Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam, Assalamualaikum,

We, Maunatul Islam Trust of New Zealand, Tawa Islamic Centre, Masjid Ayesha, and SAMAR Group, collectively voice our profound dismay and opposition to Brinks Chicken’s decision to transition all three of its slaughter facilities to mechanical kill methods, effective 29th April.

For many years, Brink’s Chicken, Best Bird, and Bird & Barrow, under the umbrella of Van Den Brink Poultry Limited, have been the trusted provider of halal hand-slaughtered poultry products in New Zealand. This transition threatens to undermine the trust and reliability that Brinks has built within the Muslim community over decades. Hand slaughter isn’t just a method; it’s a religious obligation, ensuring meat’s permissibility for consumption according to Sharia Law (Islamic Law).

While we understand the importance of prioritising employee health and safety, this decision directly impacts the New Zealand Muslim community, particularly those who rely on halal-certified hand-slaughtered poultry products, as prescribed by Sharia Law (Islamic Law).

At stake is the preservation of religious obligations mandated by Sharia Law (Islamic Law) and the sanctity of halal meat consumption within our Muslim community. Hand slaughter isn’t merely a preference; it’s a fundamental aspect of our faith and obedience to Islamic teachings.

We urge Brinks Chicken to reconsider its decision and uphold the religious practice of hand slaughter and honour the religious obligations of its Muslim consumers. Immediate action is necessary to prevent irreversible harm to religious integrity and uphold the trust in halal products.

Brinks Chicken occupies a unique position in the market as the sole supplier of halal hand-slaughtered poultry. For many consumers, Brinks is not just a choice; it’s a necessity, as alternatives like Tegel and Ingham only offer Machine-slaughtered products which do not meet the Halal requirements.

It is unclear as to which certifier Brink's Chicken has selected to certify their Machine-Slaughter process, however we would also like to emphasise that FIANZ does not represent all Muslims of New Zealand, especially not the majority of Brinks consumers. Our religious convictions and adherence to halal principles remain paramount, and we urge Brinks Chicken to respect and uphold these beliefs.

Moreover, our community is completely against FIANZ’s recent approval of Ingham’s for machine slaughter; however, that wasn’t too impactful for our community, as Ingham’s wasn’t previously a hand-slaughter halal provider and didn’t make an impact. Nonetheless, we stress the importance of maintaining trustable halal poultry providers such as Brink’s Chicken.

We call on Brinks Chicken to:

1. Understand that the sole reason their customers choose Brink’s Chicken is because Brink's Chicken is 100% hand-slaughtered halal, even though it may come at a higher cost compared to machine-slaughter brands certified by non-trustable certifiers including FIANZ.
2. Understand that any change away from hand slaughter could lose the trust of their customers and harm Brink’s Chicken’s reputation.
3. Commit to hand slaughter over mechanical methods, understanding its importance to their Muslim customers’ religious beliefs.
4. Explore other trustable certifiers that adhere strictly to 100% hand-slaughtered methods.

For further information, or to get your organisation involved, contact us at nzhalalpetition@gmail.com.