Borong, Malaysia’s leading wholesale B2B e-commerce provider, has introduced Salaam Market, the country’s first digital retail platform dedicated to the Halal sector. Launched in collaboration with Maybank Islamic, this initiative aims to position Malaysia as a leader in the international Halal industry.
Salaam Market is designed to empower local SMEs by providing Halal certification support and financial services, facilitating their entry into the complex Halal market and expanding their reach globally. The platform enables SMEs in Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Singapore to source Halal-certified products at competitive prices with no minimum order requirements, aiming to reduce costs and increase convenience.
The global Halal market is projected to grow to US$5 trillion by 2030, with domestic growth estimated at US$113.2 billion. However, SMEs often face challenges such as high ingredient costs, complex certification processes, and limited access to working capital.
Seated row (from left to right):
En Adnan Sharif, Head, Halal Ecosystem, Maybank Islamic;
Dr. Muhd Ramadhan Fitri Ellias, Strategic Programme Director, Maybank Islamic;
Aizat Rahim, Managing Director & Co-founder, Borong;
Ervin Chai, Brand & Marketing Lead, Borong.
Back row (from left to right):
Nabil Amzar, Digital Halal Project Lead, Maybank Islamic;
Shariza Rasheed, Halal Product Development Lead, Maybank Islamic;
Hakam Hamzah, Senior Business Development Executive, Borong,
Zulamir Sofian, Senior Customer Experience Executive, Borong;
Syaza Farhana, Operation Executive, Borong.
Borong’s managing director, Aizat Rahim, highlighted that Salaam Market addresses key challenges like affordability and financing, in collaboration with Maybank Islamic’s financing solutions and support from JAKIM for Halal certification.
The partnership with Maybank Islamic aims to connect SMEs with tailored Islamic financial solutions and digital document management tools, enhancing their access to Halal markets locally and internationally.
Dr. Muhd Ramadhan Fitri Ellias, Maybank Islamic’s Strategic Programme Director, noted that Salaam Market will streamline online transactions and ensure the Halal authenticity of products sold on the platform, reinforcing the national agenda to grow the Halal domestic market to an estimated US$113.2 billion by 2030.