Company's products
Another major company going kosher: Cosmetics company Il-Makiage announced Sunday that it plans to begin observing the Shabbat as of this Friday – for the benefit of its store workers and customers from the religious and ultra-Orthodox sectors.
"We decided to launch this move in the past few months," the manager of the chain's stores, Menny Friedman, told Ynet. "A significant number of our customers belong to the haredi population. It should also be noted that Il-Makiage's founder in the United States is a haredi man, a Belz Hasid.
Il-Makiage owns a make-up college and 25 stores across Israel. Its branches all over the country will now be closed on Shabbat and on Jewish holidays, enabling the religious and haredi public to enjoy the brand's products without hurting their religious sensitivities.
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"We looked into the issue, and we have a very good connection with the haredim, but something was missing. We would like to deepen our relationship with this population. We are making a move aimed at cooperating with the firm's audiences. We took a move forward in order to improve and identify."
But what about your customers who are very busy on weekdays and find the time to go shopping only during the weekend? Moreover, this move will damage the company's income.
"We should stress our belief and understanding as managers, that we all deserve a day of rest and quiet. I am mainly referring to the workers. When a person is employed seven days a week, he is less connected to the organization. We expect quite a big drop in our income, but we will be willing to endure it with love."
What is the expected financial loss?
"I don’t want to get into numbers. We are talking about a lot of money."
And what is your answer to those who will argue that you have given in to one public at the expense of another?
"The stores are open six days a week, and also open on Saturday evening, so that we respect one audience without hurting another."