The International Halal Logistics Standard: IHIAS 0100:2010

As Halal is extending towards supply chain management (similar to food safety, where halal integrity is secured from source to the point of consumer purchase: the supermarket or restaurant) it is important to look at halal logistics. Logistics assists supply chains in connecting the individual suppliers, supplier of suppliers, customers, customers of customers to the final consumer: creating a supply network bringing the final halal product to the consumer.

Today, even with a simple product as bread, the flour might be imported from China, butter from New Zealand, bread improvers from the Netherlands, seeds from Iran, etc. Supply chains are therefore complex and international. Complex supply chains, due to the many different supply chain partners bring vulnerabilities along, requiring a ROBUST design in order to protect the halal integrity as good as possible. HalalSecure.com for example is assisting brand owners for example to better organise and protect their halal supply chain. International supply chains, the fact that your suppliers and/or customers are located in different countries, makes it necessary to deal with different halal environments: different halal authorities, halal standards, regulations (to protect or not protect halal integrity by law), sensitivities, etc. As logistics is international it also makes sense to work with an international halal logistics standard, a standard that understands and facilitates the complexities and requirements of the various Muslim and non-Muslim markets. There is a good news. This standard is already here!

This standard, the IHIAS 0100:2010 launched in 2010, was developed under the Islamic Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the International Halal Integrity Alliance (IHI Alliance). It recognises the sensitivities of different products (like bulk products and products kept in a chilled or frozen environment) as well as differences in Markets (Muslim country or non-Muslim countries). This standard is already used by several local and international operating logistics service providers globally and expected to further increase over the coming years as big brand owners (food manufacturers, restaurant chains and retailers) are developing integrated halal supply chains. This international halal logistics standard is important for the industry, both brand owners and logistics service providers, as domestic halal food standards do not address the complete halal logistics system (transportation, warehousing and sea/air/inland terminal operations) and support the complexities of product characteristics (bulk versus unitised products, ambient versus cool chain) as well as the market requirements (Muslim versus non-Muslim country).

It is important for the halal industry to be more pro-active in protecting the halal integrity for the Muslim consumer and protecting their own brand. It is timely to give halal the same level of attention and dedication as food safety!


For a copy of the international standard contact IHI Alliance
For more information on halal logistics visit LBB International or HalalLogistics.info.

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