LONDON – The City of London Corporation has awarded its highest civic distinction — the Freedom of the City of London — to Tariq Sheikh, founder of Tariq Halal Meat (THM), in recognition of his role in transforming the British halal meat industry and his longstanding philanthropic work.
The Freedom of the City, one of the UK’s oldest ceremonial honours dating back to 1237, is bestowed on individuals who have achieved remarkable success in their field. Past recipients include world leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Jawaharlal Nehru, Winston Churchill, and Margaret Thatcher, as well as US presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and figures from academia and the arts, including Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates, Jimmy Choo, Morgan Freeman, and JK Rowling.
Speaking after the ceremony at Guildhall, Sheikh described the honour as “one of the proudest moments” of his life.
“I arrived in this great city as a boy of four from Jhelum in Pakistan. This honour is not just for me; it is a testament to the hard work of our 400-strong team and the legacy of quality my father began in 1965,” he said.
Sheikh, who founded THM on the foundations of his father’s small butcher shop, said the UK halal meat industry is now valued at £1.7 billion — nearly 15 per cent of the country’s overall meat and poultry market.
“From a single shop to over 30 outlets across the UK, I am proud that we have played our role in shaping an industry that now caters to halal, kosher and wider markets,” he added.
Recalling the challenges of his early life as an immigrant in London, Sheikh said he began working at 17 and became an area manager supervising multiple stores by the age of 19. He noted that his experiences instilled a discipline and ambition that guided his entrepreneurial journey.
Sheikh also highlighted his commitment to giving back to the community, noting that he had facilitated the relocation of more than 70 butchers from Pakistan to the UK. He said the company supports several major charities, including the British Asian Trust, the British Heart Foundation and the Cancer Foundation, many of which serve communities in South Asia.
He was accompanied at the ceremony by his daughter, Thaira Sheikh, who helps run the business.
“We have grown from a family-run shop into a national brand,” she said. “Today, we operate more than 30 retail outlets from London to Glasgow, employ over 400 staff, and supply premium halal meat products to over 300 Sainsbury’s supermarkets.”
