In the second quarter of 2026 the MBRF group reported net revenue of BRL 40.7 billion, driven by the BRF poultry platform and the Sadia Halal unit. This is not just Brazilian news: it directly concerns anyone in Italy who produces meat and wants to export it to Islamic markets. Here's why.
As reported by HalalFocus on 19 August 2026, drawing on an analysis by WATTPoultry, MBRF Global Foods Company closed the second quarter of 2026 with net revenue of BRL 40.7 billion, up 4.9% on the same period of the previous year. The result was driven not by the group's overall growth but specifically by two business units: the BRF poultry platform and the Sadia Halal division, which posted margins above the company average.
This is not an isolated case. Brazil is already the world's leading food exporter to the countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with $33.3 billion shipped in 2024 alone, and the Halal segment is the commercial backbone of that trade.
At first glance, the quarterly results of a South American giant may seem far removed from the reality of an Italian food producer. In fact the message is direct: a company's Halal unit is not an add-on, it is a margin driver.
This is exactly the point that many Italian quality managers still struggle to take on board. Halal certification is often seen as a bureaucratic requirement for opening a market, something to obtain once and then forget. MBRF's results show the opposite: a production unit built around Halal standards — with dedicated processes, a verified supply chain and certification recognised in the destination countries — can generate higher margins than the rest of the business.
Not all Halal certifications carry the same commercial weight. A buyer in Riyadh, Dubai or Kuala Lumpur does not accept just any stamp: they check that the certification body appears on the list of bodies recognised by their country's authorities. If the certificate is not accepted locally, the product does not get in.
This is where an Italian producer can build a real advantage over competitors from other European countries who rely on bodies without international recognition. The markets that today absorb the largest share of Halal imports require certificates issued by bodies recognised by specific national authorities:
A certificate recognised in these markets is not a bonus: it is the minimum condition for being on the shelf or in an importer's price list.
The MBRF/Sadia Halal case suggests a three-step strategic reflection.
1. Decide which markets you want to reach. Islamic markets are not a monolith. Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Indonesia, Malaysia and others have different technical requirements and reference authorities. Before starting any certification process, you need to know exactly where you intend to sell, because the recognition of the certification body varies from country to country.
2. Check that your supply chain is compatible with Halal standards. For meat, this means looking at slaughter, line separation, and the management of additives and processing aids. For the food industry more generally, it means mapping ingredients and production processes against the Halal requirements applicable in the destination market. This work should be done before certification, not during it.
3. Choose a certification body with genuine recognition. It is not enough for a body to claim it is recognised: you need to check that it appears on the official lists of the target country's authorities. A body formally recognised by the main importing countries offers a concrete guarantee that the certificate will be accepted at destination.
Sadia Halal's result did not happen by chance. It is the product of years of investment in certified processes, in relationships with the authorities of importing countries and in a supply chain designed from the outset to meet the required standards. For an Italian company that wants to compete in the same markets, the path is the same, even if the scale is different.
The good news is that Italian companies start with a recognised quality advantage on international markets: the reputation of Made in Italy food. What is often missing is the certification framework that makes that product purchasable in Islamic markets. Closing this gap does not take months of work: it takes a clear initial assessment and a certification body that knows the specific requirements of each destination market.
If you are considering entering one or more Islamic markets and want to understand where to start — which standards apply to your product, which countries require which type of certification, what it involves in terms of internal processes — HQC Italia provides a free quote within 24 hours. The quote is always based on your own products and destination markets, not on a generic answer.
Source: HalalFocus – BRF, Sadia Halal units drive record Q2 margins for MBRF, 19 August 2026, drawing on WATTPoultry Staff.
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