International food buyers and sellers meet in Dubai, with focus on Halal

Dubai

The world’s largest annual food and hospitality exhibition, according to its organisers, returns to Dubai on Sunday, with exhibitors from across the globe assembling to sell their seeds, cereals, and sourdough to large corporate customers, such as hotel chains and airlines.

 

Running from February 18 until February 22, the event is taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre, with the 23rd edition of the show featuring over 5,000 local, regional and international exhibitors hawking their wares, and 97,000 attendees bearing witness to the food industry’s latest trends and technology.

Specialised segments of the show will focus on the Halal food industry, estimated in recent research to grow to a $10 trillion market by 2030, a chef competition, and dedicated areas for beverages, health and wellness foods, and fats and oils.

Gulfood launched in 1987 in Dubai, and has since established itself as a key player in the international food market. The competition will be fierce as participants look to sign large bi-lateral trade agreements and take advantage of a tourism sector set to grow to 1.5 billion people by 2020.

 

Designed to highlight eight of the biggest food commodity trading sectors, the event will also host specialised halls for: Dairy, free-from foods, pulses, grains and cereals, meat and poultry, power brands and world food.

The Emirates Culinary Guild International Salon Culinaire, a cooking contest, is a staple of the event.

The annual competition, one of the world’s biggest, will showcase more than 1,000 chefs, judged by an expert panel mandated by the World Association of Chefs Societies (WACS).

Trade delegations will visit from countries such as Pakistan, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia.

Possessing a large Muslim population, the travelling delegation of 23 Philippine companies say they hope to take advantage of the growing Halal industry, connecting with large groups such as hotels and catering companies that can provide reach and network.

“We have carefully primed a roster of 23 top exporting companies in a grand showcase of the Philippines’ best product selections in the world’s biggest trade platform for food and ingredients,” the Manila Times quoted Philippine trade department official Lourdes Mediran as saying.

In its participation at Gulfood, the Department of Trade and Industry — Centre for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM) says that it is looking to generate at least $110 million in export deals as the Philippines seeks to grow its 5 per cent share of the global halal market.

Similarly, Pakistan says that it will send 13 businesses in the agriculture industry, showing off halal meats, off-season vegetables, and kinnow mandarins, networking with international buyers and sellers during their time in Dubai.

The food and beverage sector in the Gulf is expected to continue to grow by 7.1 per cent annually, reaching $196 billion by 2021, according to MENA Research Partners, a regional research company.

The company says that the market is currently valued at around $130 billion.

As a percentage, Saudi Arabia alone accounts for more than half of that, followed by the UAE with 31 per cent.

Inaugural Chicago Halal Festival Expects 20,000 People at Navy Pier

USA – The organizers of the inaugural I Heart Halal Festival expect 20,000 people to attend the three-day event slated for April at Chicago’s Navy Pier. The expo, which will spotlight Halal food, fashion, and other products, is billed as the first of its kind in America. It’s modeled after the long-running London Muslim Lifestyle Show.

The event, April 13 to 15, will feature 20 to 25 local food vendors, giving the festival a Taste of Chicago feel with halal food. Organizers aren’t ready to name participants, but they want diversity. They’ll have more than shawarma and South Asian food. Research has showed that halal food consumers want burgers, pizzas, and hot dogs, too. The festival is hopeful to attract non-halal restaurants to “go halal for the weekend.” By showing the public how easy it is to use halal products, they hope to encourage more restaurants to offer halal food. Locally, Epic Burger has embraced the strategy as the Chicago chain serves halal burgers.

“The Muslim consumer in North America today is like every other person,” said Asma Ahad, one of the event’s board of directors. “They want everything; they’re not limited to traditional ethnic cuisine.”

Likewise, restaurant supply chain is ready to meet the demand for more halal food in America, said Ahad. The event will draw various companies who hope to establish relationships with restaurants and food service companies such as Aramark. Halal meat is slaughtered in a particularly way, in accordance to Muslim beliefs. It also can’t come from a forbidden animal (no pork).

Ahad points out that many colleges, including the University of Chicago and University of Illinois, have halal food counters that are popular with Muslims and non-Muslims. New York’s popular Halal Guys picked Chicago as its first market outside of The Big Apple to serve gyros.

“Our target audience is the millennial population who’s really open to learning and experiencing new things,” she said.

Likewise, international travelers have seen American fast–food chains, like KFC, offer halal options. However, the chain is gun shy on declaring they have halal options stateside. The festival will hopefully encourage transparency in labeling: many restaurants already serve halal products but won’t label them, Ahad said.

Originally, the event was to take place in November in suburban Schaumburg, but Salman Chaudury, also an event board member, said Navy Pier and downtown Chicago are bigger draws. The Chicago area has a large, diverse group of Muslims including Hispanics, Arabs, Eastern Europeans, African Americans, and South Asians.

Chaudury called halal food “the next evolution” for anyone interested in organic foods and cleaner living. I Heart Halal will raise awareness by connecting customers to suppliers.

“We’re hoping that after the restaurants see the huge demand for halal that they’ll think, ‘why not switch?’” he said.

Subway to go halal, garners mixed reactions

Singapore – After quietly changing its logo, Subway has now boldly confirmed that it is in the process of preparing an application for halal certification from the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS). Following the buzz on Subway’s move towards becoming halal-certified, the restaurant chain garnered mixed reactions from netizens on its Facebook page, and some claiming they would boycott the brand.

Speaking to Marketing on the move, Michelle Lee, head of marketing, Southeast Asia/Hong Kong/Macau, said that the move was a strategic direction taken for Singapore in response to consumer needs. She explained that it was also a result of consumer feedback and the reviewing of its menu to better cater to consumer needs. Lee added:

We want the wider community in Singapore to experience our brand.

That being said, Lee explained that the company does not foresee any significant brand impact due to results garnered from the company’s market test on non-pork products. It had observed guest choosing different flavours from its menu as opposed to recipes which feature pork proteins.

If Subway’s application is successful, the brand looks to have in-store communication materials to inform customers of affected sandwiches.

On ground staff will also advise customers which sandwiches are affected by the change to non-pork proteins upon order.

This is not the first time the topic of Subway getting a halal certification was discussed online. In 2008, the sandwich joint addressed requests from Muslim customers to make its menu halal-certified. Citing high operational costs and price increase concerns, the brand explained why it could not obtain the certification at the time; it added that doing so would also disable it from participating in Subway’s global supply chain at the time.

“Subway is fully committed to serving customers with safe and quality products that meet or exceed our global requirements. We have been exploring halal conversion and want to get it right,” Lee added.

Speaking to Marketing on the move, Lawrence Chong, CEO of Consulus, said that the move makes sense in a highly competitive and challenging period for the fast food segment in Singapore. Beyond the usual players, there is now a wide proliferation of options, fancy concepts from the region. This includes health-oriented models that are customised via apps for the busy professional.

“Coupled with labour costs and rental still on the high side, brands simply have to maximise their chances by ensuring they can serve as many segments as possible,” Chong explained.

Meanwhile, Q Akashah, executive director, OgilvyNoor Singapore said that the move to get halal-certified would likely help expand its base of customers. This was based on the excitement within the Muslim community about their application to be Halal-certified.

“Subway’s move to go halal in London a few years ago got some backlash, but it made business sense. Its customers are not just locals, but also many Muslim visitors (like us from Singapore) who patronise its halal joints,” Q Akashah said.

She added that historically in Singapore, established brands within the category which became halal-certified have generally benefited from making the move. These benefits extend beyond revenue increase, but the creation of a solid base of regular customers providing recurring income for a sustainable business.

Will Subway see a dip in customer footfall?

When asked if Subway should expect a drop-off in customers after going halal, Chong said that any drop in customer footfall will likely be offset by a whole new segment which is sizeable in the context of Singapore, and regional visitors. This was likely considered by Subway when it examined the data and locations.

“This early seeding or sharing of the news could also be a way to gauge the response of the current customer base. That being said, things can still change,” Chong added.

For OgilvyNoor’s Akashah, the drop off result is possible among die-hard fans of Subway’s menu. However, drop off as a result of issues pertaining to “religious ignorance and/or biasness” is unlikely. This is especially in a society such as Singapore, which she says is an inclusive one.

Also weighing in on the topic is Luke Lim, CEO of A.S. Louken, who too believes that the food type adjustment would not impact the existing customer base.

This makes the move a win-win situation for both the brand and its consumers as it expands the F&B offering for the Muslim community.

“I believe Subway has the brand equity and strength to extend itself to the Muslim community,” Lim added.

Subway needs to know how to engage the Muslim segment

Subway’s success however, would highly depend on how well it executes the move. According to Akashah, there are also other factors at play. For example, brands need to have a good understanding of their new customer segment to make the right business decisions. This ranges from store location, marketing and communications efforts that would resonate with different groups of customers.

Akashah added that an increasing yet troubling trend that follows with this type of business move is a drop in quality of the food or service. This may be due to a lack of manpower or increasing expectations and pressure to meet.

“As such, it would be silly for brands to hold on to stereotypes about this consumer segment having lower expectations of quality, or their willingness to spend,” Akashah said.

She explained that young Muslim consumers – in Singapore and around the world – are becoming increasingly more affluent and discerning. While they may try out establishments which are halal-certified, there is no guarantee on their return. This is especially in Singapore where there are increasingly more choices introduced by small, local brands who have been quietly filling the gaps left by bigger brands.

Agreeing with her was Chong, who added that beyond a Halal certification, Subway will have to think about how engage the new segment. Going halal is always a major decision which requires the company to rethink menu, processes, staffing, supplies, marketing and more. As such, it needs to have a strong marketing angle, and build it up to create a huge buzz with the new customer segment.

“The scene here has grown more sophisticated in the fast food segment, so the move is necessary to maintain a national retail network, and ensure you are not just a niche player with limited presence,” Chong explained.

Mamee to share halal expertise at Winter Olympics in South Korea

SEOUL (Feb 5): Malaysia’s involvement in the halal kitchen operations at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics from Feb 9 to 25 will fortify the nation’s role as an authority in halal certification.

Food for the 170 Muslim athletes participating in the games will be prepared in accordance with halal standards set by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM), said its Halal Hub Division Director Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee.

The halal kitchen will be led by Malaysian Faizul Hazly Ghazali, who is Executive Chef at Shinsegae Mamee Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between Mamee-Double Decker Sdn Bhd (Mamee) and Shinsegae Food Inc.

Shinsegae Food is the official food supplier for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Sirajuddin said JAKIM’s involvement in the halal kitchen would indirectly help to position Malaysia as a leading global authority in halal certification.

He was speaking to Malaysian reporters, here recently after a press conference by Shinsegae Food announcing Malaysia’s involvement in the halal kitchen at the games village.

Harness Mamee’s expertise

Sirajuddin said Mamee — whose food and beverage manufacturing facilities have halal certification — and Shinsegae Food’s long collaboration has helped Mamee to share its halal expertise on an international platform for the benefit of the Muslim athletes participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics.

“It also indirectly shows that Malaysia adopts an ‘open door’ policy and is willing to work with any party or industry player wishing to participate in the halal industry, ” he said.

JAKIM would not have any representatives at the games village as Mamee has the expertise to oversee all the operations at the halal kitchen and ensure that they complied with JAKIM’s halal standards.

Sirajuddin said JAKIM’s indirect involvement in the halal kitchen was by way of capacity development, based on the knowledge and expertise currently available at Mamee.

“We’ve already developed Mamee’s awareness and commitment towards the halal status. However, if any new issues arise, JAKIM is more than happy to help out.”

Application for halal certificate

JAKIM receives more than 100 applications annually for its halal certification from international manufacturers, particularly those from China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

Where South Korea is concerned, not only is halal certification sought for its food products but also its cosmetics that are popular among Malaysians.

Sirajuddin said the fact that Malaysia was often chosen by other nations to execute their halal certification processes reflected their confidence in the Malaysian halal certificate.

“Malaysia’s halal certificate is accepted and recognised by other countries, especially Arab nations, ” he said.

He said in the past, several Chinese and Japanese exporters have tried exporting their products to Arab countries using halal certificates issued by China but the goods were refused entry.

“The exporters were then advised to meet JAKIM to secure Malaysia’s halal certificate. That was the only way for them to penetrate the Arab market, ” he explained.

Pointing to the State of the Global Islamic Economy report published by multinational mass media giant Thomson Reuters & Dinar Standard, Sirajuddin said Malaysia had received the top ranking for the 2016/2017 world halal market.

According to the report, Malaysia enjoyed the overall top spot in three sectors, namely halal food, Islamic finance and halal tourism.

Halal logo

Meanwhile, Mamee Islamic Affairs and Government Relations Manager Ahmad Syukry Ibrahim said two of Mamee’s products sold at South Korean supermarket chain E-Mart — which is a subsidiary of Shinsegae Food — did not carry the halal logo although they were certified by JAKIM.

The products concerned are Mister Potato and Mamee snack.

“It’s up to the importing countries to decide whether they want to put the logo or not. For the export market, it’s not an offence if the halal logo is not stamped on the packaging of halal-certified products.

“For the Malaysian market, however, we’re not exempted from displaying the halal logo because it is compulsory, ” he said.

His company encouraged its product importers to highlight the halal logo, said Ahmad Syukry, adding that Mamee was still in talks with Shinsegae Food to have the halal logo displayed on the packaging of its Mister Potato and Mamee snack products.

AirAsia pushes for Halal in tourism Read

INCREASED awareness and availability of Halal-compliant tourism products and services are needed to sustain the recently-launched direct flight between Davao City and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. AirAsia Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer for Digital, Transformation and Corporate Services Aireen Omar said in her speech Thursday, February 1 during the DVO-KL Officiating Ceremony at Marco Polo Hotel – Davao that cooperation among the government and tourism players plays vital in maintaining traffic in the route. The DVO-KL AirAsia flight was launched last December 21 and is now operating with four times weekly. “We appreciate Philippine’s push for increase awareness and availability of Halal-compliant products and services. As we continue to increase connectivity between the communities of Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), it is important that the needs for tourism around this region are also met,” she said adding that halal tourism is huge in the Asean market. On improved and vibrant Halal tourism, Omar cited Japan for its successful implementation of programs for halal-compliant tourism emphasizing that it can be done in Asean, especially Philippines. “We can do the same in Asean and I think Mindanao has a lot to offer in this part of the region (Asean) to draw in more tourists from across our 634-million-people-strong Asean,” she said. AirAsia, she said, is committed to make the new international flight a success and enable Davao as a gateway hub in Southern Philippines for Asean and beyond. “We are optimistic that Davao will do very well as a destination and we look forward to work hand in hand with Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, the national government and other tourism bodies to grow Davao further,” she added. The DVO-KL route, Omar shared, has been doing fine in terms of load factor maintaining an average of 80 percent load, over a month after its inaugural flight. Duterte-Carpio, for her part said, that the city will do its part to show and prove to the investors that Davao is a good investment and tourism destination. “First, we need to let the people know, especially the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) that there is an existing flight. Second, we need to prepare the city for the type of tourists that will come from Malaysia,” the mayor said. Duterte-Carpio added that they are presently getting the guidelines for the implementation of Halal Law (Halal Export Development and Promotion Act of 2016), we have been pushing for Department of Trade and Industry and the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos particularly for the guidelines of the local implementation. “We are preparing the city for the hotel accommodation, our dining options, our sites, our accessibility and mobility of the city,” she said. Preparations and efforts to promote Davao The regional office of the Department of Tourism is presently in talks with Davao restaurants and hotels urging these establishments to be, if not Halal-certified, at least Muslim-friendly. To further promote investment and tourism of the city, the Davao City Investment and Promotions Center (DCIPC) and the City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) are set to have international missions and local roadshows in the pipeline for the 2nd quarter and 3rd quarter this year. DCIPC head Lemuel Ortonio said they initially plan to pattern their future visits to Malaysia and Singapore after their Japan investment and tourism roadshow October of last year wherein the Dabawenyo delegates were able to sit down in a business forum with the country’s investment and tourism representatives to discuss and provide information about Davao City. Ortonio said the roadshow to Malaysia and Singapore is targeted on the 3rd quarter of 2018 and will be part of the support for the two international direct flights that Davao City has in order help sustain the said flights. Duterte-Carpio said the city’s focus countries, apart from Malaysia and Singapore, are Japan, Korea and China. Air connectivity With various direct flights launched, both local and international, Davao is building to become an international gateway in the southern Philippines. Omar said the international flights will open the city to extensive network of destinations in Asean, Northeast Asia, South Asia, Australasia, the Middle East and the US. “We are committed to growing tourism beyond the most famous tourism hotspots. By improving connectivity in secondary cities, we help to spur development beyond the capital, we hope that our international flights to Mindanao bring in economic contributions in terms of tourism receipts, creation of jobs, and opportunities for SMEs and marginalized communities,” she said. The direct flight is one of the positive results gained from the Phnom Penh, Cambodia visit of President Rodrigo Duterte last December 2016 where in the President and Fernandes had investment talks.

Read more: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/business/2018/02/04/airasia-pushes-halal-tourism-587279

SAB water ‘not halaal’

The Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has called on Muslims to stay away from any water provided by South African Breweries should Day Zero arrive.

SAB has offered to supply 12 million bottles of water, taken from the Newlands spring, to be distributed among Capetonians should the taps run dry on 12 April.

This water will be bottled in unlabelled recycled quarts (750ml bottles) at SAB, and this has caused concern for Muslims.

“How will we know if the water comes from SAB, will they put their name on it? We can’t go near wine, so I would appreciate it if they can make this clear,” one Muslim woman asked.

Islam forbids its followers from drinking – even an empty wine bottle that has been rinsed would still be regarded as contaminated.

Sheikh Riad Fataar, the second deputy president of the MJC, has urged the Muslim community to remain calm and avoid anything alcohol-related.

PROVIDING: SAB to recycle quarts
“Premier Helen Zille assured the MJC executive members that other bottling companies will also be asked to assist with the bottling of water and not only SAB.

“Therefore, we encourage the Muslim community to stay away from anything associated with alcohol as far as possible,” Sheikh Fataar said.

He says Zille has assured the MJC that the 750ml SAB bottles will not be handed out to Muslims.

But Moulana Mogammet Fazloodien from Tafelsig asked how this would be monitored, and slammed Zille for “disrespecting” practising Muslims.

He says the SAB bottles might give some Muslims the notion that it was OK to consume alcohol.

FILL: SAB plans to give 12 million bottles of spring water
“This is exactly like getting Muslims to drink alcohol. According to our teachings, we may not even be near the pallets or the crates containing alcohol. It is wrong and I personally condemn this. It is an insult to me and my faith,” Moulana Fazloodien said.

According to Islamic teachings, Muslims may consume food normally regarded as haraam, such as pork and alcohol, in times of dire need and if nothing else is available to them.

saafia.february@inl.co.za

Muslim population growth drives record demands of halal products

Global market research company, Euromonitor International, unveiled via webinar the latest trends shaping the halal market as companies race to benefit from a pool of untapped consumers.
“Population changes, increasing disposable income and growing internet penetration are some of the key factors driving growth of halal products demands.

“Disposable income of countries with the top five biggest Muslim-populations such as Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Iran, have grown by 257% and internet penetration has risen by 31% for these same markets,” says Euromonitor International’s senior analyst, Emil Fazira.
According to the webinar, ‘New Consumerism and the Global Halal Market’, the Muslim population grew by 18% over the last 10 years compared to the global population growth of 11%, strengthening demand for halal food, drinks, beauty and fashion products among others.
Within Asia, non-Muslim majority countries like Singapore and Philippines are major markets for halal packaged food and drinks, at US$1.4 billion and US$7.5 billion respectively.
(Euromonitor International)

Cape Town Vying for Halal Tourists

South Africa has realized the need to appeal to the Muslim traveler, with Cape Town making it possible for such an individual to enjoy a visit while still observing the cultural and religious practices. Cape Town, like many African cities has a long history of Islam, which has influenced the local culture to some extent, African Exponent reported.

Africa was the first continent into which Islam spread from Asia in the early 7th century. In 2002, Muslims constituted 48% of the population of Africa. A majority of Muslims can be found in North Africa, Horn of Africa, Swahili Coast and much of West Africa. A number of them can also be found in South Africa.

South Africa is a top tourist destination in the continent, bringing in 1.52 million tourists in 2016. Now, Cape Town is exploring the untapped market to attract Muslim travelers.

South Africa is rated fourth most popular non-Islamic destinations for Muslim tourists, Crescent Rating reported.

Speaking to CNN’s Market Place Africa, Enver Duminy, CEO of Cape Town Tourism, said although traditionally Cape Town was perceived a European city with a bit of Africanism to it, the narrative is now changing to accommodate the history of many Muslims living in the city. “We need to understand the market first of all—understand what its wants and needs are, then make sure we deliver that in a more professional way, and also in a more respectful way, by firstly understanding the culture,” he adds.

Hilton Cape Town City Center has diversified its services to meet the expectations of Muslim travelers.

In addition to availing prayer mats and Holy Qur’an upon request, the rooms are marked with qibla, which indicates the direction of Kaaba, in Mecca, which Muslims face when praying. The bathrooms are also specially designed to accommodate the needs of the visitors. When it comes to meals and drinks, pork and alcoholic drinks are not served at halal-qualified hotels

Indonesian ‘halal science’ professor wins 2018 King Faisal Prize

Indonesian Professor Irwandi Jawsir has won the first prize of prestigious King Faisal Prize this year. He has been honored for his contribution toward establishment and development of ‘Halal Science’.

Here is what we know about the man. Professor Jawsir was born on December 20, 1970. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Food Technology and Human Nutrition from Bogor Agriculture University. Prof. Jawsir did his PhD in Food Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University Putra in Malaysia in the year 2000.

Prof. Jawsir serves as the deputy dean of the International Institute for Halal Research and Training (INHART) and Secretary of Council of Professors at the International Islamic

Halal food
Prof. Jawsir has held several academic and administrative positions during his career. He has published over 120 peer reviewed articles in scientific journals besides 30 research studies, on Halal Science. He has received over 60 awards and honors.

The committee considered his contribution toward developing new methods for analyzing substances used in the manufacturing of ‘Halal Food Alternatives’, as well as practical procedures for producing Halal Gelatin from Halal sources such as; camel and fish.

The King Faisal Prize consists of a hand-written calligraphy certificate summarizing the laureate’s work, a commemorative 24 carat, 200-gram gold medal and a prize money of $200,000.

This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on January 11, 2018.

Iranian Hotels, Cafes to Get Halal Certification

Hotels and cafes that provide services under halal standards could apply for a certification, following a contract signed between Iran Organic Association and Halal World Institute.

According to Seyyed Reza Nourani, director of IOA, the move is in line with efforts to develop and modify principles of tourism for providing services based on Islamic standards.

“HWI ensures that tourist centers, hotels and restaurant serve organic halal food for tourists,” IRNA quoted Nourani as saying.

According to the regulations, halal-certified centers will categorize food products into three color groups: green for organic food, orange for natural food and white for healthy food.

“They could also specify tables with the three colors for each food category,” he said. Halal services are not limited to food, but also cover pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Health and beauty items are screened through proper procedures, monitoring the presence of any contaminants and heavy metals.

“The certified hotels and restaurants will find and attract new customers while keeping their past clients. Furthermore, customers will not be charged more for their choice of halal services,” Nourani added.

Halal World Institute was established in 2013 to promote and expand halal culture. Its main objective is preparing the ground for distinguishing halal goods and services from non-halal ones. The issue is considered both as an Islamic religious belief and as a superior standard. Islam divides foods, beverages, clothing and other products into halal (allowed) and haram (prohibited).

According to the latest report published by WiseGuyReports.com, the global halal food market size exceeded $772 billion in 2016 and is anticipated to reach $2.55 trillion by 2024, driven by the rising demand for consumption of halal meat, which is healthy and prepared in a hygienic manner.

Asia Pacific has the highest market share in terms of revenue and is projected to maintain its dominance in the market over the forecast period. Increasing Muslim population and growing awareness among consumers in Asia Pacific countries such as Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines are expected to further expand the market.