Brunei: Importer to bring in halal cosmetics

Ying Chia May 22nd, 2010

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

SYARIKAT Aliaa Sdn Bhd yesterday announced it was bringing in more halal goods into the local market, including halal cosmetics from Germany.

The firm is looking to introduce more imported products from Europe, such as the Lorenz snack food brand and halal cosmetics from Germany’s Dr Scheller Cosmetics AG, said Eddie Lu, Syarikat Aliaa manager, at the launch yesterday of a line of halal toothpaste, Durodont, from Dr Scheller Cosmetics AG.

“I went over to the factory (in Germany) last year (and) I (also) went for the ANUGA trade fair (in Cologne). It’s one of the biggest in the world. We contacted them, and clinched the deal there,” he said. “We’re putting it in stores now,” he added. The formula and the brand name, Durodont, belongs to the German company, Lu said.

According to a press statement, Brunei is the first country in Southeast Asia to import the toothtaste brand.

When asked why the company hadn’t looked to obtaining the Brunei Halal Brand certification, he cited the cost. “(For the ) Brunei Halal Brand, you’ve got to pay twenty, thirty thousand, can you lend me the money to pay that?”

He said the halal certification from the German-Islamic Society in Dusseldorf only cost a few thousand euros to obtain while noting the company had secured a Cosmetic Product Notification Acknowledgement Letter from the Ministry of Health.

Syarikat Aliaa is also looking to bring in other products, such as tea and biscuits.

Lu said samples of the biscuit line from Lorenz will be available at the Fifth International Halal Products Expo in June at the International Convention Centre.

The Brunei Times