At VENUS Berlin, you will find sex toy manufacturers, lingerie companies, and numerous representatives of adult entertainment as well as innovative disrupters with creative ideas. On the one hand, innumerable suppliers who combine culinary products with erotic components, but on the other, there are also companies with innovative trading ideas such as the vending machine specialist Hensing from Emsdetten.
VENUS Berlin has been attracting new exhibitors ever since it was founded. Some of them come from industries that would not initially be directly associated with the adult industry. After all, the adult industry is a broad field that requires many suppliers and offers numerous possibilities for cooperation. Many companies seize the opportunity to boost their brand with erotic energy or to establish new sales channels. Unfortunately, there are still reservations, but for those who are looking for new customers at VENUS, there are often unexpected opportunities.
Among the innovative companies from other sectors is the Emsdetter family business Hensing, which manufactures snack vending machines and other direct sales vending machines. Hensing has been active on the vending machine market for about ten years and sells its machines all over Europe under the slogan »Get It«. 25 employees work at the Emsdetten headquarters on the production and distribution of the vending machines, which are particularly popular with farmers and regional retailers.
This year, Hensing has been at VENUS for the first time. The team of the vending machine manufacturer had the idea for a vending machine concept tailored to the needs of the adult industry: Sextoy vending machines. We talked about the idea with a representative of the company, which had a vending machine with a wide range of products at its booth, which was able to attract many trade visitors.
VAN: As you are now a new exhibitor at VENUS, we would like to briefly ask what your company is doing and why you decided to come to VENUS this year?
We sell vending machines in almost all sectors, mainly to farmers and butchers. In order to expand our range, we have thought, let’s go to VENUS to show that aside from food, you can also pack other products in our vending machines.
VAN: How did you come up with the plan to offer vending machines for the sextoy industry?
That was actually the idea of a colleague who thought: Why haven’t sex toys been sold in vending machines so far? Because with such vending machines, you can also overcome inhibitions through the location of the machine. This can introduce potential customers who are not yet so familiar with the subject and perhaps have shame or fears, to toys, and the joy of experimenting with sexuality. It is effortless to draw products anonymously from vending machines – unlike on the Internet or in the retail trade.
VAN: Do manufacturers or erotic dealers already partner up with you on your idea?
So far, this is a push from us. We are here because we wanted to test how the idea it is received by dealers and customers.
VAN: We’re standing next to a big red vending machine that you’ve already equipped with a wide range of different products. Are they representing your dream partners for Hensing?
Of course, we would also like to enter into partnerships with individual manufacturers who, in cooperation with us, could create a set-up design for their product series. But such a machine may also be installed in sex shops or drugstores and can be stocked by the local shop owners themselves. The possibilities are unlimited. The vending machines can be installed at festivals, in pharmacies, they can be used everywhere and win over new customer groups to the sex toy business.
VAN: What is your initial impression? Is there much interest? Is the business hall at VENUS well suited for you, and can you have fruitful discussions?
Here in the Business Hall, it’s definitely quiet enough to have conversations. We have a lot of interested parties who have been curious about our vending machines and our concepts. Many dealers are enthusiastic about our idea. So far, we have only received positive feedback and hope that things will continue like this on the remaining days of the fair.
VAN: Thank you very much for the interview.
The Hensing website can be found here.