2Firsts, September 19, 2025, Dortmund, Germany —— The Dortmund Tobacco Exhibition (Inter Tabac 2025) is being held from September 18 to 20. During the event, 2Firsts went deep into the halls, focusing on new product launches and industry developments in the next-generation tobacco space to bring first-hand on-site information and trend analysis.
On the opening day, 2Firsts spoke with Vabeen CEO Shuai at the venue for a conversation centered on product strategy, market roadmap, and industry trends, bringing the latest report from the show floor.
High-End Positioning: Design and Compliance as Dual Engines
Founded in 2021, Vabeen has quickly established a distinct market profile: premium positioning, compliance-led, and design-driven.
Speaking about the brand’s origins, Shuai first emphasized Vabeen’s “differentiated DNA.”
“Since its founding, Vabeen has adhered to an ‘innovation-driven, design-excellence’ philosophy. We’re not here to make me-too, commoditized products; we want to build a premium brand that global consumers are willing to trust over the long term,” Shuai said.
This positioning is reflected both in product design and in its compliance strategy. Shuai believes Vabeen’s greatest strengths lie in three areas:
- Design & Innovation: Continuously launching differentiated products to meet the regulatory requirements and user preferences of different countries;
- Compliance & Safety: Treating compliance as the starting point of R&D rather than an after-the-fact remedy;
- Global Footprint: Products now sell well in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa, with active expansion into Southeast Asia, Africa, and other emerging markets.
“Our goal is not short-term sales, but long-term brand trust,” Shuai said.
New Releases: The Differentiated Logic Behind iPlex and Billow Pro
At this show, Vabeen unveiled two products tailored for the European market that precisely embody its parallel R&D logic of “user needs” and “regulatory compliance.”
iPlex: Balancing Multi-Flavor and Regulation
- Core Highlights: Independent three-chamber, three-flavor design; users switch flavors by rotating, preventing flavor carry-over.
- Compliance-By-Design: Total capacity of the three chambers is 1.8 mL, neatly aligning with the EU’s 2 mL limit.
- Extended Experience: Can be paired with three 8 mL high-capacity reservoirs, achieving a dual promise of “large capacity + multi-flavor.”
- Detail Optimizations: Equipped with a compact display for at-a-glance battery level.
Billow Pro: A High-Value Open-System Choice
- Core Highlights: 20 mL ultra-large refill capacity, paired with an 800 mAh battery and dual mesh coils for long endurance and consistent flavor.
- Regulatory Fit: Open-system design precisely meets regulatory requirements in markets such as France.
- Design Touches: A distinctive “bottle” form factor; transparent tank and mouthpiece make remaining e-liquid clearly visible.
Beyond these two hero products, Vabeen also showcased its full-category matrix:
- Disposables: For example, the Plex three-flavor disposable aimed primarily at the U.S. and Middle Eastern markets;
- Pod Systems: Launching multi-flavor, large-capacity pod-mod products that differ from the common 2 mL pods on the market, filling gaps in Europe after recent restrictions;
- Open Systems: Meeting needs for user self-refilling, with notable share in North America, Germany, France, and the Middle East.
“Vabeen’s R&D approach is very clear: center on user needs, with regulatory compliance as the prerequisite,” Shuai noted.
Global Vision: Advancing on Compliance, Experience, and Innovation
As regulations tighten across major markets such as Europe, compliance has become a core imperative for global vaping brands.
On this, Shuai was direct: Vabeen’s choice is to “front-load compliance rather than patch it later.”
In his view, tightening oversight is not a bad thing; rather, it is an opportunity to drive industry upgrading.
“Strict regulation will eliminate non-compliant and low-quality products, creating a healthier competitive environment for brands like Vabeen that prioritize compliance and quality.”
Vabeen’s primary markets currently cover North America, Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa, with plans to focus on expansion into Southeast Asia and Africa’s emerging markets.
Looking ahead over the next two to three years, Shuai said Vabeen’s strategic blueprint is clear, with focus on three directions:
- Deepening Compliance: Ensuring products can seamlessly align with regulatory standards across global markets.
- Optimizing Experience: Ongoing iteration in flavor, ease of use, durability, and recyclable design.
- Technological Innovation: Continually improving atomizer-core efficiency, stability, and flavor consistency.
Shuai concluded: “Our vision is to become a leading brand in the global vaping industry—setting benchmarks not only in product innovation, but also in compliance, user experience, and sustainability.”
For more on-the-ground coverage, visit the 2Firsts InterTabac Special Section.
