Bat Bought Twisp

[SinnerG]

I think, right now, the likes of Twisp are the most visible brand out there, adorning malls, etc, etc. That's what BAT want to make it easier to bring in their other e-cig products. Sure beats trying to set that all up from scratch.

Let it happen, let the e-cig market expand. A Twisp is but a gateway to your first mech mod.
Let them push, turn more smokers into vapers. Then that smoker who never noticed that vape shop in the mall before might now be a whole lot more interested in going in for a look-see.

Problem I think might happen here is that, because BAT now has a visible vape line, people are going to start lumping vaping more and more with smoking because, well, BAT is tobacco. That doesn't help those currently fighting the fight to prevent vaping being lumped into the smoking laws.

 

[SinnerG]

Eat any Cadbury's or shit like oreos and you are supporting big tobacco, Altria is the mother corp of Phillip Morris and have a majority stake in Kraft foods, which include Cadbury's, Jacob's, Nabisco etc. I'd just not buy Twisp because the quality seems undependable, unless you start growing your own food big tobacco has your money already.

Screw VW, I'm buying a SEAT.
I'd never be seen dead in a Golf, I'd rather drive an A3.
Chevy sux, buy an Opel.

It's quite frightening to think how few "companies" are out there in all industries. Holding company this, holding company that.

 

[Fuzz]

It just makes great business sense for BAT. Vaping has turned into an alt lifestyle choice, where the barrier for entry into it is considerably higher than buying a loose cigarette at a vendor. The nett effect of that statement is that vaping is a luxury lifestyle choice. By virtue of it being a luxury, you get to charge more. Charging more means bigger profits.

Now before people flame this post with the whole ‘vaping is safer than smoking, and that’s why I chose it’ argument and how it’s not a luxury, let’s go back to first principles:

Vaping is a form of nicotine delivery. So is smoking. Both do the same thing. And one is cheaper than the other. One is also safer than the other. Same with cars: if you choose a city hatchback with the bare minimum in terms of safety, over a luxury sedan that has collision avoidance, abs, 20 airbags, etc, this means you’re choosing the cheaper option over the safer option. You may not be able to afford the luxury car, so you’re stuck with the hatch. That’s how we define luxury and affordability.

Same in this instance: BAT is investing in the luxury option to diversify the range and appeal across a now wider market. Previously all that distinguished a smoker was whether you chose the cheap R20 pack or the R40 pack that was a ‘superior’ experience. Vaping has now widened that gap to cater for those who want to either spend more; Be more healthy; or both. This was the gap that the likes of BAT has been waiting for - to add a healthier, premium option to their product line.

In my own opinion (I’m no expert on the subject), they’re not going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. This is their opportunity to milk the profits while they delay any sort of legislation. They have the money to get their marketing of Twisp on point and offer deeper market penetration while the entire vaping versus smoking distinction hangs in the balance. And with that scoring massive profits as their products fly off the shelves.

This is the tipping point for the industry in SA. Expect a lot of the people who cannot compete, or who don’t have a sound business model to keel over as this is no longer a game of ‘supply whatever you want without regulation’. Also expect the standard to increase and improve, especially from a quality control perspective within the juice space. We finally can leave behind the ‘bathtub mixers’ and the guys who sell ISO lab juice as revolutionary when all it really means is packing / mixing in a dust controlled environment.

Overall, this will be a positive step forward for the vaping industry, however as always, the consumer will have to fit the bill...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Adephi]

I find it a bit ironic that the nic we use in vape juice gets extracted from tabacco leaves. So even though we are not spending cash on that packet of stinkies the big companies still gets a cut. Albeit a much smaller cut.

Instead of buying 4 cartons of stinkies now you spend R100 to R150 every 2 months on nic if you diy juice. And that is still hurting them.

But having a big tabacco company aligned with vaping does not bode well with legislation that is currently under debate.

 

[daniel craig]

I find it a bit ironic that the nic we use in vape juice gets extracted from tabacco leaves. So even though we are not spending cash on that packet of stinkies the big companies still gets a cut. Albeit a much smaller cut.

Instead of buying 4 cartons of stinkies now you spend R100 to R150 every 2 months on nic if you diy juice. And that is still hurting them.

But having a big tabacco company aligned with vaping does not bode well with legislation that is currently under debate.

There are e-liquids which use TFN (Tobacco Free Nicotine). Juices that use this Nicotine are more expensive which is why most juices just settle for Nicotine derived from tobacco.

 

[BubiSparks]

@BumbleBee - It wasn't me who resurrected this old thread. The link you posted was posted by another member (forget his name), but he is the designer at Twisp and the post was deleted soon after my reply.

Interesting...........?

 

[BumbleBee]

@BumbleBee - It wasn't me who resurrected this old thread. The link you posted was posted by another member (forget his name), but he is the designer at Twisp and the post was deleted soon after my reply.

Interesting...........?

Ah, that makes a bit more sense. Interesting indeed

 

[Raindance]

Hey @Raindance Are you psychic, or did you have insider information?

Nope @Hooked, twasnt me. If I were psychic, I'd seen the Bitcoin growth thingy intime to get in on the groind floor. I would also have known when to get out.

Regards

 

[Martin_tu]

Ah, that makes a bit more sense. Interesting indeed

Well it's Mainstream news now.. https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/c...ompany-in-a-move-to-next-generation-products/

BAT to buy SA’s biggest vaping company in a move to ‘next-generation products’
21 DECEMBER 2017 - 17:51 DAVE CHAMBERS


Picture: REUTERS/STEFAN WERMUTH
Cigarette giant and rand-hedge British American Tobacco (BAT) SA is buying SA’s biggest vaping company‚ Twisp.

Based in Cape Town‚ BAT SA said it wanted to expand its "next-generation products" business and offer consumers a choice of "compelling and innovative" alternatives to smoking.

 

[RichJB]

Twisp is very much in big tobacco's wheelhouse: simple closed system designs that will be quite easy to get through regulations, and where the manufacturer retains a large degree of control over how the device is used. That is how big tobacco is approaching it, they have already bought up quite a few similar brands. They don't seem to have any interest in the enthusiast/DIY side of the market, what they want is a foolproof device that will attract new ex-smokers.

At the same time, I think they are trying to reduce cost and technological complexity so that they can have a device to roll out in the developing world, as and when the technology allows.

 

[Raindance]

Twisp is very much in big tobacco's wheelhouse: simple closed system designs that will be quite easy to get through regulations, and where the manufacturer retains a large degree of control over how the device is used. That is how big tobacco is approaching it, they have already bought up quite a few similar brands. They don't seem to have any interest in the enthusiast/DIY side of the market, what they want is a foolproof device that will attract new ex-smokers.

At the same time, I think they are trying to reduce cost and technological complexity so that they can have a device to roll out in the developing world, as and when the technology allows.

Interesting, their strategy seems to be using the entusiast/DIY scene as negotiation fother in legislative negotiations. Get the core market and kill the competition in one fowl swoop. Ba****ds!

Regards

 

[Martin_tu]

Interesting, their strategy seems to be using the entusiast/DIY scene as negotiation fother in legislative negotiations. Get the core market and kill the competition in one fowl swoop. Ba****ds! Regards

On the contrary, their strategy is more probably through their manipulation of legislation (to favour their own kind of products) via their 'Front Company' AKA VPASA. Note how the UK was restricted to maximum bottle size of 10ml and tank size of 2ml, now who are the market leaders in those sizes I wonder..

 

[CMMACKEM]

I wish that they would just keep away from vaping. They will probably directly or indirectly make purchasing or actually vaping vape related goods difficult for us.

Comparing vaping and cigarettes is like comparing a carbonated soft drink to coffee.

 

[RichJB]

Big tobacco being the market leader in vaping is precisely why vaping research isn't widely believed. Governments take their lead from public health bodies, who view vaping as a way for big tobacco to restore their reputation, get a seat at the public health policy discussion table again by claiming to produce reduced harm products, and keep the populace enslaved to nicotine in the process. This is why Scott Gottlieb is going after nicotine now. It is the substance that underpins everything. Take it away and they can break big tobacco's grip on the population.

 

[incredible_hullk]

This is true

https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/com...merican-tobacco-expands-in-sa-with-vape-deal/

 

[Smoke_A_Llama]

To be honest... this deal gives me the heeby jeebies