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FIANZ Makes Peace With Nando’s

News From : DagangHalal.com (14 Sep 2009)

Halal controversy resolved

The prolonged controversy over the Halal products used by Nando’s restaurants in New Zealand ended last week with the Wellington based Federation of Islamic Associations in New Zealand (FIANZ) agreeing to reinstate its Halal Certification to the restaurant chain.

A joint statement issued by Federation President Dr Anwar Ghani and Nando’s New Zealand Manager Shailen Ramjee said the issue had been amicable solved and that the former was satisfied that the restaurant brand “complied with the prescribed Halal standard as of September 9, 2009.”

The issue was dogged by ‘technical complexity’ and the understanding of what constituted Halal and what did not, but the statement indicated that both parties had understood the implications and wanted to put the controversy behind them.

Mr Ramjee praised FIANZ executives and the members of their Ulama Board for their “tireless efforts to assist the Plymouth plant of Tegel (a New Zealand company).”

“This is the first Tegel plant now complying with the Mechanical Halal standards approved by FIANZ,” he said.

He said the experience was a learning curve for all parties involved including suppliers, Nando’s and the Federation.

He praised the FIANZ Ulama Board of its “tireless efforts which ensured that the interest of the community was supreme.

“We extend a warm welcome to our Muslim customers to enjoy the taste of Nando’s ‘Grilled Peri Peri Chicken,” he said.

Expanding network

The resolution of the problem, which was moving into a crisis mode, would have come as a great sigh of relief for Nando’s New Zealand, which is keen to expand its restaurant network and benefit from the increasing customer preference for some of its specialised items.

Although competition is rife in the restaurant and takeaway sector, the proliferation of shopping malls and food courts throughout the country has given a fillip to international brands and chains like Nando’s.

From its modest beginning in December 2000 with one branch in Glenfield Auckland, Nando’s New Zealand has witnessed continuous expansion and today accounts for 27 restaurants spread across the country.

From a variety of chicken – trimmed, grilled and marinated and burger pitas to grilled chicken salad – the culinary delights that are unique to Nando’s came alive.

Every restaurant, including the latest at Mt Wellington (71 Lunn Avenue) boasts of personalised service, exuberant ambience and great food that no one minded the minutes ticking away.

“It is all about taste,” Mr Ramjee says, quoting the company’s signoff.

“All Nando’s restaurants follow the tradition of extending the customer a warm and relaxed feeling with the natural textures and timbers used.”

Unique Peri Peri

The Portuguese explorers came into contact with African people who introduced them to  a little treasure called the African Bird’s Eye Chilli.

Whether this fiery little chilli was indigenous to Africa or introduced was not certain, but it is certain that the rich and fertile climates were perfect for the Bird’s Eye chilli to grow with wild abandon.

The African people called this fiery little chilli, Pili-Pili. The explorers tried in vain to pronounce Pili-Pili but ended up with their own version called Peri-Peri and to this day the Bird’s Eye Chilli is still known as Peri-Peri.

The settlers immediately ‘ex-peri-peri-mented’ with Peri-Peri in their cooking and made it an integral part of their lives.

Source: INDIAN newslink

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