The certification does not affect me, since I don't need that certificate to consume something. However, I feel glad that now Moslems can finally consume their ice creams (because Ben & Jerry's is delicious yet expensive). Anyway, why the flavors like vanilla, chocolate, brownies and strawberry shortcakes are not halal? I think they are good on themselves even without alcohol, or is it because the animals where the dairies and animal-derivations come from are not halal-certified? Despite all of those thoughts, seeing this from business point of view, this is more to touch the psychological aspect of assurance of the quality of the products and of course may widen the market. =P *no offence*
There are some flavors that do need alcohols or liquors to enhance the flavor and you just can't take the alcohol away from them, otherwise it is just not right. Of course they will not be halal until eternity. An example:
I am 100% sure that this is NOT halal. Dublin = Ireland = Irish = liqueur. No liqueur = not Irish, isn't it? YES. I just want to know if this flavor have restriction for underages? =P
Drawing from the example above, is the flavor of Rum and Raisin halal? It is not specific to Ben & Jerry's, but all brands. As far as I know.. Rum is alcoholic. And anything alcoholic is not halal. I stayed in Indonesia, where most Moslems are populated, for 18 years in my early life, and am still going back there in vacation periods for sure, and I know that most ice cream brands (local or international, home-made or factory-packed, street vendors or amusingly-expensive-only-can-be-sold-in-big-malls) sell that flavor while almost all foods sold there need halal certificate.
I asked that friend, who is a Muslim, about this flavor. And she admitted that rum is indeed, alcoholic. Then why is it still halal? She just replied that most Indonesians (implied meaning: Moslems) don't care about this as they assume that most foods are halal (I hope they don't assume the same thing to Tony Roma's pork ribs.. it is very OBVIOUS) and hence, "safe" for consumption. So, it depends really on yourselves, whether you want to put that specific flavor in your tongues and swallow it down to your stomach (even though personally I don't fancy the flavor, but I know that it tastes nice) or stay away from it and choose other flavors that are equally delicious (mint chocolate chip, anyone?).
I am not saying that Rum and Raisin should be banned in Indo since Indonesians are not 100% Muslim the same as I doubt Ben & Jerry's will go all halal and discontinue the production of Dublin Mudslide, but with the "anti-alcohol" sort-of-policy in the religion, the integrity is on test. It is like indirect consumption of alcohol, if the rum there is "real" rum. But if it isn't, they still taste just like alcohol! So you still can taste alcohol while you are not supposed to! Comparing with vegetarians buying meats-look-a-like (texture-wise and taste-wise) in a vegetarian stall, which IMHO quite strange since they only eat veggies and dairies and not "meat" in any forms (literal or non-literal)?
But for now, let's just enjoy the fact that Ben & Jerry's has 10 halal flavors with a cherry cola toast!
Eh... This is not halal yet. Sorry. Hopefully soon (I think there aren't any non-halal ingredients?), and more people can taste this cough-syrup-like flavor!~ <3
all pictures are from http://www.benjerry.com.sg
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