Japanese-owned convenience store chain FamilyMart has put a stop to the sale of alcoholic beverages in all 360 of its stores in Malaysia, to give Muslim customers the confidence to shop freely
Chia Lik Khai, managing director of QL Maxincome Sdn Bhd, told Bernama that the sale of alcoholic beverages only contributes to a small portion of the business.
“We are depending on our food and beverages to cover the sales (omission),” he said.
Chia explained that this decision had been implemented since March to give Muslims the reassurance needed to dine at FamilyMart stores without any fear.
QL Maxincome Sdn Bhd managing director Chia Lik Khai (second from right)
Chia said FamilyMart’s in-house drinks and ready-to-eat food are also halal certified, including oden (Japanese tom yam), hot snacks such as ‘crispy chiki katsu’ and corndogs, as well as sofuto (soft serve ice cream)
“Currently, there are 16 FamiCafés operating in Malaysia, with the objective to open 50 more by the end of this year. The ultimate aim is to obtain halal certification for 300 FamiCafés by the year 2025,” he explained.
Image is for illustration purposes only.Image via Halal Navi Blog
According to Chia, FamilyMart will also undergo halal audits following guidelines set by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) in stages
“Two stores located in Klang Valley are going through the process right now,” he said.
Chia added that since 2019, FamilyMart Malaysia’s food preparation centre operated by QL Kitchen has been recognised as halal by JAKIM.
“Our food products are also registered as halal on JAKIM’s official halal portal,” he added.
