Determining critical factors of halal food supply chain using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Research in halal food supply chain is relatively new. Most previous studies are either conceptual or descriptive. This study presents a conceptual hierarchical model for halal food supply chain with four factor-categories and thirteen factors and investigates the critical factors of halal food supply chain using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Data and information are collected through in-depth interviews from senior executives of ten halal processed food and beverage companies in Malaysia. Data was analysed to determine relative weights of each factor-category. The results indicate that process capability is the most critical factor-category and environmental friendliness, material handlings and physical segregation are the top three critical factors.