A heat-not-burn tobacco-free device has launched a major nationwide marketing campaign in a bid to secure more physical and online retailer listings.
Teó is an electronic device “comparable to Iqos”, into which users place refillable vaping sticks. The sticks are available in both nicotine-free and different strength nicotine varieties.
However, unlike Phillip Morris’ Iqos and JTI’s rival product Ploom, which take tobacco-filled sticks, the Teó’s refillable sticks instead contain “high-quality tea leaves” plus propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin.
The tea is gently heated to around 350ºC, the result producing “no ash, no tar, and no smoke”.
“Using tea leaves allows our product to provide a comparable experience, while lowering the risk for users, and providing a more refreshing experience,” Teó maker Neafs said. Tea leaves also allowed for a greater variety of non-tobacco flavours, the company said, including Mojito, Menthol, Strawberry, Coffee and Blueberry.
The Teó can also accept sticks intended for rival devices.
Neafs this week launched a nationwide billboard campaign called ‘The Heat of the Moment’ on more than 3,000 digital outdoor locations across the UK. While tobacco advertising is strictly restricted, Teó is classified as an e-cigarette, where limits on advertising only apply to TV, radio, print and sponsorships. Adverts for electronic cigarettes are permitted outdoors on posters, such as on buses, bus stops and billboards and some social media.
Neafs said its UK team was currently managing supply deals with more than 300 vape stores and was in talks with distributors. Neafs devices and refills are available at WH Smith and Amazon, and on the brand’s DTC site.
“We’ve innovated the next-generation smoking alternative, now regarded as ‘dry vape’, which provides an authentic smoking experience, minus the tobacco,” Neafs marketing chief Allan He told The Grocer.
Neafs – which launched in the UK earlier this year – was founded by three e-cigarette sector leaders: Daniel Chen, the founder and owner of Eson Technologies, Adrian Everett, the founder of E-lites, and Sam Marks, the founder of Skycig.
“We felt we came up a little short on a product for hardened, long-term tobacco smokers,” he said. “We felt that dry vape technology was the way forward, and started R&D in 2015, six years before having our first product commercially available.”
The company said its bestselling varieties in the UK currently were original, menthol and blueberry at 1.5% nicotine strength.
Both Phillip Morris and JTI launched new or updated heated tobacco products last month. JTI estimates the heated tobacco category will be worth £250m by 2025.
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