There is good news for those of you who enjoy spicy noodles, Mie Gacoan. After all this time, the restaurant that is always crowded with visitors has now officially obtained a halal certificate from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). Director of PT Pesta Pora Abadi, Harris Kristianto said, starting June 22, 2023, all Mie Gacoan outlets are now halal certified. Yes, this decision was taken after the polemic surrounding the halal certificate status that had haunted the popularity of this restaurant. Mie Gacoan has made a number of adjustments and is now preparing to hit the Indonesian culinary market more massively. What is the polemic all about? And what’s the story until Mie Gacoan can get a halal certificate from MUI? So that you don’t misunderstand, let’s see the full explanation in the following article.
Gacoan Noodle Halal Certificate Polemic
Mie Gacoan is the trademark of the No. 1 spicy noodle restaurant chain in Indonesia, which is a subsidiary of PT Pesta Pora Abadi. The name “Mie Gacoan” itself is taken from the word “Gaco”, which means champion or mainstay in Javanese. Some time ago, Mie Gacoan had become a topic of conversation because it was discovered that it did not have a halal certificate. In fact, the restaurant is selling well among the public, especially teenagers. Reporting from Lifestyle.bisnis.com, MUI’s Institute for Food, Drug and Cosmetic Assessment (LPPOM) previously did not grant halal certification to Mie Gacoan due to menu naming reasons. The names of the menu in this restaurant are considered controversial because they use the names of the devil and Satan, so LPPOM considers it to lead to something haram, unethical, vulgar, and mystical. “Based on the halal assurance criteria, there are 11 criteria that must be met to carry out halal certification. One of the criteria is the product name, the requirement is that the product name must not lead to falsehood or the term must not mention the name of the devil.” explained the @leli.zizah account. From this name, automatically Gacoan Noodles does not meet the requirements of one of the Halal Assurance Systems (SJH) set by LPPOM MUI. Where quoted from the HAS 23000 SJH Criteria, the brand or product name requirements must not lead to falsehood. As is known, Gacoan Noodle takes menu names such as Devil’s Noodle, Devil’s Noodle, Es Genderuwo, Es Tuyul, Es Sundel Bolong, and Es Pocong. However, with the halal certificate that has been obtained, Mie Gacoan has made a number of adjustments to the menu name to make it more friendly to all levels of society.
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“There are name changes in some of our products, such as Devil’s Noodle, Devil’s Noodle, Genderuwo Ice, Tuyul Ice, Sundel Bolong Ice, and Pocong Ice, changing to Hompimpa Noodle, Gacoan Noodle, Gobak Sodor Ice, Sluku Bathok Ice, Petak Umpet Ice, and Teklek Ice,” Harris explained.
Product Name Requirements for Halal Certificate
Looking at the naming of the menu at the previous Gacoan Noodle, the name change was based on rejection from the LPPOM MUI because it used a name that contained mystical elements and was considered to lead to falsehood. This makes business actors realize that besides being creative in determining product names, they must also comply with Islamic law in order to get a halal certificate. As is known, halal certificates are very important and affect the continuity and increase in business profits. This is because halal certificates aim to ensure consumer safety, especially Muslims. Where the halal certificate provides a guarantee that the product does not contain haram or unclean ingredients, and is processed in a way that is in accordance with Islamic teachings. But apparently, not only about the content and processing process, LPPOM MUI also pays close attention to other elements before granting a halal certificate, one of which is the product name or brand. Yes, this can have an impact on whether or not a product can get a halal certificate. The criteria for product names that cannot get a halal certificate according to LPPOM MUI Decree No. SK46/Dir/LPPOM MUI: SK46/Dir/LPPOM MUI/XII/14 and MUI Fatwa No. 11 of 2009 are as follows:
- Product names containing liquor names, e.g. root beer, rhum raisin flavored ice cream, 0% alcohol beer.
- Product names that contain the names of pigs and dogs and their derivatives.
- Product names that contain satanic names and the like.
- Product names that lead to things that lead to kufr and falsehood.
- Product names that contain words with erotic, vulgar or pornographic connotations.
Therefore, if your business products, especially food and beverages, raw materials, food ingredients, and slaughter products still use the names above, you should immediately change the name.
READ ALSO: Beware!
Because the time to get a halal certificate is not short. In addition, at this time you still have time to notify consumers if there is a name change. Just like what Mie Gacoan did, which eventually changed the name of its menu.
KH Contact
So, what about your business? Have you got a halal certificate, or are you still confused about the requirements and procedures? Just consult with Kontrak Hukum! As a digital legal platform, we are here to fulfill your business needs including halal certificates. We can help to fulfill business legality such as NIB, NPWP, IUMK, SIUP which must be completed first as a condition for obtaining a halal certificate. For more information, visit the KH Services – Licensing page. If you still have other questions, please feel free to consult for free at Ask KH or send a direct message (DM) to Instagram @kontrakhukum.
