Barbican receives halal certification in Indonesia
Barbican, the malt drink from Aujan Industries LLC, a member of Aujan Coca-Cola Beverages Company, has received the halal certification from the Indonesia Ulama Council’s Food and Drug Analysis Agency (LPPOM MUI) in 2016. LPPOM MUI is the sole halal certifying body in Indonesia.
It is not know if Barbican is currently being sold in Indonesia. However, the malt drink, bottled in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, is already officially imported by Coca-Cola Refreshments Malaysia Sdn Bhd since the fourth quarter of 2016. The Barbican sold in Malaysia does not carry the halal logo but is recognised as halal by the National Fatwa Council of Malaysia.
According to the decision made by the National Fatwa Council in 2011, the council has ruled that malt soft drinks like Barbican can be consumed by Muslims. The National Fatwa Council chairman, Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Dr Abdul Shukor Husin said on 16 July 2011 “hence, such drinks are allowed to be consumed by Muslims in line with the decisions made by the council at its previous series of muzakarah or discussions (in 1984, 1987, 1988 and 2010).”
Still in early stage in Malaysia, said Ahmed Yehia
Barbican is described as performing “very well” by Ahmed Yehia country manager for The Coca-Cola Company Malaysia-Singapore-Brunei (image above), even though it was still early stages. He said this when asked about the performance the malt drink on the sideline of the launch of Coca-Cola Malaysia’s Independence Day commemorative can on 22 August 2017. Barbican is imported from the Middle East as the company does not have the facility to produce Barbican locally in the country.
Ahmed described Barbican as a “unique product” and “it goes well with a specific parts of the country.” He added Barbican is concentrating mainly in the Klang Valley and the company is working “to push it across the whole of Peninsular Malaysia.” In terms of marketing, Coca-Cola Malaysia is still evaluating and has no clear decision yet, explained Ahmed.
At the moment, Barbican is sold in most leading chains including at petromarts like Kedai Mesra Petronas, KK Supermart, Aeon Big, Giant, MyNews.com and 7-Eleven.
MUI logo for Barbican in Malaysia?
Even though Barbican and other malt drinks are widely sold in the Middle East without having the halal logo, the need to have the logo is pressing in Malaysia to assure Muslim consumers.
There is a high possibility that the Barbican in Malaysia might come with the LPPOM MUI halal logo in the future. For this to happen, the existing inventory has to be cleared first.
Once the product has the Indonesian halal certification, it can be sold in Malaysia without another halal certification from JAKIM.
What Mini Me thinks
Barbican with the halal logo from the LPPOM MUI will provide a strong assurance to Muslim consumers in Malaysia that it is safe to consume. Only then will this be proceeded by a potentially strong marketing push for Barbican in the country.
