Russian meat and feed producer Cherkizovo Group has commenced exports of halal poultry meat to Tanzania, marking its entry into the East African market.
The company’s poultry farm in Lipetsk shipped the first batch of 54t of poultry meat to Zanzibar, Tanzania.
The facility received licence to export halal products in April after the production process was certified on its adherence to the Islamic rules of animal slaughter.
Total exports to the country are expected to reach 500t by the end of this year.
Cherkizovo head of the exports Andrei Terekhin said: “Even though our first shipments to Tanzania are relatively small in volume, the launch of exports to Tanzania marks another milestone in our journey to expand sales of our products internationally.
“Since over 90% of Zanzibar’s population practices Islam, we anticipate high demand for our halal products and hope to increase export volumes to the country next year. Exports are a strategic sales channel for Cherkizovo and growing our export markets is one of our priority development areas.
“We are currently reviewing new export opportunities in the Near East, Middle East and Africa and we look forward to expanding our export footprint.”
The company used a latest technology to re-engineer its production process to meet halal standards, as part of it efforts to access opportunities for halal meat both in domestic and international markets.
Cherkizovo currently produces smaller broilers of 1.1kg-1.3kg under its Dajajti halal brand, which are shipped in the frozen form.
One of the largest distributors of poultry meat, including premium halal meat, in East Africa, Zanchick will distribute Cherkizovo's poultry meat in Tanzania.
