The flavor of e-cigarettes has become the direct driving factor for consumers in choosing products. As the channel connecting with consumers, the flavor of the product is a key "weapon" to ensure that brands can stand out in the industry. Flavor innovation is also an important direction for brands to develop new products. Therefore, how to innovate on the basis of classic flavors, and how to stand out from homogenization have become problems that major e-cigarette brands and e-liquid manufacturers are thinking about and exploring tirelessly.
In relation to this topic, 2FIRSTS has conducted interviews with several Shenzhen-based e-liquid factories and e-cigarette brand owners to gain insights into the current situation and future trends regarding e-cigarette flavors.
Flavoring Samples | Image source: De Yuan Spices
Current Situation: Single Flavor Development Has Reached Its Peak, Multi-Flavor Combinations Are Most Popular. Currently, the electronic cigarette market boasts more than a thousand different flavors. Including those that have been developed but not yet marketed, the overall number of electronic cigarette flavors may exceed ten thousand. This seems to be a consensus among industry professionals. These thousands of individual e-juice flavors can be categorized into several major types, such as single fruit flavors, multi-fruit flavors, beverage flavors, pastry flavors, and floral flavors.
After conducting visits to key global markets, 2FIRSTS found that different regions have varying preferences for e-cigarette flavors. The European and American markets tend to favor sweeter, more refreshing flavors, while Russia leans towards stronger throat hits and cooler temperatures. In Southeast Asia, heavier and more intense flavors are preferred.
However, the preferences of these mainstream markets also show consistency and can be generally summarized as "cooling sensation + fruit + high sweetness". Among them, the most widely used flavors are blueberry, cranberry, grape, kiwi, and other berry fruits. The reason for this is that berry fruits are relatively sweet and already have a broad market foundation, and by presenting them as "berry flavors" in e-cigarettes, they have become the most popular flavors in the market.
The production factory | Image source: Deyuan Spice focuses its research and development on the restoration and "memory reproduction.
Innovation in taste" has always been an important way for e-cigarette manufacturers and brand owners to update their products. However, Liu Hua (pseudonym), an e-liquid practitioner, has stated that the development of single flavors has reached its limit. Currently, various companies are focusing on creating complex flavors that consist of popular fruit flavors combinations, with 2-7 different flavors blended together.
A fragrance developer at Yunshuo Technology told 2FIRSTS that there are primarily two methods for developing complex flavors. One involves blending two or more different fragrances to create a harmonious blend, while the other involves highlighting multiple flavors in the e-liquid to create a distinct layering of taste.
Apart from developing complex flavors, restoring authenticity and recreating memories has become an important research and development direction in response to market demand.
Yukun (pseudonym), a practitioner in the electronic cigarette industry, stated that the accuracy of flavor replication and the ability to recreate memories are the two most frequently mentioned aspects by consumers in market feedback.
User Feedback | Image Source: Provided by Yoken
Big brands are the trend indicators, and popular products are both accidental and inevitable.
Several interviewees expressed that major electronic cigarette brands have wide coverage and perform strongly in most major markets, receiving high attention, and have the ability to promote innovative flavor products. To some extent, the flavors of large companies also represent the direction of industry flavors.
However, just because a brand is large doesn't necessarily mean that every flavor they produce will be successful. Hu Xin, CEO of Yunshuo Technology, stated, "There is no way to calculate the success rate of new product launches. Every product needs to be tested by the market and repeat purchases are a sign of a successful new product.
Many people believe that a new flavor becoming a "hit product" is a random phenomenon, with an element of luck, and cannot be predicted. However, Hu Xin believes that creating a hit product is not a coincidence, and there are certain conditions for a new product to "explode." For example, many hit products are of high quality, have outstanding features, no obvious weaknesses, and have good flavor coordination.
Vaping fragrance blending room | Image source: Yunshuo Technology
Trend: Fusion and specialization of flavors in the future will prioritize technological advancements and superior ingredients.
On October 1, 2022, the "new national standard" officially went into effect and banned the sale of electronic cigarettes in the Chinese market, except for tobacco flavors. In December, the flavor ban in California, United States was formally adopted. On October 1, 2023, the Netherlands' transitional period for its flavor ban will end and the nationwide ban on flavored e-cigarettes will be fully in place. These actions signal a global trend towards limiting e-cigarette flavors and emphasizing the return to the essence of tobacco. Hu Xin stated that the narrowing of e-cigarette flavors is a global trend and the two most secure flavors are tobacco and menthol, for which long-term preparations need to be made.
Before the launch of the "Flavor Ban," the development of fruit flavors remained an important strategy for products to gain users. When asked about the trends and characteristics of future e-cigarette flavors, Hu Xin provided the following answers.
Taste is developing towards finer differentiation. According to Hu Xin, innovation in taste requires both integration and differentiation. For example, taste cannot be simply categorized as apple or banana; it should be refined and delicate to the point of exploring every part of a watermelon, like the flesh and rind, in order to develop unique and fresh flavors. At the same time, manufacturers should not solely pursue something "new, strange, and unusual," but rather focus on the quality, aroma, and texture of different flavors.
Introducing a new concept of "functionality". Assigning functional qualities to the flavor of electronic cigarettes will make them even more appealing to consumers. For example, incorporating soothing, calming, and stress-relieving effects can broaden the functional boundaries of the flavor offerings.
Perfume laboratory | Image source: Yunshuo Technology
There is a growing emphasis on the importance of ingredients and technology in the production of e-cigarettes. Several interviewees have expressed that when it comes to purchasing e-liquid, price is the most important factor to consider. However, according to Mr. Hu Xin, there is currently no uniform evaluation standard in the e-liquid market, and many purchasers prioritize price due to the insular nature of the market. Nonetheless, as the e-liquid market becomes more regulated, the significance of ingredients and technology will undoubtedly increase.
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