Irish Company To Help Kedah's Products Enter European Market

ALOR SETAR (Kedah, Malaysia), May 17 (Bernama) -- Ireland-based Manma & Hibiscus Asian Store, will assist in marketing the products of four Kedah entrepreneurs in that country, and subsequently help penetrate the European market. The four chosen by Manma & Hibiscus are Zuza Food Industries (black pepper sauce and Thai chili sauce), Zinon Food Industry (seven types of food flavouring), SNT Duha Industry (dried noodles) and Jeruk Madu Pak Ali (assorted pickled products). Manma & Hibiscus Asian Store managing director Kamarulzaman Abd Manan said the company desired to help develop and introduce a variety of Malaysian products to the European countries. "Although I live in Ireland, I want to introduce to the people there, products from Malaysia," he added. He was speaking at the ceremony for the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Manma & Hibiscus Asian Store, the four entrepreneurs and Kedah Agro Industries and Marketing here Thursday. Kamarulzaman hoped that the cooperation between his company and the local entrepreneurs will assist in promoting their products. He said of nine companies shortlisted, only the four were picked to enter the European market, as they fulfilled the necessary criteria for it and their products were universally accepted basic ingredients for food. "For those companies which were unsuccessful in entering the European market, they should not be disheartened, as we will try to assist in pushing through their products in stages," he added. Earlier, 32 products, produced by the nine entrepreneurs from Kedah were sent to Ireland on a trial basis and after eight months, only the four concerned were successful in securing a foothold there. Meanwhile, Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak said efforts to market the products of the four local entrepreneurs, was the result of the two-way cooperation between Kedah Agro Industries and Marketing and Manma & Hibiscus Asian Store. "Manma & Hibiscus Asian Store agreed to promote the Kedah products in the Irish market although it is difficult to do so," he added. He said the entrepreneurs chosen should further enhance productivity and quality to ensure products are well accepted in Ireland. "We also invite more entrepreneurs to become involved in trying to have their products promoted by Manma & Hibiscus Asian Store in Europe, particularly in Ireland and England. Azizan said Kedah Agro Industries and Marketing will become the middleman to facilitate arrangements between the entrepreneurs and Manma & Hibiscus Asian Store as well provide oversight towards improving products and the market. Kedah located in the northwestern part of Peninsular Malaysia. -- BERNAMA