One of the main players in the Brazilian sugar market, NovAmérica, announced that it has just received halal certification for its sugars, guaranteeing that the production process respects Islamic procedures and that the product is adequate for consumption by Muslims. Certification was granted by the Brazilian Halal Food Center (Cibal Halal).
According to a spokesperson for the company, certification shows the quality of the sugar and that it was produced in factories inspected by Muslims.
The marketing manager at NovAmérica, Marielza Cavallari, says that "certification grants greater opportunities for sale on the domestic market as it attests to the adequacy [of the product] to a greater number of potential buyers."
"Apart from that, it also creates opportunities on the foreign market," she said, according to the company's press department.
As it is a certificate of quality, the company hopes to win not only Muslim consumers, but also consumers in general who require higher standards in their products. Halal certification, despite not compulsory for all kinds of products, is something that a company may offer to keep and expand its clientele.
According to NovAmérica, all the products made in the units the company has in Tarumã and Macaí, in the interior of São Paulo, have been certified. The items are refined sugar (fine and fast melting), granulated refined sugar, confectioner's sugar, crystal sugar, liquid sugars and table sweeteners.
NovAmérica, which owns traditional Brazilian sugar brand União, has four production units in Brazil and a new one under construction. Apart from sugar, the company also operates in the fields of ethanol and orange.
In its last fiscal year, which ended in April, the company had revenues of 1.1 billion Brazilian reais (US$ 603 million). The company employs around 10,000 people.
Anba
