Strategic collaboration creates streamlined pathways for halal, organic and specialty certifications as the growing halal market drives demand
BRUSSELS - Mar. 2, 2026 — NSF, a leading global organization dedicated to protecting human health, and Circle H International, a globally recognized halal certification body, today announced a strategic collaboration program designed to simplify certification access for food companies locally and worldwide.
The collaboration establishes direct referral pathways between the organizations to help serve the global halal food and beverage market, which is projected to grow from an estimated $2.1 trillion in 2021 to $3.27 trillion by 2028 (Fortune Business Insights). The current North American halal addressable market alone is estimated at $100 billion.
NSF clients seeking halal certification will receive direct referrals to Circle H, whereas Circle H clients interested in NSF’s comprehensive portfolio, including vegan, non-GMO, organic and food safety certifications, will connect with NSF specialists.
“This collaboration between Circle H and NSF is a natural extension of our mission,” said Elsayed Zayan, CEO of Circle H International. “By collaborating with NSF on this initiative, we are creating a certification experience that’s efficient and deeply aligned with Circle H’s healthy, wholesome and ethical lifestyle values. Together, we are also opening wider doors for local and global access to customers and brands seeking significant growth.”
The collaboration enables companies to simplify, streamline, and scale, addressing the growing complexity of global food certification as consumer expectations evolve and regulatory demands increase. Both organizations maintain full independence in certification.
The European halal market is expanding at nearly 8% annually, driven by growing Muslim demographics and broader consumer acceptance of halal products. The Asia-Pacific region hosts the largest share of the world’s Islamic population, while the fastest-growing markets are the Middle East and Africa, creating significant market opportunities for certified food companies.
“We’re excited to collaborate with Circle H to offer our clients a broader spectrum of certification solutions,” said Carey Allen, director of food claims at NSF. “This initiative reflects our commitment to making certification more accessible and meaningful for today’s food industry and its customers. Together with Circle H, we can better support food companies in achieving multiple certifications efficiently, allowing them to unlock new market opportunities worldwide.”
The collaboration aligns with NSF’s strategy to expand its global reach and deepen impact on food integrity, dietary wellness and consumer values verification. Circle H’s expertise in halal certification complements NSF’s portfolio of specialty certifications for international market access.
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About NSF
NSF is an independent, global services organization dedicated to improving human health for more than 80 years by developing public health standards and providing world-class testing, inspection, certification, advisory services and digital solutions to the food, water and wellness products industries. NSF has 40,000 clients in 110 countries and is a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety and Water Quality.
About Circle H International
Non-profit Circle H International, Inc. delivers the only unified and authoritatively accepted healthy, wholesome and ethical (Halal) standards and halo Ⓗ® co-brand for all goods and services worldwide. With just one certification process, through Circle H, businesses can uniquely access a multi-trillion-dollar global addressable Halal market - approximately 140X the size of kosher - across all continents and spanning Food & Beverage; Finance & Insurance; Pharmaceutical; Cosmetics; Travel & Tourism; Fashion; Media & Entertainment; and Healthcare sectors. Similarly, consumers can trust and enjoy Ⓗ halal certified products, authorized and accredited by the most prominent international governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and their religious leaders sitting on Circle H’s Advisory Council followed by almost 1.9 billion Muslims worldwide. In the multi-billion-dollar US Halal market alone, Circle H-certified products can be found in major manufacturing, supplier, and retail channels. For more details, please visit https://www.circlehinternational.org/