Ahead of Second Wave of Pilgrims, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Calls 23 Catering Companies in Madinah

The Indonesian Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Mochammad Irfan Yusuf, also known as Gus Irfan, convened the leaders of 23 catering companies providing food services for Hajj pilgrims in Madinah on Wednesday (3/6/2026). This meeting was conducted as a strategic step to ensure the readiness of catering services ahead of the arrival of the second wave of pilgrims, scheduled to arrive in Madinah on 7 June. During the meeting, Gus Irfan emphasised the importance of maintaining and improving service quality. He highlighted three crucial aspects that all vendors must adhere to: accuracy of grammage (portion size), food durability, and punctuality in distribution. “Service during the first wave has generally proceeded well. However, for the second wave, those standards must not only be maintained but must be improved,” stated Gus Irfan. Gus Irfan did not deny that there were several evaluative notes from the previous phase. Key points highlighted included consistency in portion sizes, preserving authentic Indonesian flavours, food shelf-life, and distribution time management to prevent delays in reaching the pilgrims. In response to these directives, representatives from all 23 catering companies expressed their readiness and full commitment to meeting the established standards. They pledged to implement disciplined improvements to ensure that pilgrims receive adequate nutritional intake.