Halal Guide

Packaged Food Products: Which Halal Scheme Should You Apply For?

Identify the route for own production, kotej (cottage, home-based), OEM, repacking and product sales.

Last reviewed 5 November 2026

Makers of bottled sambal, tom yam paste, crisps, frozen rendang, biscuits, flavoured drinks and other packaged food products usually apply for the Sijil Pengesahan Halal Malaysia (SPHM, the Malaysia Halal Certificate) under the Skim Produk Makanan dan Minuman (Food and Beverage Product scheme). This is different from the certificate for restaurants: the inspector does not just look at the dishes sold, but at the products made, the formulation, the processing facility, the packaging and the trail from raw materials to finished product.

Start with your production model

How you operate Route to examine What is inspected
Making sambal in your own factory/premises Skim Produk Makanan dan Minuman Premises, workers, ingredients, production and products
Making products at home Get confirmation of the kotej/home-based (cottage) route from JAIN/MAIN (Jabatan/Majlis Agama Islam Negeri, the state Islamic religious departments and councils); do not assume an ordinary home kitchen qualifies Premises status, suitability for production, separation of space and state rules
Owning a brand, with the product made by another party The manufacturer must meet the Pengilangan Kontrak/OEM (Contract Manufacturing/OEM) scheme, while the status of the product/brand and the applicant need to be confirmed according to the arrangement Actual manufacturer, contract, products, label rights and documentation
Buying finished products and repacking them Check the repacking requirements and the source of the original product Original source, handling activities, place of packing and halal evidence
Only selling other people's packaged products Not necessarily a manufacturing scheme applicant; check the retail requirements and the right to make claims Advertising claims, supplier's product status

Flowchart: choose your route

Choosing a halal certification route for packaged foodStart from who makes the product. If it is your own premises, a factory or commercial premises leads to the Food and Beverage Product scheme, while a home leads to checking the cottage route with JAIN and the KKM and PBT requirements. If a third-party factory makes it, confirm the manufacturer's OEM SPHM and the brand arrangement. If you only repack, check the scheme and eligibility for repacking. These four routes then go on to checking premises eligibility and the industry category. If you only sell, check the product status without claiming a certificate of your own.Own premisesFactory or commercialpremisesHomeThird-party factoryOnly repackOnly sell

You sell packaged food products

Who makes the product?

Home or factory premises?

Skim Produk Makanan dan Minuman

Check the kotej route with JAIN and the KKM/PBT requirements

Confirm the manufacturer's OEM SPHM and the brand arrangement

Check the scheme and eligibility for repacking activity

Check the product status without claiming your own certificate

Check premises eligibility and industry category
Choosing a halal certification route for packaged food

Whose certificate is it?

A halal certificate is not issued automatically just because the owner is Muslim, uses halal ingredients or buys from a factory that already has a certificate. For OEM, avoid assuming the factory's halal logo can be used straight away on every brand and SKU without making sure of the certificate's scope and the label approval.

Example: Company A owns the brand “Sambal Warisan”, but the recipe and bottling are handled by Factory B. Before applying, A needs to obtain a copy of B's valid OEM certificate, the manufacturing contract, the list of products actually made and confirmation from the authorities on who holds the certificate and how the logo is used on A's label.

Your action: draw a one-page chart that answers: who owns the brand, who buys the materials, who cooks, who packs, who keeps the stock and who delivers the products. This chart will determine which documents you need to collect.

Official references and editorial notes

Note: This ManaHalal article is an educational guide, not a verification, approval letter or official JAKIM service. It was prepared based on sources reviewed on 5 November 2026. Check the latest circulars and official decisions of JAKIM/MAIN/JAIN and the KKM (Ministry of Health)/PBT (local authority) legislation before acting. Special requirements may apply depending on the product, state and production model.