HMCA Halal certification is a step-by-step process

Step 1) Halal Certification Inquiry

• HMCA receives customer inquiry by phone or email.
• Tell us about your company, identify contact information, and describe your needs and goals.
• Discussion points include determining type of industry, product line, number of products, whether for domestic and/or export and customer’s projected timeline needs.

Step 2) Request for Application & Pricing

• Application and process and pricing overview provided to potential customers following initial email inquiry or phone call discussion.
• HMCA process and pricing overview is confidential and proprietary between HMCA and customer prospects.
• HMCA requests prospective customer to send product ingredient statements and production process flowcharts.

Step 3) Submission and Receipt of Application with Product Statements & Flowcharts

HMCA receives application and product information to:

• Begin drafting the service agreement,
• Commence Halal product review and analysis, and
• Add customer facility location(s) to the Halal audit facility inspection schedule

Step 4) Service Agreement Executed

• The Service Agreement with pricing and terms and conditions needs to be executed by authorized signers for both parties. Upon execution, HMCA provides its Halal logos and proceeds with the review and approval of products submitted and then arranges for the facility audit stage.

Step 5) Review of Raw Materials Used

• For a product to be considered Halal, all of its ingredients need to be Halal.
• Halal sensitive materials may be approved, at HMCA’s sole discretion, from internationally recognized Halal certifying sources.
• Identification of the manufacturer for each item may be required.
• Other factors in the plant may affect the Halal status of the product.
• Are release agents Halal?
• Are other products on the same processing line Halal?
• A complete raw material and ingredient listing for each product is required.

Step 6) Product Description

• Tell us about the product(s) for certification.
• The ingredient component list will help us determine if the product can be Halal.
• The primary label brand name and any private labels (i.e., when your company’s name does not appear) are required.
• The distributor’s name and particulars (if and when applicable).

Step 7) Initial Audit and Evaluation

• Following the successful completion of the product and ingredient review, a facility audit will be scheduled with an HMCA Halal Quality Assurance Auditor.
• Audit date is only finalized once service agreement is signed and HMCA QA has approved products for certification.

Step 8) Halal Audit Facility Inspection Scheduled and Completed

Upon the successful completion of the Halal facility audit inspection visit, customer is invoiced for:

• Audit inspection fee
• Halal facility audit inspection travel expenses and auditor per diem salary
• Facility certification – good through end of current calendar year (or as negotiated if certified in 4th quarter)
• Halal product review – one-time charge per product
• Halal product certification – per product good through end of current calendar year (or as negotiated if certified in 4th quarter)

Step 9) Halal Certification Issued

• Upon the receipt of payment for all services, a formal Halal certificate will be issued and Halal production may commence.
• HMCA logo and seal will be forwarded to be used on packaging. The Halal certification logo can be added to your package upon your scheduled package refresh.

Step 10) Additional Information

• Upon receipt of payment, Halal facility and product certification is issued – scanned original by email and hard copy by mail or courier as requested.
• The maintenance of a Halal program requires the close involvement of the facility QA and production supervisors.