Choosing a Halal Certification Agency

Companies seeking halal certification often face questions such as; Which halal certifier should I choose? What makes any halal certification agency different from another? Which halal agency is best for my brand?

This AHF insight seeks to give companies considering halal certification insight into the three major reasons American Halal Foundation’s (AHF) halal certification is the most valuable worldwide.

Strictest Halal Standards Enable Complete Consumer Acceptance

When selecting a halal certification agency for your product, you want to have complete certainty that the certification delivers you the most value compared to any other certification and logo. The purpose of placing a halal logo is to signal your product’s compliance with halal dietary requirements so your product is the best relative purchase choice for a halal consumer. This, in turn, generates sales growths and builds oft-sought-after brand loyalty. So, which halal certification should you obtain and which logo should you place?

The unequivocal answer is the American Halal Foundation (AHF) certification and logo. While our standards are stricter than average and thus our process more rigorous, the AHF certification and logo deliver the most value for your brand.

The reason is quite simple. AHF uniquely adheres to the halal standards most universally acceptable to all 2 billion halal consumers worldwide. This makes our standards some of the strictest among all the halal certifiers. AHF will only certify it if a product is universally halal. In certain rare edge cases where there are theological differences amongst schools of thought, AHF requires proper label disclosures so that the consumer is informed. This transparency inspires trust in products for consumers.

Thus, the AHF certificate and logo leaves no room for doubt for halal consumers. For example, in the case of bovine gelatin, many leading certifiers in the world accept any bovine gelatin stating that there is Istihala (complete transformation), and thus it is acceptable. There is no doubt that many consumers accept any kind of bovine gelatin, which would be no issue for them. However, there are many halal consumers for whom the principle of istihala (complete transformation) would not be acceptable. Thus when they look at the label and see a (non-AHF) halal logo, they may be confused and elect not to purchase it. There are many such cases.

It is quite simple. If your products adhere to the highest standard, you should align with a certifier with the highest standards.

International Accreditations Enable International Market Access

Halal certification is unique in the sense that it, unlike kosher, is often federally regulated by many countries. For companies seeking to sell internationally, their certification must be accepted globally. AHF maintains numerous recognitions and accreditations from global authorities such as The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM), the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), The Assessment Institute for Food, Drug and Cosmetic, The Indonesian Council of Ulama (LPPOM MUI).

Most importantly, through our membership in the World Halal Food Council (WHFC), AHF certification is accepted in every country.

From a standards standpoint, AHF certification is in accordance with the following international halal standards:

1. Codex Alimentarius Commission – Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepacked Foods – Codex Stan 1-1985, subsection CAC/GL 024-1997 – General Guidelines For Use Of The Term “HALAL”
2. AHF 5600:2020
3. MUI LPPOM HAS 23000
4. OIC/SMIIC 1:2019
5. GSO 2055-1:2015
6. MS 1500:2019
7. UAE.S 2055-1

To learn more about AHF’s international recognitions and accreditations, read more here: International Halal Accreditation & Recognition.

Efficient Processes Enable Companies to Achieve Halal Certification

While the above reasons make AHF halal certification the most valuable in the world, it would not be as valuable if the actual certification process was inefficient and highly challenging for companies. Therein lays the delicate balance between having the strictest standards and having a streamlined certification process. There are 3 key ways we drive efficiency in our certification process that make it easier for companies to achieve AHF halal certification.

Integrative Approach

AHF recognizes that many companies may have invested significant time, resources, and capital into achieving certifications such as GMP, NSF, SQF, BRC, and Organic and approvals from respected agencies such as the FDA, USDA, and EPA. The foundational principles of these certifications share many similarities in terms of food safety and labeling integrity.

Unlike other halal certification organizations that may impose redundant documentation requirements, AHF seeks to integrate with existing systems and protocols. For example, if your company maintains a sanitation program for an Organic certification program, that same sanitation standard operating procedure (SSOP) may suffice for AHF halal certification.

While our approach is independent, objective, and from the first principle of halal certification, our team of certification experts always seeks to take an integrative approach to capture efficiencies where possible.

Time Efficiencies

When your customer requires halal certification, they often demand that you provide it to them as soon as possible. An oft-heard complaint from companies is that other certification agencies take weeks to respond, do not provide clear timelines, and do not operate with a sense of urgency.

AHF recognizes the value of time for our customers. We have invested in global infrastructure to minimize the TTC (time to certification). The average client’s expected TTC is 2.5 weeks. Additionally, adding products and facilities to the certification is highly streamlined once a client is certified.

Cost Efficiencies

Irrespective of whether you are a Fortune 100 company or a startup, you will seek to rationalize the investment in terms of some kind of expected value. For this, you will need to know the cost inputs and the expected value of the certification. Unfortunately, many certification agencies have opaque pricing with additional fees such as travel, auditor fees, technical review fees, logo fees, application fees, and more, making it challenging to budget what halal certification will cost.

At AHF, our pricing is very transparent and linear. There is generally a Halal Production Faciltiy Registration Fee (per facility) and a Halal Product Certificate fee (per product). These two fees are the only fees a customer pays annually. They include all aspects of the halal certification program, including application processing, technical evaluation, auditor fees, travel expenses,and logo usage rights. Simply, at AHF, unlike most other halal certifiers, there are no hidden fees.

How to Obtain AHF Halal Certification?

Reach out to AHF by completing the contact form below, and a halal certification expert will contact you within 48 hours. You can also call +1 (630) 759-4981; our team will gladly assist you. We look forward to hearing from you!