Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Saudi GazetteJEDDAH — The Indonesian Consulate General organized an exhibition of Indonesian products in its bid to improve the quality of catering services to its Haj pilgrims by presenting a menu of Indonesian flavors.The three-day event, the first of its kind, concluded at the Hall of Indonesian Haj Affairs Office in Jeddah on Monday.“Our pilgrims can enjoy the cuisine with Indonesian taste, so they do not feel away from home,” said Indonesian Consul General Dr. Mohamad Hery Saripudin while inaugurating the event on Saturday. “This program is being organized in implementation of an instruction from President of Indonesia Joko Widodo and in line with the direction of Minister of Religious Affairs Lukman Hakim Saefuddin that pilgrimage activities can be utilized to help boost Indonesian exports. Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country in the world, sends the largest number of pilgrims for the annual Haj, with 221,000 of them expected in the upcoming season.The exhibition brought together exporters and distributors of Indonesian food products with prospective Saudi caterers in a bid to improve the quality of catering services by including a menu of Indonesian flavors.The consul general said from this year onward his mission would invite producers and distributors of Indonesian products to participate in the exhibition and it is being held along with the "aanwijzing" program for catering procurement for the pilgrims.He said the event would generate business interaction for prospective kitchen owners and caterers in Saudi Arabia with Indonesian food products distributors.“We must ensure the pilgrims obtain healthy and nutritious food that suits their taste. This will bring comfort for all Indonesian pilgrims during their stay in Makkah and Madinah as well as at the holy sites and they will be able to perform their rites with peace of mind,” the consul general said, while adding that the caterers will be selected through a fair competition.After opening the exhibition, the consul general along with "aanwijzing" participants consisting of prospective catering providers from Makkah and Madinah and importers of Indonesian food and spices products, toured the stalls displaying food products and spices.Agus Muktamar, consul of economic affairs at the consulate, said the exhibitors, 98 kitchen owners and catering companies hailed the consulate's initiative to organize such an event.On his part, Ahmad Abdullah, head of the Catering Team from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, expected the catering service providers to be committed to using Indonesian ingredients. “This will provide economic value for Indonesia’s trade balance and at the same time extend quality services to our pilgrims,” he said.

Source: http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/530313/SAUDI-ARABIA/Indonesian-food-expo-to-improve-Haj-catering-concludes-in-Jeddah