What becoming halal-certified means for Singapore restaurants

SINGAPORE – Among the new additions to Singapore’s halal food scene are a gyukatsu steakhouse, a samgyetang restaurant and the country’s first fully halal food hall.

With more than 4,000 establishments out of over 23,600 retail food establishments islandwide, the pool of halal-certified eateries here is getting bigger and more diverse, growing at a rate of 10 per cent each year, according to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis). 

Obtaining halal certification could involve recipe reconfigurations, rounds of auditing and copious documentation. In 2025, only 75 per cent of applications – for both new and renewing businesses – were approved. So, what drives companies to go through the process? 

“Sometimes companies think, only 15 per cent of Singapore is Muslim, why bother to go halal? But Singapore society is unique. We play together, we work together,” says Mr Azmi Abdul Samad, chief executive of HalalHub Consultants, which has helped brands such as Burger King and Subway obtain halal certification. 

Even for Muslim-owned restaurants, there are advantages to getting certified. Ms Fathin Marican, a manager at another halal consultancy, HCS Consultants, points out that this allows restaurants to bid for big events on platforms such as GeBiz, the Government’s e-procurement portal. 

“Certification gives businesses a sense of credibility. It shows that they have a good track record and that they maintain a certain level of discipline and integrity,” she adds.  

Besides, it enables them to cater to Muslim tourists from neighbouring Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, among others. “When they come to Singapore and want to eat, the first thing they’ll look for is halal certification,” says Ms Fathin. 

Tourists from Indonesia and Malaysia made up over 20 per cent of Singapore’s international visitors from January to September 2025.

For Paris Baguette, this is a prerequisite for global expansion. The South Korean bakery-cafe chain obtained official halal certification in February. Ms Hana Lee, chief executive of Paris Baguette AMEA, says: “We have a vision of becoming the No. 1 bakery-cafe brand. And to become a truly global bakery, we have to be able to reach all markets.”

In the case of Canadian coffeehouse Tim Hortons, which was certified halal that same month, inclusivity was reportedly top of mind.

“Our guiding principle is to be inclusive for all,” says Ms Shazilla Ong, head of marketing at Tim Hortons Singapore. “Singapore is a melting pot, so we want to be a place where people can meet their Muslim friends for a drink or a bite.”

Korean fried chicken joint Daily Chicken at Bugis Junction and fusion cafe Lucine by Luna at 111 Somerset echo this message, stressing their desire to reach as many as possible. 

Thus far, this approach seems to be paying dividends.

Ms Krystal Goh, executive director of Katrina Group, which runs Daily Chicken, says: “We’ve seen a steady pickup since the announcement, which has been encouraging. It tells us there was genuine demand we hadn’t been able to serve before.”

The process

So, your restaurant has decided to get certified. What now? As any consultancy worth its salt will warn, it is not as simple as removing pork and lard from the menu. 

First, business owners need to comb through their larders. Generally, ingredients can be divided into four broad risk categories: low, medium-low, medium-high and high. 

Each category requires a different set of documents – from a general questionnaire for medium-low-risk items such as pasta or flour, for instance, to a Muis-recognised halal certificate for high-risk produce like meat and gelatine. 

After applicants submit the necessary documents, Muis will conduct a site audit. Businesses must ensure a minimum number of Muslim staff, and at least two employees have to pass the Halal Competency Assessment.

Muis says that the average processing time for applications is approximately 30 working days from the receipt of complete and accurate documentation, though some applications may require operational adjustments, such as ingredient reviews, during the assessment process.

It might also take businesses a while to make the necessary preparations before submitting an application, so the overall process could take several months, according to those which have attained certification.

So far, Paris Baguette Singapore, which operates 28 stores nationwide, has forked out around $30,000 for courses, audit fees and other requirements. This works out to around $1,000 an outlet – a cost Ms Lee says is worth it.

Beyond such expenses, there are other operational challenges to deal with. In Mr Azmi’s experience, the biggest hurdle many of these already manpower-strapped businesses face is the hiring of Muslim staff.

“It’s a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation because Muslim staff might be hesitant to work in a place that is not officially halal-certified yet, but the establishment can’t obtain certification without sufficient Muslim staff,” he says. 

Plus, adhering to halal regulations makes it difficult for Tim Hortons Singapore to hop on trends because it takes more time to source for suitable halal-certified suppliers to turn an idea into reality – by which time the hype might have evaporated. 

Meanwhile, Gyusei Gyukatsu Wagyu Steakhouse, which opened in September 2025 and sells Singapore’s first halal-certified A5 wagyu gyukatsu, has been somewhat impacted by having zero alcohol sales. 

Given that alcohol is usually a strong contributor to restaurant margins, this was only to be expected, says Mr Ryan Wong, managing director of TK Group Singapore, which runs the restaurant in North Bridge Road.

Also, the procurement cost of halal-certified wagyu is 30 per cent higher than that of regular wagyu on average, due to the additional sourcing, certification and handling requirements.

Mr Wong says: “However, our model has always been built around strong product value and a broader customer base.”

He adds that the restaurant receives a balanced mix of Muslim and non-Muslim diners. “What’s encouraging is that the concept resonates beyond dietary requirements, and diners are coming for the quality of the wagyu and the uniqueness of the experience.” 

Profit, though, is not a given. Chickata Cafe in Bedok, which brands its offerings as halal “mookata”, sans the “moo” (pork in Thai), initially found itself caught between markets. 

When it opened in Jurong East in 2017, Muslim diners were put off by its red chairs – commonly associated with Chinese restaurants – and unfamiliar cuisine. “They didn’t understand what we were serving, and would tell us there’s no such thing as halal pork,” recalls owner Jackeline Goh, 42. 

Chinese customers, too, were reluctant to give the restaurant a shot because they were adamant that mookata had to include pork. “We could depend only on our friends and, even then, they were sceptical.” 

Though she and her husband Ng Wee Seng, 40, were eventually able to cultivate a loyal base of customers, they had to start from scratch when they moved their business to Bedok in October 2025.

“It will take time for us to become reputable here, but so far, we’ve received a lot of positive feedback,” she says. To her relief, the company finally broke even in March. 

Still, Ms Goh stands by her decision to serve halal food. “It’s more meaningful this way. It makes me so happy to hear people thank us for doing this.” 

What has changed?

As far as food is concerned, it is business as usual at Paris Baguette Singapore’s outlets.

The brand removed pork and lard from its menu in 2021. And though its dough is now supplied by a halal-certified factory in Malaysia – which opened in 2025 and is owned by the brand – Ms Lee insists that quality and taste have remained consistent. 

Besides, over the last four years, the company has progressively replaced ingredients like coffee and tea with halal-certified alternatives. “And so far, we haven’t received any feedback on this,” she adds. 

There have been no major overhauls at Tim Hortons either, since it entered the Singapore market in 2023 with the intention to eventually obtain halal certification.

“We’ve just been tightening guidelines and making sure we take extra precaution when customers bring outside food into the outlets,” says Ms Murni Ibrahim, head of operations at Tim Hortons Singapore. 

However, a few items – namely Cake TimBits, Apple Fritters and Honey Crullers – have been temporarily removed from the menu, as the team is still finding ways to replace ingredients such as vanilla essence, which typically contains alcohol. 

Daily Chicken has had to re-source roughly 80 to 90 per cent of its ingredients as well, while Lucine had to tweak its menu by replacing certain sauces that did not meet halal requirements. 

At Gyusei Gyukatsu Wagyu Steakhouse, products traditionally made with mirin or sake had to be reworked, including condiments like tartar sauce, nanban sauce, yuzu kosho, katsu sauce and ponzu.

“Each required careful reformulation to achieve the same depth and balance without the use of alcohol-based ingredients,” says Mr Wong. 

This is a creative impediment that fine-dining restaurants like the Michelin green-starred Fiz in Tanjong Pagar Road simply cannot afford.

While the South-east Asian restaurant obtains its meat and poultry from halal sources, chef-owner Hafizzul Hashim says halal certification would disqualify his kitchen from working with small speciality farmers and producers, who may not have the resources or scale to get formally certified. 

He adds: “That doesn’t necessarily mean their products aren’t halal in terms of sourcing and handling – just that they aren’t officially certified. For us, working with these producers allows us to maintain a certain level of quality and traceability that’s important to our concept, while still ensuring we avoid non-halal ingredients like pork and lard.” 

Other Muslim restaurateurs, like Mr Hairul Isa, are likewise reluctant to obtain official certification for their businesses. “In the past, when I positioned my brands as Muslim-owned, it was difficult for me to bring it to non-Muslim customers,” says Mr Hairul. “So, when I rebranded Cherry & Oak, I wanted to let the restaurant speak for itself.” 

He now positions the Owen Road restaurant first and foremost as an Asian smokehouse with modern techniques and fusion flavours – think sambal burnt ends or lamb cutlets with smoked nasi lemak bakar. All his meat is halal-certified, and the kitchen abstains from using pork or lard. 

“I find that there’s no need for official certification, which comes at an additional cost. I’m Muslim and my obligations are towards my creator. They don’t end after I get a certificate,” he tells The Straits Times.

A welcome change?

When sandwich chain Subway obtained halal certification in 2018, it met a wave of mixed responses from customers, many of whom bemoaned the loss of pork and bacon-flavoured items. 

The brouhaha reached such fever pitch that a post went up on the r/singapore subreddit, beseeching netizens not to “go around witch hunting or blaming Muslims” for these changes.

While it is natural for major change to encounter some degree of resistance, researcher Diyanah Anwar cautions that these reactions – though ostensibly about food and taste – could easily morph into something more sinister. 

“Such backlash can unveil underlying tensions which may exist in society, but are more observable in the online sphere, where individuals have more space or anonymity to voice their opinions,” says the National Institute of Education lecturer, whose work revolves around topics of multiculturalism and citizenship.

“This may also question the strength of Singapore’s multiculturalism and the rhetoric surrounding it. For harmony to be upheld, there must be cultural coexistence and tolerance of one another’s differences and practices.” 

But Dr Diyanah is optimistic that as Singapore’s population grows more diverse and social media helps to popularise various lifestyle choices, understanding – not just towards Muslim diets, but also the requirements of Hindus, Buddhists, vegans and vegetarians – will increase. 

In any case, brands such as Tim Hortons and Paris Baguette are undeterred by potential pushback.

This is how Ms Lee rationalises it: “If you rely purely on social media, there will always be positive and negative comments. But ultimately, the positives overwhelm the complaints.”  

Muslim converts such as Ms Denise Deanna Chew reject the characterisation of halal food as inferior. She converted to Islam in 2009 when she married a Muslim, and now runs a halal Chinese restaurant, DK Signatures, in Jalan Masjid. 

While she concedes that it is nearly impossible to replicate certain dishes such as kway chap, she has devised comparable recipes for prawn mee and Hokkien mee, whipped up by chefs who have tasted the non-halal versions of such dishes.

“I have very high expectations of my food. For prawn mee, I use chicken instead of pork and boost the taste with lots of seafood. There are some customers who tell me that my prawn mee has a stronger seafood taste than the Chinese version, and I take that as a compliment,” says the 42-year-old.

She substitutes chicken skin for pork lard in her Hokkien mee and has found it palatable enough to please even her fellow converts, who say it resembles the dish they used to eat. 

Monster Planet, the halal-certified sister brand of Monster Curry, has likewise enjoyed some success in its quest to replicate familiar flavours with different ingredients.

The curry sauce at its outlets at Tampines 1 and JEM uses a chicken base instead of pork, and the months of research and development appear to have paid off.

Its assistant brand marketing manager Shirley Khng says: “We have found that existing Monster Curry fans naturally gravitate towards whichever Monster Planet outlet is nearest to them, so there is a strong crossover in our customer base.”

The advances in taste can be explained in part by the growing number of halal suppliers and the breadth of their offerings.

When Mr Azmi worked at Muis in the early 1990s, it was difficult to source for items such as halal cheese, which he says is readily available today. 

“There are even alternatives for things like ham and pepperoni now, and some restaurants tell us that some customers can’t tell the difference between ham made with pork and halal ham,” he adds.   

And in the case of wagyu, Mr Wong insists that there is no difference in taste between halal and non-halal beef.

“Wagyu quality is determined by breed, feed and grading,” he says. “The key distinction lies in the halal slaughter process, which is carried out in accordance with Islamic rites. This extends beyond slaughter to include the entire supply chain, from processing and air freight to storage and handling.” 

A flourishing scene

Creative director Fairus Dasimin remembers a time when halal food options were limited to “traditional cuisines or a small number of chains”.

“Today, Muslims in Singapore have access to Korean BBQ, artisanal cafes, Japanese concepts, steakhouses, pastries, hotpot, omakase-style experiences and more,” says the 44-year-old, who runs the social media brand SG Halal Deals. 

Nonetheless, he emphasises the importance of distinguishing between “genuinely” halal options and food labelled as Muslim-friendly. “The term ‘Muslim-friendly’ can be ambiguous, especially if the business is neither Muslim-owned nor actively pursuing certification,” he says. 

Such conversations would not have been possible a decade ago, says Ms Jumaiyah Mahathir, 36, who runs the Instagram account Halalfoodhunt. “When I started in 2014, there weren’t many content creators talking about halal food. But now, the needle has shifted a little. People are definitely more receptive to discussing halal requirements and standards.” 

She is cheered by the appearance of small businesses serving niche specialities like Mon Chinese Beef Roti in VivoCity, adding that unique concepts typically stand a better chance of gaining a foothold in the market. 

But brands hoping to court Muslim customers should take care to maintain the right degree of cultural sensitivity. Some faux pas she has observed include lunch promotions being offered during the Ramadan period and traditional foods served in the wrong format.

Ms Jumaiyah also hopes for a better distribution of halal restaurants. “Most are concentrated in the Arab Street area or in the east. Where I live in Bishan, I definitely don’t have as many options.” 

Which is why she urges those bothered by the “halal-ification” of certain brands to spare a thought for their Muslim friends and neighbours. “When you go to a mall as a non-Muslim, you can eat almost everything there. But my options are, at best, 50 per cent.” 

And ultimately, she adds: “Me having more options does not decrease the number of options you have.”