Latest news with #Halal
Eater
3 days ago
- Business
- Eater
6 Recent Twin Cities Restaurant and Bar Openings to Know in August
is the Associate Editor for Eater's Midwest region, and has been covering Chicago's dining scene for over a decade. As summer rolls on, the Twin Cities continue to welcome a bunch of new restaurants. From the reopening of a classic malt shop to a beautiful Downtown steakhouse, there's an exciting mix of newcomers to check out. Welcome to the Opening Report, a curated roundup of recent restaurant openings big and small across the Twin Cities. Did we miss a spot? Drop a note at the tipline or email twincities@ and we'll consider it for the next update. August SOUTHWEST — Rejoice, the Malt Shop has returned. The beloved retro spot — first opened in 1973 — for burgers, malts, and shakes closed this past January after failing to renew its liquor license. But new ownership has taken over the restaurant and brought back the classic offerings, as well as added dirty sodas to the menu. 809 W. 50th Street in Minneapolis. EXCELSIOR — Chef David Fhima's latest project draws from his Sicilian heritage. At Vagabondo, guests can expect Neapolitan pizzas made from Fhima's grandmother's 130-year-old sourdough starter, pastas, Sicilian baked fish, lasagna, and traditional desserts like tiramisu prepared tableside and cannoli. There's also a coffee lounge for breakfast, pastries, and caffeinated beverages in the mornings. 205 Water Street in Excelsior. July DOWNTOWN — A swanky steakhouse has arrived in the Westin Hotel Minneapolis. Stock & Bond is a temple to beef and whiskey, featuring Linz Heritage Black Angus and more than 350 brown spirits. It's the restaurant's second outpost — the original debuted in Oklahoma City in 2022. The 8,300-square-foot has an art deco-influenced design and a 40-foot-long bar and can accommodate up to 250 guests. Stock & Bond is open for breakfast and dinner, with lunch and brunch service coming soon. 88 South 6th Street in Minneapolis. EDEN PRAIRIE — Right in time for pigskin season, Halal restaurant Football Pizza has opened its third location in the southwest suburbs. Fans can order football-shaped pies with topping combinations like meat lovers, Mediterranean, and Hawaiian, along with kebab and gyro plates, sandwiches, salads, wings, and more. The restaurant was founded in 2000 in Minneapolis and has a second outpost in Eagan. 582 Prairie Center Drive in Eden Prairie. EXCELSIOR — Following the openings of Parlour last year and noodle bar Shiki in June, Jester Concepts is back with a third restaurant in the same Downtown Excelsior building. Mirabelle offers traditional American fare such as prime rib, roasted chicken, and grilled salmon to go along with rotating specials like meatloaf and fried chicken. Cocktails also lean toward riffs on classics, including a negroni with root beer bitters. There's patio seating on Water Street as well. 200 Water Street in Excelsior. WOODBURY — The team behind Estelle in St. Paul has opened a new Italian restaurant in Woodbury. Led by chef Kenzie Edinger, Liliana focuses on fresh pastas made in-house, like mafaldine with guajillo meatballs, and farfalle with lobster and pork. There's also a selection of cicchetti, antipasti, and larger entrees, plus amaro and vermouth for pre- and post-meal tipples. 10060 City Walk Drive in Woodbury. Eater Twin Cities All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Focus Malaysia
3 days ago
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
DagangHalal-JETRO launches Japan Halal Export Pavilion to enhance Japan-SEA halal trade
the world's largest halal-verified B2B e-marketplace will support Japanese halal-certified players in an upcoming initiative with the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Kuala Lumpur by boosting the presence of Japanese halal-certified products in Southeast Asia (SEA), particularly in Malaysia. Through this strategic partnership, DagangHalal will host the Japan Pavilion on its dedicated platform by enabling Japanese halal-certified manufacturers to directly showcase their products to verified buyers across more than 90 countries. This initiative marks the first-ever national halal pavilion from Japan hosted on the home-grown halal gateway, hence highlighting the platform's robust global reach and strategic role in facilitating international halal trade. 'This project with JETRO reinforces DagangHalal's commitment to connecting quality halal suppliers with global markets,' the company said in a statement 'We're honoured to support Japanese businesses in expanding their footprint within the rapidly growing halal consumer segment. 'We aim to provide seamless access, targeted exposure and meaningful business connections for Japanese halal-certified products through our digital platform.' JETRO's current initiatives on Malaysia's halal market focus strategically on recognisng the latter as a significant gateway to Southeast Asia's 280 million-strong Muslim consumer base which is projected to grow to about 310 million by 2050. Malaysia itself hosts around 21.6 million Muslims, thus making it an ideal market for halal-certified Japanese products. This dedicated Japan Halal Export Pavilion aligns seamlessly with DagangHalal's mission to simplify international trade for halal-certified products through digital solutions and compliance management. DagangHalal through its cutting-edge digital platform, the Halal Internal Assurance System (HIAS), complements JETRO's strategy by providing essential tools that are able to streamline certification processes, enhance transparency and facilitate swift market entry. In addition to the digital presence, DagangHalal also supports JETRO's efforts at major physical trade shows, including the Food & Hospitality Malaysia (FHM) 2025 which is scheduled for Sept 23-26 this year. During the event, the curated Japan Street halal catalogue developed by JETRO will be leveraged to enhance in-person business meetings, thus connecting Japanese suppliers directly with Southeast Asian halal-focused buyers. – Aug 8, 2025
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
TOMCL enters new market in Tajikistan
KARACHI: The Organic Meat Company Limited (TOMCL) has announced a significant expansion of its international market presence with its entry into Tajikistan, a new market within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region. The company has secured confirmed export orders for frozen boneless beef valued at $3.24 million, which are to be fulfilled over the current financial year. This move marks a strategic breakthrough for TOMCL, solidifying its position as a major Halal meat exporter from Pakistan and continuing its expansion into high-potential emerging markets. The company has already started production and exports of the frozen boneless beef, which has been specifically tailored to meet Tajikistan's import regulations and standards. TOMCL's latest success builds upon its previous export ventures into the CIS region, which include Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. The company highlights several key factors contributing to this milestone, including a growing demand for Pakistani Halal meat in untapped Eurasian markets and strong customer confidence in TOMCL's quality and logistics capabilities. This also diversifies the company's export portfolio beyond the GCC, ASEAN, and MENA regions. According to the company, this development will help support Pakistan's national agenda for export diversification, generate positive foreign exchange inflows, and strengthen the country's footprint in non-traditional meat export markets. TOMCL's management stated its commitment to further expanding its Halal meat export base across Central Asia, the CIS, and Eastern Europe. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Chicago Tribune
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Halal Fest expects to bring about 20,000 attendees to Naperville's Frontier Park this weekend
The third annual Halal Fest returns to Naperville's Frontier Park this weekend with Halal dishes from around the globe, artisanal crafts from local businesses, camel rides, and traditional dabke and zaffa dances. Previously known as the Naperville Halal Fest, the Chicagoland Halal Fest will be held from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday. About 20,000 people are expected to attend this year, according to the Illinois Muslim Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event. 'Halal is kind of a way of living,' said Shafeek Abubaker, president of Illinois Muslim chamber. 'Halal in literal meaning, it means permissible by God. But when it comes to food, which is what halal is generally connected with, there is a specific way of slaughtering an animal or cooking a food when it comes to the halal regulations.' Last year, the Naperville event attracted 15,000 people, nearly double the 8,000 who attended in its debut year, Abubaker said. Its success may push the organization to move it to the DuPage Event Center and Fairgrounds in Wheaton next year, he said. One reason for the event's appeal, Abubaker said, is the diversity it features. 'What this event does is it brings the different cultures and communities within the Muslim community in Chicagoland together at this event,' he said. 'So we try to showcase different ethnicities, cultures, food and merchandise.' This year the food options will range from Mediterranean by the popular Al Bawadi Grill to Halal burgers from Bumper 2 Burger. Attendees can also find Halal Mexican food at this year's festival, a cuisine that has become more popular in the Muslim community in recent years, according to Abubaker. 'Celebrating the identity, showcasing and supporting small businesses, bringing the community together, allowing people to see the commonalities even when we may look different or pray different — these are the reasons why we do this event,' he said. Abubaker also thinks the festival's welcoming environment helps contribute to its popularity, noting that 20% to 30% of attendees are non-Muslim. This year they also will be featuring vendors and performers from outside of Illinois, including places like Pennsylvania and Indiana. One band he is particularly excited about is the Virginia-based group VADA, he said. 'It's comprised of young artists who are actually first generation kids who grew up in the United States but (are) connected with the music called the Qawwali,' Abubaker said. 'And so that's really popular within the Indo-Pakistani subcontinent culture so we will be showcasing them on Saturday evening.' The Illinois Muslim chamber bills its event as 'the nation's largest halal-themed festival' and says it reflects a growing demand for halal food, products and experiences. Last weekend, the first summer halal food festival was held in Atlanta. Philadelphia's second annual Philly Halal Food Fest in September 2024 drew more than 6,000, and Houston hosted its second annual Texas Halal Fest in December. Abubaker thinks the regulations around halal food is part of what's driving this interest nationwide, with requirements including making sure the animal is healthy at the time of slaughter and ensuring the animal's death is quick and humane. 'Even beyond the religious beliefs, there are a lot of people who are even outside of the Muslim community now starting to like or accept halal food, mainly because of the way the meat is being processed,' he said. Chicagoland Halal Fest is continues as other events in Naperville have been canceled this year. This week, Indian Community Outreach announced that this year's India Day Parade would not be held, a decision made after the organization decided to scale back its day-long celebration due to enhanced safety requirements. The annual Naperville Salute was also canceled this year. Abubaker said that despite the extra burden that comes with some of the enhanced safety measures from the city — like the clear bag policy and use of metal detectors — organizers wanted to carry on because of its popularity. 'The city of Naperville has been very, very supportive and helpful for us all along,' Abubaker said. 'It is for the safety and security of the attendees, as well as the larger community, so we appreciate and we understand that.'
New Straits Times
30-07-2025
- Health
- New Straits Times
Nestlé organises 'Home of Good' event at Media Prima headquarters
KUALA LUMPUR: Nestlé Malaysia organised its "Home of Good" event at the Media Prima headquarters today, offering health screenings, interactive booths, and expert advice aimed at promoting simple, nutritious choices for everyday life. The company's chief executive officer Juan Aranols said the event was both a gesture of appreciation and a meaningful way to empower media professionals, key players in shaping public opinion, with tools to champion better health nationwide. "This is a great recognition of the partnership we've built with Media Prima and Omnia over many years. We felt it was a good opportunity to share some of our expertise around nutrition and healthy living, especially with individuals who influence how Malaysians think about wellbeing," said Aranols. As part of the programme, Aranols also met with Media Prima's senior leadership and key editors, including Media Prima Bhd Group chairman Datuk Seri Dr Syed Hussian Aljunid, Group managing director Rafiq Razali, New Straits Times deputy group editor Sharanjit Singh, Berita Harian group editor Zulkifli Jalil, and Harian Metro group editor Husain Jahit. The senior editorial team attended a special presentation by Nestlé Malaysia's group corporate nutrition manager, Wong Mei Ching, before being taken on a walk-through of the Nutrition Day booths. Aranols also emphasised Nestlé's long-standing presence in Malaysia and its commitment to public health. "We have been part of the life of the nation for more than 113 years. There are challenges today such as poor diet choices and sedentary lifestyles, and we believe it's important to equip the public with knowledge on how to live healthier. "It's not about good foods or bad foods, but about balance, moderation, and informed choices," he said. He also reaffirmed Nestlé's commitment to product quality and consumer trust, including Halal compliance. "Choosing Nestlé is always a good choice because Malaysians know they can trust how our products are made and what goes into them." The event featured free health screenings, consultations with nutritionists, and samplings of nutritious products such as Milo, Nestlé Omega Plus, and the new Maggi Air Fryer Marinade series. Visitors also explored the Nestlé Home of Good booth, which featured healthy lifestyle tips and easy-to-make recipe ideas. Wong said Malaysia is seeing a worrying rise in obesity and diet-related illnesses, as reflected in the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2023. "High sugar and sodium intake, and low awareness of portion sizes and balanced meals are key issues," she said. She highlighted the importance of early education, explaining that Nestlé's "Nestlé for Healthier Kids" programme has reached over 180,000 schoolchildren nationwide in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, with a target of half a million by 2030. To further support families, Nestlé also launched N4HK ParenPro, a parent engagement programme that includes interactive nutrition talks, cooking demos, and parent-child activities. "Nutrition is about more than knowledge, it's about building habits that last, and that often begins at home," she added.
