Married couple Shaz Butt and Samia Haleem believe they will be filling a gap that people “want and need”
Married couple Shaz Butt and Samia Haleem believe they will be filling a gap that people “want and need”
Husband and wife Shaz Butt and Samia Haleem are no strangers when it comes to opening food outlets. In fact, the Childwall couple are at the helm of several across the country, most notably Subway venues.
The pair, who are 46 and 40 respectively, franchise two of the brand’s eateries in Birmingham and one in Derby. Closer to home, they are also at the helm of Subway in West Derby and as of Saturday, April 19, they will add another to the list.
The couple are reopening the premises on Bold Street, which has been closed for several months. While at first it looks the same as all other Subways in the UK, on closer inspection, it becomes clear this isn’t the case.
Samia told the ECHO: “The subway on Bold Street has been there for quite a few years. But this time, it is coming back differently. It will be a Halal Subway, making it the first one in the city.
“We have a few stores already, so this isn’t new to us. We have been involved with Subway for twenty years. The growing Muslim community needs this, and it is a thriving location to have it. This will be a new menu for everyone to enjoy. We won’t cater just for a single group; this will be for everyone.”
Samia explained that the products would be exactly the same; it just means the meat would be slaughtered in a halal-approved manner. Halal food refers to food that is permissible to eat according to Islamic law and therefore suitable for Muslim community members to consume.
The Arabic term encompasses a variety of dietary guidelines, including focusing on the way animals are treated and the ingredients used in food preparation.
For meat to be considered halal, the animal must be slaughtered in a specific way, known as “zabiha”. This involves a swift, humane cut to the throat while invoking the name of God. The animal must also be healthy at the time of slaughter.
Halal food also must not have come into contact with strictly forbidden items (haram) in Islam. This includes pork, its by-products and alcohol. Similarly, halal food must be prepared and cooked using utensils and equipment that have not been contaminated with haram substances.
Processed foods must be carefully checked for halal certification. This includes ensuring no haram ingredients, such as gelatin derived from non-halal sources, are used.
Many food products are certified halal by recognised organisations, which ensures that they meet all the necessary requirements for halal consumption. Another popular restaurant, Wingstop, which has seen queues down the street since it opened its doors for the first time this week, confirmed to the ECHO it also serves Halal food – you can read about it here.
Samia said: “We have spoken with the local mosque community and university students, and they have wanted this for years. But no one seems to have listened to them. So it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring this store to Liverpool.
“We have spoken with all the other food outlets on Bold Street to introduce ourselves, and it feels like we are all coming together. We are very excited but a little nervous. We know what to expect and how to handle it, and are very familiar with the system.”
The store will officially open with a “fresh look,” but Samia promised more would come at the end of the year. She added: “It has had a mini refurbishment, but a full one will happen at the end of the year.
“It just takes quite a while for all the necessary equipment to arrive. We wanted to get the store up and running as soon as we could because the community needs and wants this.”