Saudi Arabia positions itself as a global halal hub under Vision 2030
The Public Investment Fund's Halal Products Development Company is anchoring a coordinated push to grow domestic manufacturing and attract international halal brands to the Kingdom.
By Food Souq Editorial
Nov 18, 2026 • 6 min read
Saudi Arabia has made the halal economy an explicit pillar of Vision 2030. In 2022 the Public Investment Fund launched the Halal Products Development Company (HPDC) to invest across food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and to strengthen the Kingdom's position as a manufacturing base for the wider Muslim market.
A coordinated policy stack
HPDC sits alongside the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), which sets halal requirements for products entering the Kingdom, and the Saudi Halal Center at the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), which accredits certification bodies globally. Together they form a stack that is unusually well aligned for an importing market.
- HPDC — investment vehicle for halal manufacturing and brands
- SFDA — regulator for halal food and product requirements
- Saudi Halal Center (SASO) — accreditation of foreign certifiers
What this means for international brands
For exporters, the practical implication is that a Saudi market-entry plan now needs both a certification pathway recognised by SASO's accredited bodies and, increasingly, a view on whether local manufacturing or joint-venture partnerships offer a stronger long-term position than pure export.
