Social media influencers to promote UK halal meat

Will support the initiative to attract new consumers by creating recipes with easy to follow videos

Social media influencers are helping to promote British lamb and sheep meat. Finnbarr Webster / Getty Images

British lamb could attract thousands of younger new consumers in a campaign to promote UK halal meat using social media influencers.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), a statutory levy board funded by farmers and growers, has launched the campaign to promote lamb as a halal-friendly swap from chicken.

It has teamed up with two Instagram food influencers to support the initiative by creating recipes with easy to follow videos.

The first is Yorkshire-based Haloodiefoodie which is run by two former teachers and has 42,000 followers.

"They are offering halal recipes that are well presented, carefully crafted and meticulously explained ensuring that the magic can be recreated in your own kitchen," AHDB said.

"For our campaign they have created delicious Chapli lamb kebabs served in three different ways; in a naan, as a burger or in a tortilla."

The second influencer is Cooking with Zainab, with 174,000 followers, who has created some Greek style lamb chops, marinated with lemon, olive oil, fresh oregano and thyme, served with a feta and pomegranate salad and flatbread for their recipe.

"We launched the campaign to promote lamb as a halal-friendly swap from chicken and educate consumers that, not only is British Lamb delicious, but it’s an easy to cook and versatile protein," the AHDB said.

"Lamb produced in the UK is among the most sustainable in the world and we are working with two foodie influencers to inspire young Muslim consumers, aged 18-35 years, to try new recipes using British halal lamb.

“We want to show how lamb is versatile and easy to cook with at home using recipes including lamb mince and boneless leg chops. We hope the campaign will reach 500,000 young Muslims, delivering over 1 million impressions."

This week the AHDB is heading to Kuwait on a trade mission to promote British lamb.

AHDB’s halal sector senior manager Awal Fuseini said the Middle East and North Africa market is a key target market for exporters, due to the region’s population growing quickly and more people having a high disposable income.

He believes these factors are set to drive up food imports to the area over the next decade.

It is also investing £180,000 in the Middle East’s 2024 Gulfood festival, which will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre in February, to showcase British produce.