Shiok Burger apologises following ex-DJ's accusations of misrepresenting halal claims

Local burger joint Shiok Burger has apologised after they were called out for allegedly misrepresenting their halal certification. 

Concerns about the eatery's halal certification first arose on March 22, when former Ria 89.7FM DJ Abdum Karim Sadali took to his Facebook to share his doubts over their certification.

Abdum, better known as DJ KC, said that he found Shiok Burger listed under Foodpanda's halal options. He then placed an order of some burgers and fries. 

When the food arrived at his home, his elder son asked him if the food was halal. 

Although he replied with the affirmative, DJ KC decided to check again. 

"I found a post by HalalSG from three weeks ago stating that they are not halal as they claim to be," he wrote in the post. 

His wife also tried calling the restaurant to confirm if they were halal, but the staff on the phone did not confirm if the eatery was awarded MUIS' halal certification. 

"So my question is, are they halal?

"Or can they claim to be halal when they are not and they can get away scot-free and not be held accountable for deceiving the public," said DJ KC. 

Shiok Burger has two outlets at Paya Lebar Square and Raffles City. 

We're halal-compliant: Shiok Burger

A spokesperson from Delibowl, which manages Shiok Burger, said that Delibowl is a halal-compliant and certified company, reported MustShareNews on Tuesday (March 26). 

The company said it submitted an amendment application to Delibowl's halal certificate to include Shiok Burger's ingredients, menu, floor plan and processes last year.

And MUIS' approval was granted on Jan 26, 2024. 

Upon getting the approval, a sign was pasted outside Shiok Burger to inform customers that the eatery was halal compliant. 

"This process aligns with past practices when we introduced Delibowl’s menu to Nuodle at Our Tampines Hub," said the spokesperson. 

Checks by AsiaOne show that Shiok Burger announced their halal certification in a Facebook post on Feb 7 this year.

However, a separate check by AsiaOne also shows that the joint is not included in MUIS' online directory of halal-certified eating establishments. 

According to MUIS, a halal-certified company is one that has gone through a stringent process of audits to ensure that they are providing halal food. 

Halal-compliant is a term used for companies that follow the required procedures but do not have the certificate. 

In their statement to MustShareNews on Tuesday (March 26), the Delibowl spokesperson apologised for the misunderstanding.

They have also reportedly removed all representation of halal compliance at its outlet to prevent further miscommunication whilst awaiting MUIS' response. 

"Please know that the Muslim community holds a special place within Delibowl, and we deeply value your trust and patronage.

"It was never our intention to mislead our customers, and we are committed to resolving this matter promptly and transparently. Once again, we extend our sincerest apologies for any confusion or concern caused by this situation."

AsiaOne has contacted Delibowl for more information.

READ ALSO: Slavic restaurant explains why it's tricky to be halal-certified, netizens appreciate transparency

claudiatan@asiaone.com