REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, DUBAI - Datamonitor, a company that provides market and data analysis, said halal food already accounted for about a fifth of world food trade and the Muslim market was growing substantially. According to a Global Futures and Foresights Study, 70 percent of the world's population increase from 7 billion today to 9 billion people by 2050 will be born in Muslim countries.

Already in Muslim-majority countries, outlets like McDonald's, Subway and Papa John's pizza serve halal to their customers.

In the US, the family-run Midamar Corporation, based out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been tapping into the halal market since 1974. Midamar exports American beef and chicken to around 35 countries.

Jalel Aossey said the company's halal certification comes from an organization his father started called the Islamic Services of America, which he says was the first of its kind in the US.