Domino’s Pizza opens halal branch in UK with meat toppings edible for practising Muslims. But fast food giants in Ireland claim they see no market...
“THAT’S good news,” beams Muhammad Mohbob, manager at the Tasty Hut halal restaurant in Dublin, when told that major fast food chains in Ireland won’t be establishing halal outlets anytime soon.
Domino’s Pizza last week announced that it would buy-in to what is a multi-million dollar global industry and open a Birmingham branch serving pizzas certified as halal – with meat toppings edible for practising Muslims.
But a company spokesperson told Metro Éireann that although Domino’s is open to proposals from potential franchisees, “a strong business case” would be needed to initiate a similar move in Ireland.
McDonalds held a similar viewpoint. “There was a halal trial in the Southall store in London,” said a spokesperson for the chain’s Ireland operations, “but here it’s not something that’s been requested and there are no plans to introduce it. We’d certainly look at it if there was a demand.”
Burger King said it serves “an extensive range” of halal products in its Middle Eastern restaurants and would “continue to monitor the Irish market” regarding the introduction of halal meat.
An exception appears to be the Subway sandwich chain, which says on its website that it has established halal stores, where meat “has been prepared according to the rules of halal and has been certified by the Islamic Foundation of Ireland. ” However, a search mechanism on the company’s website for halal outlets in Co Dublin yields no result.
The number of Muslims in Ireland has increased considerably since the 1990s. The 2006 census puts the figure at over 30,000, but community sources suggest that it could be much higher.
Yet the figure pales in comparison to some areas of the UK, such as Birmingham – where Muslims make up over 16 per cent of the population.
And while the absence of some well-known burgers, halal-style, may disappoint some of Ireland’s Muslims, you can bet that small trader halal restaurateurs won’t be too disappointed.
The aforementioned Muham-mad Mohbob, who manages a halal takeaway and restaurant on Dublin’s Upper Dorset Street, told Metro Éireann it is “good news”, naturally meaning more business for him.
He also emphasised that eating halal-only meat is a non-negotiable aspect of the Islamic faith, which most Muslims take seriously.
“They care yeah, definitely, ” he said. “If I don’t have halal no-one [Muslim] will come here in my shop. It’s very, very important.” He also does not sell beer, wine or any alcoholic beverage, in accordance with his faith, but does get custom from non-Muslims too.
While there is disagreement among Muslims in Ireland as to how seriously adherence to halal food is maintained, Mohbob insists that the majority of Muslims only want to eat halal meals.
A customer who pops into Tasty Hut agrees. “It’s very important,” says Hassan Dugow from Kenya. “We can’t have any other meat. It’s in the Qur’an, it’s mentioned that we can only eat meat that’s slaughtered, it has to be slaughtered. Some people say by a Muslim.”
He says it is not difficult to source halal meat in Dublin, but it can mean a trip in from the suburbs. “If it’s not halal, I don’t buy it,” he continues. “I used to live in Kerry two years ago and I’d go all the way to Cork city to get halal meat.” His Muslim friends share the same view, he added.
Tasty Hut gets its chicken from a halal butcher in Dublin – the Khalid company – and sources its lamb and mince from Topmark, a supplier and importer of foods for Ireland’s ethnic and Asian market.
What is halal?
According to the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, halal is an Arabic word meaning ‘lawful’ or ‘permitted’.
Meats from animals improperly slaughtered or dead before slaughtering are not considered halal.
The Halal Food Authority in the UK further explains that to make halal meat, the animal or poultry has to be slaughtered in a ritual way known as Zibah. This requires animals to be alive and healthy at the time of slaughter, and the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe need to be severed with a razor-sharp knife by a single swipe, to incur as little pain as possible. The deed should be done in the name of Allah, and all the flowing blood must be drained from the carcass.
The Halal Food Authority maintains that a Muslim must perform the slaughter.
deputyeditor@metroeireann.com
