Japanese yuzu producers target Malaysia's halal food market

At the Malaysia International Halal Showcase 2026, representatives from Japan's Kochi Prefecture introduced a range of halal-certified yuzu goods, hoping to capture a larger share of Malaysia's growing halal market. Akihisa Ikeda, who leads the Kochi Representative Office in Singapore, explained that the participation marked the prefecture's first appearance at MIHAS. The exhibition featured Kochi Ice Co Ltd, which produces yuzu-based desserts, and the Umaji Village Agricultural Cooperative, representing local yuzu growers and offering drinks and jams.

Existing sales of halal-certified frozen yuzu desserts are already present in Japanese eateries, and the cooperative's products are stocked in retail outlets. Ikeda highlighted that yuzu is popular in other ASEAN nations and Europe, and that producers will maintain current pricing despite rising packaging costs to preserve product quality. The push reflects Kochi's broader strategy to broaden its export footprint beyond Europe and the United States into Asian markets.