KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 (Bernama) -- Golden Hope Plantations Bhd relaunchedHolsum and Crispa, two cooking oil brands acquired by its wholly ownedSouth African subsidiary Hudson & Knight (Pty) Ltd from Unilever SouthAfrica (Proprietary) Ltd in April.

The two brandnames were officially relaunched yesterday by Golden Hope'sgroup chief executive, Datuk Sabri Ahmad in Bokaap, Cape Town.

In a statement released here Friday, Sabri said Muslims could now enjoyHolsum and Crispa as they were halal.

Sabri is leading a Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council delegation toSouth Africa.

Holsum and Crispa, which are household names in Africa, had been given thehalal certification by the South African Islamic Authority.

The new packaging will carry the "Halal" logo.

Crispa which was established 35 years ago is a recognised leader in thepremium and frying oils sector. It has a substantial market share in SouthAfrica due to its reliability, innovative packaging, good customer serviceand commitment to environmental safety.

Holsum, established since 1948, is a stearin-based frying fat used intraditional African cooking.

"We plan to expand the sales of Holsum and Crispa in other parts ofAfrica, especially in the southern African region," Sabri added.

Golden Hope has refineries in a few countries and since completing therationalisation exercise with Island & Peninsular Bhd last year, itsoperations has been streamlined to focus only on plantation and downstreamactivities, which are its core competency.

-- BERNAMA