PETALING JAYA, Aug 17 (Bernama) -- The Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC), an agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), continues to reinforce its role as the central agency in driving Malaysia’s halal industry development by facilitating strategic industry linkages that enhance market access and strengthen the national halal ecosystem.
As part of its ongoing efforts to advance Malaysia’s position as a global halal hub, HDC has successfully coordinated a targeted business matching initiative connecting Malaysian halal-certified suppliers with an international food and beverage brand, Owh My Duck (OMD), which is set to commence operations at Ombak KLCC in August 2026.
This initiative shows HDC’s mandate to develop a robust, inclusive and globally competitive halal value chain, ensuring that foreign market entrants are seamlessly integrated into Malaysia’s well-regulated halal ecosystem while creating tangible opportunities for domestic industry players, as prescribed in the Halal Industry Master Plan 2030.
An expansion of a Jakarta-based restaurant brand, OMD is entering the Malaysian market with a commitment to obtain Malaysia Halal Certification within its initial phase of operations. In supporting this process, HDC worked closely with relevant stakeholders, including Hartaniaga Capital Berhad and UOB Malaysia to ensure that sourcing requirements are aligned with Malaysia’s halal standards and ecosystem capabilities.
Through HDC’s facilitation, local halal-certified companies have been successfully identified to meet OMD’s operational needs, enabling the sourcing of a comprehensive range of halal-certified products and services from Malaysian suppliers.
In line with its data-driven approach, HDC leveraged its Halal Integrated Platform (HIP), a centralised industry database, to identify qualified suppliers and coordinate participation in the sourcing programme held recently at UOB Plaza 1, Kuala Lumpur. The programme recorded strong participation, with 204 Malaysian companies demonstrating readiness and capability to support international supply chain requirements.
This structured engagement shows the depth and maturity of Malaysia’s halal industry, spanning key segments such as fresh produce, poultry, dry goods, and value-added food products, further supporting the country’s capacity to support global halal businesses.
HDC Interim Chief Executive Officer, Hanisofian Alias said, “HDC’s role is to ensure that Malaysia’s halal ecosystem remains integrated, competitive and responsive to global market needs. Through platforms such as HIP, we can systematically connect international demand with domestic capabilities, ensuring that Malaysian halal industry players are positioned to benefit from global market opportunities.”
"Facilitating cross-border expansion requires a reliable and compliant network, and Malaysia's halal ecosystem provided exactly that," stated Dr. Shahril Nizam, CEO of Hartaniaga Capital Berhad. "Our strategic collaboration with HDC and UOB Malaysia has significantly expedited and simplified the entire facilitation process, making it much easier and faster to achieve our objectives. By partnering with them to match OMD with local suppliers and central kitchens, we have ensured OMD's seamless entry into Malaysia while creating a win-win scenario that perfectly balances international expansion with local market empowerment."
To further strengthen industry readiness, HDC also collaborated with UOB Malaysia under its Go Halal program, launched in October 2025, to support participating SMEs through capacity-building initiatives, advisory support and access to tailored financial solutions, enabling them to scale and meet international business requirements. This collaborative approach is a whole-of-ecosystem effort to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of Malaysian halal enterprises.
The initiative demonstrates Malaysia’s continued leadership as a premier halal hub, where strong governance, established standards and coordinated industry development efforts create a conducive environment for both local and international stakeholders.
ABOUT HALAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BERHAD (HDC)
HDC spearheads the development of Malaysia's integrated and comprehensive halal ecosystem and infrastructure to position Malaysia as the most competitive country leading the global halal industry. Established on 18 September 2006, HDC is also known as the central coordinator that promotes participation and facilitates the growth of industry players in the development of Malaysia’s Halal ecosystem and The Secretariat of Majlis Pembangunan Industri Halal Malaysia. An agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI); it is the world’s first Government-backed halal industry development corporation. For more information, please visit HDC at - www.hdcglobal.com.
SOURCE: Halal Development Corporation Berhad (HDC)
