Top Fruits chief executive officer Tan Sue Yee at the Export Excellence Awards 2022 Gala Night in Kuala Lumpur. – YAP CHEE HONG/ The Star
TOP Fruits Sdn Bhd’s journey in the agriculture business started in 1986 in Batu Pahat, Johor.
It exports various types of high-grade durians including Musang King, D197 and D24, as well as products such as durian seed pulps and fresh and frozen jackfruit to more than 20 countries.
The durian farm that it owns was awarded the MyGAP (Malaysia Good Agriculture Practice) certification for its stringent quality control in agricultural produce.
About a decade ago, the company went into producing halal products after seeing a growing demand for halal-certified products not just in Malaysia, but abroad.
It has not looked back since, achieving success in the industry by focusing on delivering high-quality and authentic halal products that meet the needs and expectations of customers.
Besides, it also prioritises customer satisfaction and builds strong relationships with its partners, all of which have earned Top Fruits the Special Award: Halal Products at the Star Media Group Export Excellence Awards (EEA) in 2022.
Steps have been taken to ensure the company produces halal products that meet high standards of quality and authenticity.
They include working with trusted and certified suppliers and conducting regular quality checks at every stage of the production process.
To do so, Top Fruits has a dedicated team to monitor and evaluate its suppliers from time to time to ensure that they meet the company’s standards and requirements.
In addition, halal certifications are obtained from recognised bodies, with audits and its processes conducted regularly so it is fully-compliant.
In maintaining customer trust and loyalty, Top Fruits stresses the importance of building a strong and reliable relationship with its customers, addressing their feedback and concerns while prioritising transparency and focusing on the quality of its products.
However, its journey in exporting halal products has been a thorny one.
Navigating the complexity of regulations and requirements in different countries has been one of the biggest challenges faced by Top Fruits.
“When we enter a foreign market, the company has to first ensure the country’s reputation as being friendly and easy to work with.
“To overcome this, we set up a dedicated team to stay updated with evolving regulations and requirements for halal certification in different countries, and work closely with our partners and distributors in each market to ensure that we comply with all local requirements and regulations,” according to the company.
The company adds that it also maintains good relationships with regulatory bodies and certification organisations in each market in order to keep abreast and well-informed with regulatory changes.
When there is a need, Top Fruits will adjust its exporting processes accordingly to stay relevant and meet the regulatory changes for smooth delivery of high-quality halal products to the customers.
“As a market leader in the agriculture industry, we will continue to diversify our strategies with innovation as well as maintaining sustainability.”
Vast opportunities
The company sees vast opportunities in the halal products market, especially in areas of plant-based and organic halal food market, as well as health and wellness.
Not one to rest on its laurels, Top Fruits seeks to capitalise on these trends, constantly looking to innovate its processes and machinery as it moves towards Industry 4.0.
The aim is to achieve high levels of productivity and yields through the integration of new technologies into their production facilities and operations such as smart farming methods.
Top Fruits adds that it invests heavily in research and development by working with local universities and students to develop new systems and expand its product offerings.
The EEA 2023 is open for submissions.
Nominations close on Oct 19.
EEA is organised by Star Media Group in partnership with Standard Chartered, with PKT Logistics as co-sponsor and Matrade as patron. It is audited by BDO.
For more information or to submit an entry for the EEA, go to exportawards.com.my or email: eea@thestar.com.my
