NEW YORK, Aug 29: Since the introduction of halal meat to the traditional hotdog and soda vending business on the sidewalks of New York, the business has taken a new dimension.

Vendors take pride in serving the ethnic cuisine from their countries to people who come to the city from all over the world. The competition to serve better food is genuine and intense.

In order to judge which vendor offers better cuisine and clean and quick service a “Vendy Awards” competition was introduced three years ago.

The vendors who serve “Halal” food hail from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and some Latin America and the Middle Eastern centres.

Last year, two of the four finalists in the competition were from Queens, the New York tabloid Daily News said on Wednesday.

Samiul Haque Noor of Sammy’s Halal in Jackson Heights won last year’s competition serving chicken, lamb and beef over rice.

After winning the silver Vendy Cup last year, Noor has had much success with his Pakistani-American street cuisine. His food cart empire has grown from one cart to four carts operating at various locations in Manhattan and Queens, with plans for a fifth.

“I want to compete again. I want to see where I stand,” said Noor, who is not eligible for this year’s competition.

“It’s not so much to win the prize, but everybody will want to come out to taste your food,” said vendor Piedad Cano of Jackson Heights.

Four to five nominees will be selected and announced early September by The Street Vendor Project, an organization of more than 550 New York City street vendors that advocates for economic opportunity for all street vendors and freedom from abuse, the Daily News said.