Vape retailer Vapo is expanding its footprint in the country ahead of dairies facing restrictions on selling vape flavours from next year.

Vapo has opened an outlet at 15 Ballarat Street, Queenstown, marking the first significant specialist vape store in the town. The company also opened another store in Pukekohe today, its 15th store in the country. 

According to Vapo, the stores sell vape products only to smokers wanting to quit tobacco and existing vapers.

“Vapo’s arrival will help a lot of locals and visitors to quit deadly cigarettes,” said Jonathan Devery, co-owner of Vapo and Alt New Zealand. 

The expansion plan was launched due to the strict restrictions on vape flavours from next year. Parliament in August passed the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products (Vaping) Amendment Act 2020. The new legislation stipulates that from next year general retailers can only sell three vape flavours: menthol, mint and tobacco.  

“Vapers in Queenstown and Pukekohe were set to lose considerable access to many flavours from next year,’ said Devery. “By sustainably growing the number of Vapo stores, we’re hoping to encourage even more Kiwi smokers to make the switch.” 

According to Devery, despite the growth of Vapo’s online store, the brand’s physical presence remains important to ex-smokers.

Founded by Ben Pryor and Jonathan Devery with the first store in 2017, Vapo has become one of the biggest vape brands in Australasia.