Erotica company targets Muslims

First contracts in Egypt and Indonesia

The German erotica company, mostly known over here for its online and mail order retailer Pabo, is determined to conquer the Islamic world. “We have already signed the first contracts for Egypt and Indonesia”, Serge van der Hooft (Beate Uhse’s CEO) told press agency Belga.

He believes a lot of Western companies have no idea what to do with the Islamic world, but he feels there are opportunities in this “enormous growth market. We will mainly focus on young, female Muslims, but we will see if it is a success. I want to use a 6-month period to check whether there is a market out there for us.”

“Sharia Compliant”

Beate Uhse has contacted a specialist in El Asira, a cosmetics company from Amsterdam which has focused on Muslims since it was founded in 2012. Abdelaziz Aouragh (33), its founder, emphasizes that the traditional erotic items like dildo’s or blow-up dolls will not be included, but that it’s more “atmospheric lotions and sensual beauty products meant to optimize a woman’s beauty“.

“A lot of beauty products’ contents are halal, but there are brands that use Buddhist logos or texts and that won’t be the case here. There won’t be any scantily dressed woman on the cover either and our company will not borrow money.” That makes the products “Sharia Compliant: in accordance with and permitted by the Sharia”.

Interested consumers won’t have to visit a sex shop to acquire the products as Beate Uhse wants to sell the range of products through convenience stores and perfume stores and through Christine le Duc’s and Pabo’s web shops. El Asira will take care of sales abroad. “Beate Uhse is mostly there to offer logistic support”, Serge van der Hooft said.