Category: Business

Poda Holdings Emerges After Recent Name Change

Photo: Poda Holdings
Poda Holdings has completed the name change from Poda Lifestyle and Wellness to Poda Holdings, pursuant to a directors’ resolution announced earlier this month. The company’s shares will remain trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol PODA upon the opening of the markets on Sept. 27, 2021.
The CUSIP number assigned to the company’s shares following the name change is 73044N10 4 (ISIN: CA73044N1042). No action is required by stockholders, and outstanding stock certificates are not affected by the name change and will not need to be exchanged.
In related news, the company has engaged CFN Enterprises, owner and operator of CFN Media, to provide social media and client outreach strategy services for the company.
September 28, 2021
PUDO to Service West Coast Supply and E-Liquid Depot

Photo: ipopba
PUDO, a North American carrier-neutral parcel pick-up and drop-off counter network, signed client service agreements with online vaping industry retailers West Coast Vape Supply and ELiquid Depot.
According to PUDO, many major carrier services are unable to meet the age and identity verification (AIV) and other requirements of the new legislation, which governs the delivery of industry-specific branded consumer products, including alternative smoking accessories and consumables with active ingredients. With its carrier-agnostic parcel pick-up and drop-off counter locations throughout North America, PUDO says it offers a solution for AIV.
“We are excited to explore new delivery opportunities with PUDO and continue to bring harm reduction technologies to our customers,” said Mike Ibrahim, CEO of West Coast Vape Supply, in a statement. “This new agreement will help solve shipping challenges, and we hope new customers who would like to find another nicotine-delivery method can benefit.”
“We believe adult smokers and ex-smokers deserve access to a wide variety of smoke-free vaping products,” said American Vaping Association President Gregory Conley. “At the same time, we also understand the concerns that legislators and public officials have expressed about home delivery of these products occurring without crucial safeguards being in place to prevent youth access. We are excited to have PUDO as a solution for millions of American adult consumers.”
“Our PUDOpoint Counters operators are benefiting from increased parcel volumes and foot traffic; vape industry customers are benefiting by being able to pick up the parcels during extended hours and on weekends at locations near to where they live, work or play; and online retailers are enjoying frictionless, seamless compliance,” said PUDO Founder and CEO Frank Coccia. “A triple homerun.”
September 24, 2021
RELX Announces Distribution Partnership in Saudi Arabia

Photo: viperagp
RELX International has announced a partnership with SAF Trading Agencies for the exclusive distribution of RELX products throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“This is an incredibly important partnership for RELX International, and we’re thrilled to be working with SAF Trading Agencies who will leverage their extensive KSA distribution network to make the brand widely available nationwide for our adult consumers,” said Fouad Barakat, general manager, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait & Algeria at RELX in a statement.
“Our aim is to drive awareness and sales, as well as our corporate messaging to our target audience, adult smokers who would otherwise continue smoking, across the region.”
Since its establishment in the late 1980s, SAF Trading Agencies has grown into an extensive group of companies covering a diversified range of activities and markets including pharmaceuticals, e-cigarettes and food production.
According to RELX, the Middle East and North Africa region is one of the vapor business’ fastest growing markets, expanding at a rate just short of 10 percent until 2024.
September 23, 2021
Imperial to Test its Heated Tobacco Product in Greece

Photo: Imperial Brands
Imperial Brands has stepped up market testing of its heated tobacco products through a national rollout in Greece.
Insights from Greek consumers on the Pulze device and iD heat sticks will help inform the potential for further launches in a focused number of European markets. Earlier this month, Imperial Brands launched a pilot trial for its tobacco heating products in the Czech Republic.
Building a targeted and sustainable next generation product (NGP) business is a key part of Imperial’s new strategy and its commitment to make a meaningful contribution to harm reduction.
According to the company, heated tobacco is an established NGP category in a number of European territories, including where Imperial already has a strong route to market for its traditional tobacco products.
“Heated tobacco continues to gain traction among adult smokers in Greece, and we see significant growth opportunities for our promising products in this category,” said Imperial Brands’ chief consumer officer, Anindya Dasgupta, in a statement.
“The valuable consumer insights we gain from the pilot initiatives in Greece and the Czech Republic will inform the scale and pace of further market rollouts.”
Heated tobacco currently accounts for more than 10 per cent of the total tobacco sector in Greece, with further strong growth anticipated.
The Pulze device heats but doesn’t burn ‘iD heat sticks’ to provide nicotine and tobacco aromas containing fewer and substantially lower levels of the harmful chemicals found in combustible cigarette smoke.
Unlike other heated tobacco products, the Pulze device does not require a charging case, offering up to 20 consecutive uses. It is available in copper and silver colors.
ID tobacco consumables are being made available in Greece in four flavors: Rich Bronze, Balanced Blue, Capsule Polar, and Ice.
September 20, 2021
Poda to Change Name, Revise Corporate Structure

Ryan Selby (Photo: Poda)
Poda Lifestyle and Wellness’ board of directors approved a proposal to change the company’s name from Poda Lifestyle and Wellness Ltd. to Poda Holdings Inc. The change remains subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange.
There is no consolidation of the company’s share capital in connection with the planned name change. The proposed name change will not affect the company’s share structure or the rights of the company’s shareholders.
In addition to the intended name change, the company also announced plans for a new corporate structure, whereby the company will create six strategic subsidiaries, each focused on specific growth areas of the company. The proposed names for the six subsidiaries are Poda (Tobacco), Poda (Alternatives), Poda (Therapeutics), Poda (THC), Poda (CBD) and Poda (Research and Development).
“This proposed name change is consistent with our business objectives and our long-term strategy,” said Poda CEO Ryan Selby in a statement. “Our valuable intellectual property has applicability across a wide-ranging scope of applications, and I believe the name Poda Holdings Inc. more accurately serves the overarching vision the board has for the company.
“In addition to the name shift, creating the six new subsidiaries will provide strategic focus and strong growth opportunities in each of the target opportunities. I look forward to sharing more information about our customized strategies for each subsidiary over the coming weeks.”
September 16, 2021
Many Firms Received FDA Marketing Denial Overnight
According to sources, numerous companies received marketing denial orders (MDO) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration overnight. A major white label manufacture confirmed that several of their clients received MDOs. The FDA is expected today to announce the fate of the vaping industry when it makes final decisions on premarket tobacco product applications submitted by Sept. 9. 2020.
Credit: Zoran Milic
The manufacturer can not be named because he had yet to speak with his clients about the denial order. The exact number of products that have received MDOs could not be confirmed, but some are suggesting its “hundreds of thousands” of products.
Several companies have announced on Twitter having received them on Sept. 8, many late in the evening. Amanda Wheeler, president of the American Vapor Manufacturers Association (AVM) tweeted “Today was a tough day. Lots of very good people who I respect deeply and who helped thousands of smokers quit, got told by our government that their products were illegal. To all of you, I am so very sorry. To your customers, I am even more sorry. Our government is wrong on this.”
The FDA has yet to update its list of companies that received MDOs. Recently, the agency announced it had sent in total 34 MDOs from Aug. 27 to Sept. 1, covering more than 300,000 products. At least one company has already filed a lawsuit against the FDA, according to Vape Radio.
Many manufacturers have also said they would turn to synthetic nicotine because the FDA lacks the authority to regulate it. Vapor Salon will be switching to synthetic nicotine, the company wrote in a public Facebook post dated Aug. 26.
The post was published on the same day that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration denied some 55,000 marketing applications by Vapor Salon and two other companies on the ground that they “lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers sufficient to overcome the public health threat posed by well-documented, alarming levels of youth use of such products,” according to an FDA press release.
“VaporSalon is switching to TOBACCO FREE NICOTINE on Friday, 8/27/2021,” the Facebook post reads. “The main purpose of this is to be outside of the FDA’s regulations with their hefty PMTA requirement which takes full effect on Sept 9th 2021 with needing an approved PMTA, or your product can no longer be sold. There has been 0 approved PMTA’s for anything ENDS related to-date.”
September 9, 2021
Juul Labs to Open Research Facility in North Carolina

Photo: steheap

Juul Labs plans to open a research facility in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA, reports WRAL.
The new facility is expected to create 35 full-time jobs, according to a company spokesman.
“We will continue to seek to earn the trust of key stakeholders, including local officials, as we advance the potential for harm reduction for adult smokers while combating underage usage,” Juul said in a statement.
In June, Juul Labs settled a lawsuit brough by North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein, who accused the company of marketing its product to young people. Juul agreed to pay $40 million but denied wrongdoing or liability. North Carolina was the first state to take legal action against Juul.
At least 13 states, including California, Massachusetts and New York, as well as the District of Columbia have filed similar lawsuits. The central claim in each case is that Juul knew, or should have known, that it was hooking teenagers on pods that contained high levels of nicotine.
A lawsuit brought against Juul by North Carolina’s Wake County Public School System is currently ongoing.
In 2020, e-cigarette usage decreased by 19.6 percent in high schoolers and among middle-schoolers by 4.7 percent according to the U.S. Federal Drug Administration. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contends nicotine can harm adolescent brain development.
September 8, 2021
Vuse Becomes No. 1 Global Vaping Brand

Photo: BAT
Vuse is now the No. 1 global vaping brand by value share, according to its manufacturer, BAT.
Vuse is the category value share leader in four of the top five vapor markets (Canada, France, Germany and the U.K.), and BAT’s U.S. momentum in vapor means Vuse is now leader by value share in 22 states, up from 20 in July, BAT announced on its website.
In May this year, BAT also announced that Vuse became the world’s first global carbon neutral vape brand.
“We are delighted that Vuse has become the number one global vaping brand,” said Jack Bowles, CEO of BAT. “It is proof that we are building brands of the future, underpinned by strong innovation, as part of our vision for ‘A Better Tomorrow.’
“In the first half, we delivered 50 percent New Category revenue growth and added 2.6 million consumers of our noncombustible products, our highest ever increase, to reach 16.1 million consumers. This momentum is powered by our strong global brands Vuse, Glo and Velo. Each New Category brand grew its category share by more than 280 base share points [bsp] across key markets and recorded volume growth of 70 percent or more.”
At its half-year results, BAT reported that its vapor business performed strongly, with revenue up 59 percent, volume grew by 70 percent and consumer numbers were up by 0.9 million to reach 7.5 million. Since December 2020, Vuse’s value share is up 340 bps, reaching 34 percent in July 2021.

September 8, 2021
VPZ Opens 5 New U.K. Stores Since End of Lockdown
One of the largest vaping retailers in the U.K., VPZ, has announced that it has opened five new stores since the end of lockdown restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The new stores are located in Helensburgh, Port Glasgow, Castlemilk, Glenrothes and Farnborough, bringing its total footprint to 159 stores and creating 15 new jobs.
Doug Mutter/Photo: VPZ
Since lockdowns ended in April, the company has seen a 165 percent increase in first-time vapers kit sales. The demand has been driven from smokers having no access to National Health Service (NHS) stop smoking services and vaping retailers being closed due to not being classed as essential during lockdown, according to a press release.
Doug Mutter, director of VPZ said, the company is spearheading the fight against the nation’s No. 1 killer: smoking.
“The Pandemic has triggered an increase in smoking rates and the public health problem has been compounded by funding cuts for NHS stop smoking services and local support groups,” said Mutter. “This latest investment in our offering and expansion of our store footprint underlines our commitment to playing our part in regaining this lost momentum and helping the UK achieve its ambitions to be a tobacco-free nation by 2030.”
June 30, 2021
Poda and Eson Pursue Europe, Asia Partnership

Photo: Poda Lifestyle and Wellness
Poda Lifestyle and Wellness and Shenzhen Eson Technology Co. have signed a binding letter of intent to facilitate a joint development agreement, whereby Poda will join Eson’s existing distribution network in Europe and Asia where Eson is currently selling over 50 million units per month.
Poda has developed and patented a heat-not-burn (HNB) platform while Eson has developed a patented proprietary blend of tobacco-free products that it currently sells through the brand Neafs.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Eson, who is recognized as one of the leading manufacturers of electronic cigarette devices, and more recently as one of the global leaders in tobacco-free heat-not-burn products” said Ryan Selby, CEO of Poda, in a statement.
“Daniel Chen and his team at Eson are currently filling and distributing millions of Neafs products per month into the Chinese market, providing us with tremendous opportunities to scale. There are over 400 million adult smokers in China, and we believe that this partnership with Eson will provide us with a fast-track opportunity to rapidly develop our market share in the Chinese market,” said Selby.
Eson has designed numerous electronic nicotine delivery systems and has licensed its IP to some of the biggest tobacco companies in the world. In addition, Eson has served as an original equipment manufacturer for some of the biggest tobacco companies globally, including Japan Tobacco International, Imperial, British American Tobacco, Godfrey Philips India, Philip Morris International and China National Tobacco.
Eson has designed numerous electronic nicotine delivery systems and has licensed its IP to some of the biggest tobacco companies in the world. In addition, Eson has served as an original equipment manufacturer for some of the biggest tobacco companies globally, including Japan Tobacco International, Imperial, British American Tobacco, Godfrey Philips India, Philip Morris International and China National Tobacco.
This partnership will provide us with a fast-track opportunity to rapidly develop our market share in the Chinese market.
Ryan Selby, CEO, Poda
“Poda has developed an incredible HNB platform, and their zero cleaning pods offer consumers a hassle-free HNB product that delivers consistently great results, day after day” said Daniel Chen, CEO of Eson. “Additionally, the vapor is flavorful and robust, offering cigarette-like satisfaction to discerning adult smokers.
“We are already selling over 50 million Neafs stick per month and are currently expanding our production facilities to produce over 250 million Neafs sticks per month, which should be completed within the next 60 days. Since we launched the Neafs products in October 2020, the demand for Neafs products has been overwhelming. We are extremely excited to offer the Neafs by Poda products to our existing distribution channels, and we anticipate tremendous success with the Neafs by Poda products.”
June 2, 2021