Hawzah News Agency (USA)-The specially prepared meat is being embraced by some major supermarkets and 2016 is set to be a record year when it comes to sales.

With Islamophobia on the rise in parts of the U.S., some hope halal food can provide a true taste of what the Muslim community brings to the table.

Lunchtime in New York, people are line up down the block in Manhattan for a plate of chicken, gyro or falafel over rice.

The Halal Guys carts have been standing on New York’s street corners since 1990 and are now cooking up business overseas as well as expanding their franchise across the United States.

But it’s not just New York’s food carts that are seeing growing demand for halal produce. The Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of American expect halal sales to hit $20 billion this year. That’s a third more than in 2010.

In New York’s borough of Queens, Madani Halal has been providing customers with poultry, lamb and goat for over a quarter of a century.

Each animal is individually slaughtered and owner Imran Uddin said that in keeping with the Muslim faith- they only source from farms that treat their livestock humanely -qualities becoming increasingly appealing to Americans regardless of religion.

Madani Halal estimates that the majority of its customers are non-Muslim. And supermarket giant Whole Foods rates halal among its fastest growing sellers. Some hope this trend can help cut through ethnic barriers in the U.S.

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