  
News From : DagangHalal.com (15 Jul 2010)
Consumers are looking forward to trying the Brunei Halal Brand goods this coming Hari Raya (fasting month) but some are put off by the prices and novelty of the brand.
Mohammed Sohaili, an employee, said he would usually spend US$60 to $100 depending on the items in Hari Raya baskets. “I’m not sure if I could afford the $180 (hampers), but if the items are really good then maybe (I would consider).”
He said, however, that he was looking forward to finally trying out the products. “I read so much about it but you don’t see it for sale anywhere yet, so I think it’s a good time to try it out.”
Atiqah, as she prefers to be known, is also leery about the prices. “I think $180 is a little bit expensive, I would probably see the quality of what’s inside, also if there are a lot of foods to match the price, then I think it might be good.”
She said she hadn’t actually tried any of the products, which she said might change her decision to buy the hampers.
During the fasting month, it is a long-cherished tradition to give gift baskets to friends and families. But the steep prices of these baskets have put off some consumers.
“Most (people are) used to the normal things you get, like Ferrero Rocher’s, or sometimes you get products from overseas like biscuits or things like that. You know what those taste like and they’re good, but maybe some people don’t know what the Brunei Halal tastes like so they are a little afraid to spend so much money on it. But it’s new, so maybe people will just try it.”
Tan, a Bandar resident, said he “wouldn’t mind paying the premium price”, as long as the quality and taste of the products reflected how much he was paying.
“I’d probably buy the more expensive ones if I was sending the hamper to some business partners, or maybe a friend with a large family,” he said.
When asked if it mattered that ninety per cent of the products were being shipped into Brunei, Tan was surprised that the majority of products were not produced locally. “I didn’t know that was the case,” he said.
He added that while he was aware Brunei is not known for manufacturing, “it would still be nice to see more of the local traditional products, like kek batik or local traditional snack foods, added to the hampers”.
— Asia News Network