Amorana’s online shop offers a selection of high-quality sex toys and lingerie, combined with exciting and educational information. Alan Frei and Lukas Speiser have founded the company with 34 employees in 2014. According to a study which was published last year Amorana is the best-known start-up in Switzerland.
The Lovehoney Group has acquired a majority stake in Amorana. Established in Bath in 2002 by Richard Longhurst and Neal Slateford, Lovehoney is a market leading pure-ecommerce retailer, focusing on female users and couples. Distributing a mix of own label and third-party products Lovehoney has grown into an international success with sales of more than £100 million.
The company is backed by Telemos Capital which acquired a controlling stake in 2018 with the goal to accelerate the international expansion. Even before the investment 40% of sales came from other European countries, Australia and US. Today, the company is the only truly global brand and the only global online retailer in the industry.
Whereas countries like Switzerland, UK or Germany have a clear market leader this is not the case for a number of other countries opening up opportunities fur experienced players in the market like Amorana and Lovehoney.
Following the acquisition of Lovehoney, Lukas Speiser and Alan Frei will continue in their roles as CEO and CMO respectively and remain shareholders in Amorana. Alan Frei, co-founder of Amorana, comments: “We started in 2014 with the vision to change the market for sexual wellness products in Switzerland. Looking back, we prepared the ground for a whole industry, bringing it out of secrecy and into the bedrooms of Swiss customers. It has been a phenomenal journey for Lukas and me and we’re beyond excited about our future plans for Amorana as part of the Lovehoney Group.”
(Press release / SK)Picture: Lukas Speiser (left) and Alan Frei