The Success Story of MIG Shisha – From a Small Shop in Essen to a Global Premium Brand
The Success Story of MIG Shisha: From a Small Shop in Essen to a Global Brand
Some brands are born on a designer’s desk.
Others are born from pure frustration with how bad the market really is.
That was the story of MIG.
Ahmad Mostafa wasn’t a theorist.
He was a passionate shisha smoker.
Together with his brother Mohamed Mustapha, he ran the "4 Shisha Shop" in Essen, Germany.
They lived the shisha culture.
They knew the scene inside out.
And every single day, they saw just how poor the quality of many products on the market really was.
Cheap threads. Inferior materials. No spare parts. Constant complaints.
But at some point, it stopped being just about business.
"I used to sell shishas to friends and family — and I even lost friendships because the quality wasn’t good enough," Ahmad recalls.
That was the breaking point.
Enough was enough.
The decision was clear:
If no one else was going to do it better — we would do it ourselves.
From the First Attempt to the First Breakthrough
The name came quickly: MIG.
"Made in Germany."
Not just a marketing slogan.
But a clear commitment:
We build shishas that last. That work. That stay.
The first MIG — the MIG 1.0 — featured a modular design, adjustable stem, and two bowls.
Finally, a product with no compromises.
But the road to perfection wasn’t easy.
"We made a huge mistake: we built the threads facing upward inside the stem," Ahmad says.
The result?
Molasses would leak right through the stem.
And that wasn’t all.
The stem pieces were so precisely manufactured that you couldn’t even see they were separate parts.
Visually stunning — technically problematic.
The pieces would lock together during use.
But Ahmad and Mohamed didn’t give up.
Internal hex key. Special tool. Complete redesign.
The MIG 2.0 was born.
And it was a hit:
Over 1,000 units sold within a few months.
MIG had arrived.
The Next Milestone: MIG Armour
But if you know MIG, you know one thing: standing still is not an option.
While the 2.0 was conquering the market, the brothers were already working on the next generation:
The MIG Armour.
Slimmer. Smarter.
With 18/8 ground joint for glass molasses catchers.
And most importantly:
Bohemian crystal glass from the Czech Republic, produced exclusively for MIG in their own dedicated factory.
Bohemian crystal and German CNC precision — something the shisha market had never seen before.
The Armour became the next bestseller.
The Gamechanger: MIG G36
But the true gamechanger came with the MIG G36.
The first MIG designed specifically for the professional hospitality industry.
Developed not behind closed doors — but together with real-world experts:
Bar owners. Shisha lounge operators. Industry pros.
And among them: Turan Karakurt, who ultimately gave the G36 its name.
Robust. Modular. Built for heavy-duty professional use.
Today, the MIG G36 is:
The best-selling professional stainless steel shisha in the world for the hospitality industry.
From Essen to the World
From the launch of the G36, there was only one direction for MIG: straight up.
Today, MIG is present in over 50 countries.
Clients include:
Royal families. Sheikhs. Sports stars. TV personalities. Entrepreneurs. Collectors.
And of course: countless hospitality professionals worldwide.
In the Arab Gulf region, where the shisha and lifestyle market is booming, MIG has become a household name.
Several times, MIG shishas have been delivered directly to royal palaces.
But one rule always applies at MIG:
Discretion.
No names. No data. No stories.
Those who buy MIG enjoy the highest level of privacy and exclusivity.
Lifestyle. Future. MIG.
Today, shisha is far more than just smoking.
Shisha is lifestyle.
And MIG helped shape this evolution.
Today, you’ll find MIG shishas:
In automotive lounges.
In high-end clubs.
In design hotels.
At VIP events.
In private members clubs.
All around the world.
But this is only the beginning.
Behind closed doors, MIG’s team is working 24/7 on the next steps:
New designs. New technologies. New collaborations.
Asia. North America. South America.
New markets are opening.
And MIG is evolving:
Partnering with premium brands.
Collaborating with automotive manufacturers.
Joining forces with those who see shisha for what it is today:
A global cult product.
A key part of modern international lifestyle culture.
"We helped make shisha a global phenomenon," says Ahmad.
"Now the next generation is starting — and MIG is ready."
Quietly. Relentlessly. 24/7.
Author:
MIG Shisha
