Brahim's optimistic on new clients, global halal expansion
Speaking to reporters during the company's 37th anniversary celebration here today, he said more clients have resumed services with the company, including new airlines.
"In February, we had about half of our 37 airline clients back. Today, more have returned, and two new ones have joined us. One of them is a Chinese airline, reflecting the growing number of flights from China to Malaysia, especially to Penang," he said.
Brahim's, known as Malaysia's trusted inflight caterer and a pioneer in halal ready-to-eat meals, had served 38 airlines before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global aviation.
"Top airlines such as Qatar Airways, Emirates, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have resumed services with us. But we are still waiting for a few more to return," he added.
Despite the gradual recovery, Ibrahim said Brahim's has already reached operational break-even.
"Alhamdulillah, whatever new clients we onboard now will be bonuses. We are also waiting for new airlines and new opportunities to grow," he said.
Eyeing Overseas Expansion
He also revealed that Brahim's is in talks to establish a new inflight catering facility overseas through a joint venture.
"We are still discussing this, finalising things. If all goes well, we will make an announcement in October. It is a bit early to talk about it, but yes, we are exploring global expansion," he said.
Beyond airline catering, Brahim's has already ventured into the Japanese market with four restaurants in Tokyo. Two are wholly owned, while the other two are joint ventures with a Japanese hotel chain.
"The latest outlet opened two months ago in Tokyo. Alhamdulillah, it is growing well, and we are looking to expand further in collaboration with our Japanese partners," said Ibrahim.
Riding ASEAN Halal Tourism Wave
Looking ahead, he said Brahim's aims to tap into the growing halal tourism sector, particularly within ASEAN, which has the largest Muslim population in the world.
"In ASEAN, there is huge potential for halal business. If we work closely with countries like Indonesia and Singapore, we can collectively expand our halal footprint and even lead on a global scale," he said.
He also highlighted Brahim's leading edge in food technology, including innovations in retort technology -- a high-heat food preservation process -- that has gained traction in Japan.
"We are among the pioneers. That technology was very successful there, and it is something we can continue to leverage globally," he said.
Since its establishment, Brahim's has evolved from a traditional caterer to a global player in halal food innovation, with ambitions aligned to the recovery of aviation and the rising demand for halal-certified food products. - Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
35 minutes ago
- The Star
Ringgit strengthens on expectations of US Fed rate cut
KUALA LUMPUR: The ringgit opened firmer against the US dollar on Friday as traders shied away from the greenback amid growing anticipation of an interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve (Fed), said an analyst. At 8am, the ringgit rose to 4.2340/2580 against the greenback, compared to Thursday's close of 4.2465/2510. Bank Muamalat Malaysia Bhd chief economist Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid said Fed Governor Christopher Waller suggested the central bank cut interest rates this month, and that it should not wait for the labour market to deteriorate before doing so. Mohd Afzanizam added that investors remain cautious amid concerns whether countries can secure concessions before the new US tariffs take effect on Aug 1. "Issues surrounding the US tariff remain high on the agenda," he told Bernama. On the domestic front, he said all eyes are on the advance estimate of Malaysia's second quarter 2025 gross domestic product (GDP) scheduled to be announced today. "We forecast the economy will grow by 4.5 per cent, as front-loading activities are expected to support Malaysia's external demand, while a resilient labour market and ongoing investment activities will continue to drive domestic demand," he added. On that note, he said the ringgit is likely to trade within the RM4.24 to RM4.25 range against the US dollar today. At the opening, the ringgit was traded higher against a basket of major currencies. It rose against the Japanese yen to 2.8523/8687 from 2.8548/8580, strengthened against the British pound to 5.6867/7189 from 5.6886/6946 and advanced versus the euro to 4.9178/9457 from 4.9217/9269 at yesterday's close. The local note also trended higher against most Asean currencies. It rose vis-a-vis the Singapore dollar to 3.2939/3131 from 3.3013/3051, gained against the Thai baht to 13.0385/1201 from 13.0521/0720, appreciated against the Indonesian rupiah to 259.1/260.6 from 259.8/260.2 and edged up versus the Philippine peso to 7.39/7.44 from 7.41/7.43 previously. - Bernama
New Straits Times
35 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Rice prices in Japan surge 99pct, pressure mounts on PM Ishiba before polls
TOKYO: Rice prices in Japan soared 99.2 per cent in June year-on-year, official data showed Friday, piling further pressure on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ahead of elections this weekend. The price of the grain already rocketed 101 per cent year-on-year in May, having jumped 98.4 per cent in April and more than 92.5 per cent in March. Overall, Japan's core inflation rate slowed to 3.3 per cent in June from 3.7 per cent in May, the data from the internal affairs ministry showed. The reading, which excludes volatile fresh food prices, was slightly below market expectations of 3.4 per cent. Excluding energy and also fresh food, consumer prices rose 3.4 per cent, compared with 3.3 per cent in May. Public support for Ishiba's administration has tumbled to its lowest level since he took office in October, partly because of frustration over the cost of living. One of the main sources of anger has been inflation and in particular the surging cost of rice, as well as scandals within the ruling party. The 68-year-old leader's coalition was deprived of a majority in the powerful lower house in October. It was the worst election result in 15 years for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955. Opinion polls ahead of Sunday's election suggest the ruling coalition may lose its majority in the upper house as well. This could force Ishiba to resign after less than a year in office. He is under additional pressure to reach a trade deal with the United States before new tariffs of 25 percent take effect on August 1. Japan's important auto imports into the world's biggest economy are already subject to painful levies, as are steel and aluminium. US President Donald Trump wants to get Japanese firms to manufacture more in the United States, and Tokyo to buy more US goods – notably gas and oil, cars and rice – to reduce the US$70 billion trade deficit with the Asian powerhouse. Ishiba, who has sent his trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa to Washington seven times to try and broker a deal, was due to host US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday. The Bank of Japan has been tightening monetary policy since last year as inflation crept up but worries about the impact of US tariffs on the world's number four economy has forced it to take a slower approach. Factors behind the rising price of rice include shortages due to an intensely hot and dry summer two years ago that damaged harvests nationwide. Since then some traders have been hoarding rice in a bid to boost their profits down the line, experts say. The issue was made worse by panic buying last year prompted by a government warning about a potential "megaquake" that did not strike. The government has taken the rare step of releasing its emergency stockpile since February, which it typically only ever did during disasters.
New Straits Times
35 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Japan voters see little hope for tariff reprieve in Mazda's hometown
HIROSHIMA: When car maker Mazda sneezes, everyone catches a cold, say people in its hometown of Hiroshima in western Japan, but these days, auto parts maker Yuji Yamaguchi fears a deep chill is on the way. "If Mazda builds fewer cars, our orders will drop," said Yamaguchi, whose 110-year-old firm, Nanjo Auto Interior, has almost 1,000 employees making door panels and other parts for the automaker, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of its sales. "The key thing is whether we can remain profitable with lower volumes." The economic engine of Hiroshima, a manufacturing hub 800 km (500 miles) southwest of Tokyo, Mazda faces US tariffs of 25 per cent on automobiles, a dispiriting prospect for an electorate already battling inflation and a weak economy. Japan votes on Sunday in an upper house election that looks set to weaken the grip on power of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who has failed to win a tariff reprieve from the United States, its closest ally and a crucial trade partner. "I have no expectations for the Japanese government anymore," said Yamaguchi, a great-grandson of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. "I'm past frustration and have just resigned myself to things." As people in Hiroshima and other auto manufacturing regions, brace for the inevitable fall-out from tariffs, Yamaguchi said he had little hope the government could turn the tide. President Donald Trump has given no sign of relenting on his tariffs, and has even hinted at raising those against Japan. Mazda, which saw US sales fall 18.6 per cent in May on the year and by 6.5 per cent in June, is one of the Japanese car makers most exposed to US tariffs. Imports bring in the bulk of Mazda's American sales, but the importance of the wider industry for Japan is almost impossible to overstate. After Japan ceded global leadership in chips and consumer electronics, its auto industry has grown to make up about 28 per cent of the roughly US$145 billion worth of goods shipped to the United States last year. There are more than 68,000 companies in Japan's auto supply chain, a July survey by research firm Teikoku Data Bank showed, and the JAMA industry group says they employ 5.6 million people, or about 8 per cent of the labour force. "A supply chain is hard to rebuild once broken," said Hideki Tsuchikawa, research head at Teikoku Databank's branch in Hiroshima, which his firm estimates is home to more than 2,000 auto suppliers. "Automobiles are a core national industry. Government support is essential." The tariffs could cost Mazda and other smaller Japanese automakers US market share lost to bigger rivals, said Julie Boote, an autos analyst at Pelham Smithers Associates in London. Mazda, headquartered in Hiroshima, where it has assembly plants, has so far declined to give a full-year earnings outlook, citing the uncertainty of tariffs. In a statement, Mazda told Reuters its top priority was to protect suppliers, dealers and employees as it looked to overcome the tariff impact. It anticipated significant impact in the short term, the company said, adding it was taking all possible steps, such as asking for government countermeasures. 'NO OVERTIME, NO DRINKING' It is hard to say whether the uncertainty will further deepen voter anger over time, or how much opposition parties will be able to chip away at Ishiba's support as they look to tap into voter discontent. For the auto industry there seems to be no recourse except to return to a well-worn playbook of cost-cutting perfected during Japan's years of stop-start economic growth. No overtime means no extra money for drinking, said Koji Sasaki, the 54-year-old owner of a bar in the town of Fuchu close to Mazda's headquarters, where the automaker's employees usually form the bulk of customers. Their numbers have dropped in recent months, with some regulars apologising for making fewer visits, he said. Drinking in Sasaki's bar on a recent July evening was company veteran Toshiyuki Shimizu, 45, who said Mazda had already cut back on overtime and business travel for employees. "We used to bring junior staff along on business trips, but now I often go alone," said Akira Ichigi, a 32-year-old Mazda colleague, adding that the limits denied junior employees valuable experience acquired on such trips. Mazda has set up a tariff strategy team that was meeting each week in Hiroshima, said one company insider, speaking on condition of anonymity. But Mazda faced constraints in finding ways to tackle the tariffs from a labour shortage in the United States, that kept it from boosting capacity at its sole plant there, operated with Toyota, the source added. Mazda said overtime cuts and a business travel review were part of its drive to cut 100 billion yen in costs. Essential travel continued, but it was evaluating whether accompanying staff were necessary, it said. The company set up a team to monitor tariffs and was working with suppliers and dealers, it said, adding that key to increasing supply to the US market were its efforts to tackle labour shortages and strengthen the supply chain. For now, parts supplier Yamaguchi said he was not considering specific steps to counter the tariffs. "In business, we need to have long-term vision," Yamaguchi said, likening the moment to the COVID-19 pandemic, when his company posted a loss in 2020 but returned to profit the next year by working to boost efficiency rather than cutting costs.
