Halal subway celeberates first birthday...

Halal Subway celebrates 1st birthday

9/ 1/2009

A SUBWAY store, which went halal a year ago, says business couldn’t be better after a 20 per cent increase in sales.

The store based at Texaco on Manchester Road, Hollinwood is even accredited by the Islamic Foundation of Ireland where the halal meat comes from.

Store Owner Mike Williams said they took the decision to turn their subway store halal very seriously by serving exclusively halal meats and banning pork products in line with Muslim dietary rules

This also meant disposing some kitchen equipment including cutlery, knives, containers, chopping boards and replacing them with new ones.

Staff even had to get new sets of uniforms.

The store was closed for a week before re-opening as halal.

Said Mike: "That was a year ago and I'm really glad we made the decision to go halal.

"Given the demographics of the area where we had a large number of Asian clients I thought it was necessary to cater for everybody’s needs and reflect the community we serve.

"In the beginning our Muslim clients didn’t have much on offer preferring tuna or vegetable on their sandwiches but as soon as halal meat was introduced, the whole menu was avaialble to them. One of the favourites now is meatball sub - which previously wouldn't have been allowed.

"To replace ham we use turkey ham which is halal and we use turkey rashers to replace bacon.

"There is still come scepticism from people when we tell them that we're 100 per cent halal, but once I explain the procedure we have gone through and the fact that there are no haram ingredients including pork available at the store, they feel assured."

He added: "When we decided to do this we decided to do it properly. Some of our competitors offer halal products but if your selling a halal meat sandwich and there’s a pork sandwich sat right next to it, it’s not halal anymore."

The store will be celebrating its first anniversary of going halal next month and to commemorate this, it's offering a 'buy one get one free offer' on its 6ins sub sandwiches.

To claim your offer just print out this page and take into the store.

• Offer ends on 20 January and is only available at the Hollinwood store.