Saudee gives halal products healthy, innovative twist
Because halal products need not be bland, unhealthy or monotonous, Saudee Group injects not just flavour but innovation in its range of fresh, frozen and bakery products.
Because halal products need not be bland, unhealthy or monotonous, Saudee Group injects not just flavour but innovation in its range of fresh, frozen and bakery products.
Saudee is the name behind some of the most trusted halal food brands - Saudi Gold, Farm's Gold, HomeCook and Deli Deli - that are widely distributed among Malaysia's major supermarkets, including Mydin, ÆON Big and Giant Hypermarket.
"Beyond meticulously complying with Islamic shariah, our objective is to produce high-quality halal products that our consumers can afford - in Malaysia and worldwide," says Louis Tan, executive director.
To ensure the integrity and consistency across its product line, Saudee established a specialised standalone halal committee that regulates all halal-related matters. It is also addressing the growing concerns over mechanically deboned meat (MDM) and will soon adopt MDM-free processing for its sausages and other meat products.
Formerly known as Sinaria Corporation, Saudee started in 1985 as a chicken and beef trader. It diversified in the 1990s into processed products including burgers, sausages and meatballs. By 1997, it was already producing nearly 100 tonnes in various halal products annually. Saudee has since grown with four subsidiaries: Perusahaan Saudee, Saudi Cold Storage, Nutriveg and Sunwish Venture.
"Coming from humble beginnings taught us how to be resilient, hard-working and innovative," Tan says. "Research and development (R&D) is crucial - with everyone from the founder to the production staff pitching in. We then integrate feedback from customers and adopt local flavours such as Szechuan, satay, Mexican and Swiss."
Among the company's latest innovations are centre-filled meat products and scallop-shaped chicken nuggets, which require only pan-frying - and not deep-frying - since they have been 70 per cent cooked during production. For a bigger health boost, Saudee is also developing steamed burgers and nuggets.
"Responding to health and quality concerns is vital to Saudee's customer service and product development," Tan says. "Adding value for our customers and partners is just as important as differentiating ourselves in the industry."
Saudee also caters to major original equipment manufacturers. Equipped with an in-house R&D team, it welcomes collaborations and recipe customisation with equally passionate partners to develop distinctive new products.
The company is thrilled to bring products to the Middle East, Indonesia, Brunei, India and other Islamic markets, and neighbouring countries Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea and China.
"We envision becoming a global halal solution provider," Tan says. "We aim to increase our brand equity and create more innovative products that the halal industry will be proud of."
www.sinariacorp.com