KUALA LUMPUR: Nestlé Malaysia and Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) have reaffirmed their long-standing partnership in advancing Malaysia’s halal ecosystem.
This underscores the role of public-private collaboration in strengthening the country’s position as a global halal leader.
The collaboration was highlighted through the Synergy (Strengthening Your Network and Ecosystem for Resilient Growth) Halal Nestlé Malaysia dengan Kerjasama JAKIM initiative.
The programme additionally reflected Jakim’s recognition of Nestlé Malaysia’s end-to-end halal ecosystem, spanning manufacturing, supply chain management, education, community engagement and industry development.
Jakim director of the halal management division Muhyidin Aziz@Saarim said sustained cooperation between regulators, industry and the wider community was critical to building a credible halal ecosystem.
Nestlé Malaysia chief executive officer Juan Aranols said its halal commitment extended far beyond certification, describing it as a long-term operational responsibility embedded across its business, from factory floors to supplier networks and consumer trust.
He said Nestlé’s collaboration with Jakim and other stakeholders had helped build a broader halal ecosystem that now supports youth development, entrepreneurship and stronger local supply chains, while reinforcing Malaysia’s reputation for halal excellence.
As the Nestlé Group’s Global Centre of Halal Excellence, Nestlé Malaysia said its local halal standards and operating practices now serve a wider role across the multinational’s global network, helping shape halal assurance beyond Malaysia.
Nestlé Malaysia remains optimistic despite moderating growth after a strong expansion last year, noting that its operations continue to play an increasingly strategic role in Nestlé’s global manufacturing network.
Recent volatility, including tensions in the Middle East, had not made halal compliance more difficult for Nestlé, according to Arnolds.
The company had spent years building alternative sourcing channels and reducing dependence on more exposed supply routes, he added.
“Over the decades, we have built a close and longstanding collaboration with Jakim, and that partnership has become deeply embedded in the way we operate. Today, halal is not treated as a separate function, but as a core part of how we do business in Malaysia and across many other markets,” he added.
Nestlé Malaysia also highlighted its broader halal development efforts beyond manufacturing, including education, youth engagement and industry capacity-building.
Initiatives such as Halal@School, Halal@STEM, as well as the company’s SME mentoring programme with Halal Development Corpn Bhd, continues to reflect its wider push to strengthen halal knowledge, talent and capabilities across the ecosystem.