Knorr manufacturer rejects claim it makes pork broth cubes in Muslim-majority Malaysia

Published on December 18, 2025 at 08:58
2 min read
By Najmi Mamat, AFP Malaysia

False claims about the halal status of food items often circulate in Malaysia, and recent social media posts have targeted stock cubes made by consumer goods giant Unilever. It refuted posts warning buyers against purchasing any of its Knorr brand products and told AFP Unilever does not manufacture, import or distribute pork broth cubes in Malaysia. Islamic authorities in the Southeast Asian country also said such broth cubes do not hold halal certification.

An image of a person holding a packet of Knorr brand pork broth cubes was shared on Facebook on December 8, 2025 with a Malay-language caption asking, "is this true".

Text under the picture reads: "If you're in Malaysia, don't buy this brand." It also suggests that the pork broth cubes could be mixed in the same factory as other Knorr brand products.

More than half of Malaysia's 34 million population are Muslims, who are required to observe halal dietary standards prohibiting foods such as pork (archived links here and here).

Screenshot of the false post, taken on December 17, 2025, with a red X added by AFP

Concern over halal certification has frequently sparked debate in the country -- often with accusations levelled against non-Muslim companies. AFP has debunked similar claims targeting another cooking oil brand, sausages, drinks manufacturers and international coffee chain Starbucks.

The same claim also surfaced on TikTok and Threads, as well as on WhatsApp.

However, the claim is unfounded.

A Google keyword search found the Malaysia arm of British consumer goods giant Unilever, as well as Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development (JAKIM), both refuted a similar claim in February 2020 (archived here and here).

On December 12, 2025, Unilever told AFP it did not manufacture the product seen in the circulating image in Malaysia, nor does it import or distribute any kind of Knorr pork broth cubes in the country.

"We would like to confirm that the Knorr stock cubes sold in Malaysia by Unilever (Malaysia) Holdings Sdn Bhd are made in Malaysia and hold Halal certification from JAKIM," it said.

It also added that non-Halal products under the Knorr brand are not imported into Malaysia.

A JAKIM spokesperson also told AFP on December 12, 2025 that the product shown in the circulating image is not eligible for halal certification.

"There is no halal logo on the packaging of the product," the spokesperson said.

Further keyword searches found that the product is sold in the Philippines, not Malaysia (archived link).

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