With Budget 2027, Malaysia has announced a support package for Halal SMEs, aiming to reach RM 80 billion in exports by 2030. A market that grows with stated targets and dedicated public resources is a market that demands certified partners. Here is what this means in practice for an Italian food company.
With Budget 2027, Malaysia announced a strengthening of its Halal SME development programme through the Halal Development Corporation (HDC). The stated goal is to reach RM 80 billion in Halal exports by 2030, a figure that requires an ecosystem of reliable, certified international suppliers. For an Italian food company, this is not background colour: it is a clear signal of where demand will be concentrated in the coming years.
HDC manages the accreditation of Halal certification bodies through JAKIM, the Malaysian religious authority whose standard is one of the most rigorous and widely recognised benchmarks in the world. The fact that Malaysia is expanding support for its SMEs — with grants for first-time certification and export-readiness programmes — has a direct consequence: Malaysian companies entering international channels will look for ingredients, raw materials and finished products from partners already certified to JAKIM requirements or by bodies recognised by JAKIM.
At the same time, Malaysia has recognised five Vietnamese certification bodies approved by JAKIM, a sign that the network of mutual recognitions is expanding rapidly. Those who are not already positioned risk being excluded from supply chains that are taking shape right now.
JAKIM — the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia — is the authority that recognises the Halal certification bodies accepted in Malaysia. Only products certified by JAKIM-recognised bodies can enter the Malaysian market under the Halal designation. HQC Italia is recognised by JAKIM, which means a Halal certificate issued by HQC is valid for entry into the Malaysian market without further local bureaucratic steps.
For an Italian company producing meat, cured meats, preserves, food ingredients, bakery products or beverages, this recognition is the key to a market of tens of millions of Muslim consumers — and to an international supply chain built around JAKIM standards.
The window of opportunity is not unlimited. As Malaysia accelerates its export plan and strengthens its SMEs, competition in destination markets — the Middle East, South-East Asia, Africa — will intensify. Positioning yourself today with a recognised certification means:
Export targets announced by governments — such as Malaysia's RM 80 billion by 2030 — are built through trade agreements, international fairs and supplier selection that take place years before the finish line. Italian companies that get certified today can take part in building them. Those that wait will find channels already occupied by competitors — Australian, Brazilian, Turkish or Vietnamese — who moved first.
Halal certification is not a bureaucratic cost: it is a commercial requirement that unlocks access to a market with documented growth targets and public funding behind it.
The first step is to understand which products in your range can be certified, which ingredients require verification and which production processes are involved. HQC Italia provides a free quote within 24 hours and manages the entire certification process, from the application to the issue of a certificate recognised by JAKIM and the other international bodies.
Source: HalalFocus — HDC Steps Up Halal SME Development As Malaysia Targets RM80 Billion In Exports, 13 October 2026.
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