Ahmicafe is one of 250-plus restaurants in Taiwan certified by CMA. (Staff photo/Ching Hung-Hao)
Promoting Taiwan as one of the friendliest places in the world for halal food is a top priority for Taipei City-based Chinese Muslim Association and its partner the Tourism Bureau under the Ministry of Transportation and Communications.
Halal, an Arabic word meaning permissible, is the dietary standard as prescribed in the Quran, the Muslim holy book. According to CMA, only 10 eateries prepared food in such a manner before the organizations teamed up in 2008. Three years later, more than 250 establishments, including those in hotels and resorts, are officially recognized as providers of halal food by the association and several other related agencies.
CMA statistics reveal Taiwan is home to between 50,000 and 60,000 permanent Muslim residents, less than 0.25 percent of a total population of 23 million people. Migrant workers from Muslim-majority countries such as Indonesia number around 250,000, but their spending power is comparatively weak, making them only a small factor in the association’s strategy.
Worshippers gather at a mosque in Taipei. (Courtesy of Michelle Lin)
In contrast, Global Muslim Travel Index, published by Mastercard and Singapore-headquartered CrescentRating—the world’s leading authority on halal-friendly travel—found that Muslims made 140 million international trips in 2018. CR forecasts this figure will grow to 230 million by 2026.
Efforts by Taiwan’s restauranteurs and hoteliers to meet the needs of Muslim diners have caught the eye of GMTI. In 2019, the index ranked Taiwan the third most Muslim-friendly destination among non-Organization of Islamic Cooperation countries and territories.
CMA Secretary General Salahuding Ma said it is not easy to earn the association’s seal of approval as a halal establishment. “Muslims are very careful about what they eat, and no detail can be overlooked in order to win their hearts.”
One of the cardinal rules for any halal establishment is the absence of pork-related additives, ingredients and food materials from the kitchen. Alcohol is another no-no.
CMA halal certification is an involved process. Applicants must submit certificates granted by suppliers confirming they provide food materials containing no pork or alcohol.
Documentation, issued by organizations like Taipei-based Taiwan Halal Integrity Development Association encompasses a wide range of items ranging from soy sauces to cooking oil and nearly everything else in between. Additional paperwork must be furnished to verify meat comes from facilities where killing is carried out according to Islamic law as defined in the Quran.
A benefit of the process is increased visibility of halal-certified eateries. The bureau introduces them on its website in English and Mandarin, and CMA supports via training Muslim-friendly tour guides. The delicious collaboration is good for business and good for tourists who enjoy great food without betraying their faith.
Muslim customers from India pick up halal snacks at a Fried Chicken Master outlet in Taipei. (Staff photo/Ching Hung-Hao)
According to Ma, CMA is approving more and more restaurants. “We ensure the standard remains high by reviewing the Muslim-operated establishments at least every other year, and the non-Muslim ones at least once a year,” he said. (E) (By Oscar Chung)
(This article is adapted from “Palatable and Permissible” in the May/June 2020 issue of Taiwan Review. The Taiwan Review archives dating to 1951 are available online.)
