MAKKAH: Sulaiman Ismail arrived in Makkah at 19, drawn by a deep connection to this sacred place.
His dream, since then, has been to establish a business serving pilgrims from Malaysia and around the globe who come for Hajj or Umrah.
In 2022, Sulaiman, who hails from Banting, launched Ibtizam Catering & Food Services Sdn Bhd, specialising in providing meals to Malaysian Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
"Currently, I serve meals to about 95% of Umrah pilgrims brought by local agencies. For this Hajj season, I'm catering to approximately 19 travel agencies, accommodating around 4,950 pilgrims using Haj visas and Mujamalah at 25 hotels across Aziziyah and Mekah," he said.
"I provide three buffet meals daily: breakfast, lunch, and dinner, featuring authentic Malaysian cuisine made with 100 per cent Malaysian spices."
"We offer dishes such as traditional cakes, nasi lemak with anchovy sambal, shrimp sambal, dried squid sambal, boiled cassava, peanut sauce, and a variety of Malaysian desserts including 'seri muka', 'ketayap', and 'ondeh-ondeh'," he explained to a Tabung Haji media officer during a recent interview at his office and kitchen.
Sulaiman shared that his journey to Makkah began during his tenure as a cook with Tabung Haji from 1999 to 2008. In 2010, he visited for Umrah and found inspiration to embark on business ventures here.
"In 2011, during Umrah, I prayed before the Kaaba for guidance. Alhamdulillah, I found my path and secured an initial capital of RM9 million," he said.
"By the end of 2022, I learned Saudi Arabia was issuing business licenses to foreigners. Viewing it as an investment opportunity, I applied for and obtained a license under my name," he added.
"Now operating independently, this company is solely owned by me, a Malaysian. It's been nearly a year and a half since I established it," Sulaiman said.
He imports all cooking essentials directly from Malaysia, totaling 54 items including curry, coconut milk, soy sauce, anchovies, and crackers. Fresh produce is sourced locally.
"Most pilgrims appreciate our offerings. We provide salted fish, sardines, assorted cakes, 'roti canai', and 'murtabak'. Our menu also includes laksa, 'mee goreng mamak', noodle soup, and more. Despite the higher costs, we ensure pilgrims enjoy authentic Malaysian cuisine," he said.
Sulaiman oversees the kitchen personally and is assisted by six Malaysian cooks and 47 support staff from various countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Bangladesh.