Hosted Buyer Programme (HBP).

The INSP will bring over 200 selected buyers from around the globe to Menara MATRADE in Kuala Lumpur a day before MIHAS 2019 starts. Through the event, more than 450 Malaysian companies will be matched with foreign buyers seeking to source from Malaysia. The initiative is effective due to the quality of buyers and sellers of the programme. The buyers are selected by MATRADE’s global network (in 46 locations worldwide) while the Malaysian sellers are reputable exporters from all over Malaysia. During MIHAS 2018, INSP resulted in generating sales of RM602.5 million for local companies.

Meanwhile, the HBP will provide an opportunity for non-INSP participants to be matched with MIHAS 2019 exhibitors through the utilisation of MIHAS Connect – an online meeting scheduler.

The focus sectors to be highlighted at MIHAS 2019 are those pivotal to the industry’s ecosystem namely Food & Beverages, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, Finance, Digital, Logistics, Islamic Tourism and the latest addition – Modest Fashion. With such a dynamic mix of contents and the wide array of business opportunities available, MIHAS 2019 will deliver the value to grow the world’s halal industry.

The Food & Beverage sector continues to be a stronghold in the Halal industry. Fraser & Neave Holdings Bhd (F&N) is eager to participate in this year’s edition of MIHAS, as expressed by Mr Lim Yew Hoe, CEO of Fraser & Neave Holdings Berhad, “We believe MIHAS is the best platform to directly connect us visitors from around the world, and we’re looking forward for the event.”

Berjaya Starbucks Coffee Co Sdn Bhd (Starbucks Malaysia) continues their collaboration with MIHAS with a return of their successful breakfast networking session. “It’s great to witness industry players gather on our platform with their peers to discuss the industry’s development and establish business relationships, all while enjoying a good cup of coffee”, Mr Tengku Ferry Widayat, Business Development Manager,Halal Lead Malaysia & Brunei Coffee Master said of last year’s Business Networking Session success during MIHAS 2018. Visitors this year can enjoy the same experience with Starbucks at their 2nd edition of the Business Networking Session during MIHAS 2019.

Another exciting feature of MIHAS 2019 is the “Halal Corridor”, which is being introduced by CIMB Investment Bank Bhd to support the transaction and business activities within the whole Halal industry. “MIHAS is the best platform to introduce the Halal Corridor, as it is the world’s largest international Halal trade show,” Mr Ken Mohamed Faiz Bin Kamal, Head of Marketing, Communication & Corporate Responsibility Group Islamic Banking . Visitors who would like to learn more about the Halal Corridor can visit CIMB’s pavilion at MIHAS 2019.

Last but not least, LightArtVR, whose revolutionary virtual reality project is “Mecca: A Journey Through Time”, is proud to feature in MIHAS 2019 and provide the opportunity for other businesses to leverage virtual reality. “We are introducing our solution to the Halal industry, so that  brand owners can let the customer experience their latest products and solution through virtual reality,” Mr Muhammad Bayazid, CEO/Founder of LightArtVR said. Halal industry players who are interested to explore how virtual reality can be a creative solution to increase their brand positioning and market share can connect with LightArtVR at MIHAS 2019.

Originally published on www.focusmalaysia.my