Skincare Producer El Hajj Eyes International Market

KUALA LUMPUR, April 5 (Bernama) -- El Hajj Products Sdn Bhd, the first company to come out with JAKIM-certified skincare products, has its eyes set on the international market. To be there, it chooses the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) as the platform. The company got a lot of enquiries from international visitors especially this global halal market place, said Managing Director Muhammad Hamudi Abdul Khalid. By year-end, El Hajj would expand its business to South Africa and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre where the four-day MIHAS 2012 is being held. "Right now, we are already exporting to the United Kingdom, Germany and the Philippines, while locally, we are available in Tesco, Mydin and Carrefour," he said. The company started 10 years ago and posted sales exceeding RM1 million last year with nine halal skincare products in the market. "So far, we have only experienced one downturn due to the economic crisis in 2007 and 2008. Now, we are optimistic of a double digit growth this year," Muhammad Hamudi said. At the ninth edition of MIHAS organised by the Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) that began Wednesday, El Hajj entered into a sponsorship agreement for the supply of its skincare products to Israq Adventure Sdn Bhd's "Kembara Bumi Suci" programme participants. The company has also signed a memorandum of understanding under which umrah pilgrims who sign up for Felda Travel Sdn Bhd's package will receive El Hajj mini skincare sets. -- BERNAMA