Tapping one of tourism’s fastest-growing and highest-spending segments, Hong Kong is carving out an identity as a Muslim-friendly destination.

Malaysia is widely regarded as a global Halal food hub, given its status as a leading Halal food exporter and importer. During the recent field trip to Malaysia, the HKTDC Research interviewed various Halal food industry players, including government bodies and private sector organisations in the country, with a view to exploring opportunities for Hong Kong businesses in this industry.

The Food and Drug Administration continues to detain a broad range of food and other regulated products from Mainland China and Hong Kong as part of its mission to prevent the importation of food, drugs, biologics, cosmetics, medical devices and radiation-emitting electronic products that fail to meet the requirements of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Mainland restaurant chains are meeting international demand by cultivating the mid-to-high-end market, overturning their fast-food stereotyping.

Mainland China’s culinary sector is expanding globally, diversifying its products and supply chains and standardising management operations.

The Indonesian government has deferred an excise tax on packaged sugar-sweetened drinks to 2026, the Ministry of Finance announced on 17 June 2025. The Ministry originally planned to implement the tax in July 2025 to address the overconsumption of sugar and growing health concerns in the country.

On 26 June, the General Administration of Customs announced inspection, quarantine and hygiene requirements for imports of dairy products from Hong Kong to the Mainland. Hong Kong dairy products that meet the relevant requirements are now allowed to be exported to the Mainland. They must be accompanied by health certificates issued by the Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department and each batch must come with an original certificate as proof of compliance with relevant regulations.

On 30 June 2025, the Official Journal of the European Union published Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1292 of 23 June 2025, opening and providing for the management of autonomous tariff quotas of the Union for certain agricultural and industrial products, and Council Regulation (EU) 2025/1303 of 23 June 2025, suspending customs duties on certain agricultural and industrial products. Pursuant to these two regulations, operators – including those based in Hong Kong – may find increased opportunities to sell the goods covered by those regulations to EU customers.

On 29 June, the General Administration of Customs announced its decision to conditionally resume the import of some aquatic products (including edible aquatic animals) originating from Japan with immediate effect, except for those from 10 metropolis/prefectures, namely Fukushima, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, Saitama, Tokyo and Chiba. Japanese companies exporting seafood to China must comply with regulations concerning the registration and administration of overseas manufacturers of imported food.

On May 8, 2025, the FDA issued a letter to retailers, distributors and importers informing them that dinnerware products such as bowls, plates, cups and utensils made from the sheath of A. catechu palm leaves have the potential to leach toxic alkaloid chemicals into food.