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What Happened to E-Lites? A Lesson in Vape Culture

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If you’re like us, you might have been wondering about a certain iconic electronic cigarette brand that seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. Electric Tobacconist has been around long enough to remember when this brand was a common ‘alias’ for e-cigarettes here in the UK. We’re talking about E-Lites, its history and where this brand is today.

Here’s a lesson in vape culture for anyone new to vaping — and a trip down memory lane for everyone else. Vape culture is one of the things that makes the vaping industry so interesting and diverse. The genuine interest shown by members of its community towards brands, products, techniques and styles is something we are glad to be a part of, so here is our chance to give a little back. We hope you enjoy it!

The History of E-Lites Electronic Cigarette Brand

e-lites kits \ Electric Tobacconist UK
Photo Courtesy of Spinfuel

Interestingly enough, E-Lites has had a colourful history since its founding in 2009. The CEO and founder of E-Lites, Adrian Everett, developed them in the wake of declaring bankruptcy in 2007. His ‘rags to riches’ story tells of how, during his career in the RAF, he invested in property development. Becoming unable to repay his mortgages, he lost everything and spent a year with no fixed address while going through a divorce.

Alongside business partners, he managed to generate just enough money to begin E-Lites. Working hard on a tight budget, the company grew rapidly thanks to its cigarette-like appearance. Just years later, E-Lites had sold £43 million in products in 2013 alone, taking on the Big Tobacco industry and anti-smoking lobbyists alike.

Adrian continued to develop the brand’s image, creating a ‘groundbreaking’ television advert that neither included the use of the product, nor the actual product in any form. In 2014, E-Lites was sold to Japanese Tobacco International, allowing Adrian to remain in management and further the growth of his E-Lites brand on an international scale. The brand was eventually merged with Logic to create Logic Vapes, which produces electronic cigarette products both in the UK and the US.

It’s important to remember that back in the day, E-Lites were regarded as one of the most ‘cigarette-like’ e-cigarettes you could buy — so much so that E-Lites became a common alias for all e-cigarettes. Much like how CelloTape or Hoover are, in fact, brands, not the products they are so often referred to as.

While this is not necessarily true of E-Lites, the fame of this notoriety can have a negative impact on sales. Consumers end up not fully realising what brand or product they are actually buying. Unfortunately for E-Lites, its merger with the Big Tobacco companies did not result in its iconic branding lasting the test of time. We can only guess as to why you can’t still buy E-Lites e-cigarettes in the UK today.

Can I Still Buy E-Lites Electronic Cigarettes?

Once available in major retailers across the UK, it is no longer possible to find E-Lites anywhere — apart from maybe in some dusty stockroom of an old corner shop. We haven’t stocked E-Lites here at Electric Tobacconist for a couple of years now, but have welcomed the growth of Logic Vapes as a strong British producer of vape products.

Logic Vapes stocks a variety of vape pens, from semi-disposable, through to cartomizer, capsule mod and clearomizer vape pens. With their own brand of e-liquid and e-liquid vape capsules (with in-built coils for total convenience) they offer a complete package to any vaper. We recommend the tobacco flavoured e-liquid capsules for former smokers, as the 18mg nicotine strength best replicates a traditional smoking experience.

Discover the most cutting-edge vape pen technology at Electric Tobacconist today and benefit from FREE delivery on any orders over £10!