On December 20, 2024, the leading global NGP media and consultancy 2Firsts successfully held the "Outlook 2025" 2Firsts Open Day event in Shenzhen, China. The event invited industry experts and guests from both domestic and international sectors, attracting nearly 200 professionals from the NGP industry. The Open Day event, through keynote speeches, group discussions, and on-site interactions, collectively reviewed the development of the e-cigarette industry in 2024 and discussed and forecasted future trends for 2025.
2Firsts Open Day is an industry seminar and networking platform created by 2Firsts, which will continue to be held in Shenzhen, China and globally. In addition to sharing information about 2Firsts and showcasing media transparency to the global industry, 2Firsts also aims to leverage its global influence to gather excellent industry thinking, enhance communication and cooperation, promote inclusivity and industry public welfare, and establish a high-quality social network for professionals.
10 Key Sessions Focusing on Industry Hot Topics
This Open Day featured a total of 10 sessions, covering a range of themes including an annual industry review, trend forecasting, technological innovation, and the practice of global communication. Below is a recap of the highlights:
2Firsts product editor Carrie Cai reviewed the top 10 e-cigarette products of 2024, summarizing the industry's technological innovations and market performance. Looking back at 2024, the European Union's TPD (Tobacco Products Directive) region has leaned towards a strategy of compliance and stable development. The "2+10" (2ml pod plus 10ml e-liquid tank) design products best represent the future trends of this region. Non-TPD regions are more focused on innovative designs, as "adjustable products" emerged in the second half of the year, bringing innovative product forms to the market.
Echo Guo, co-founder and COO of Firsts, analyzed the regulatory situation of e-cigarettes in the United States. She reviewed the content and background of the FDA's "5-year strategic plan," emphasizing that the US government's inter-agency cooperation is strengthening, such as the establishment of an enforcement task force by the FDA and the Department of Justice (DOJ), covering multiple federal agencies to coordinate and simplify cross-agency enforcement actions. In the future, three major trends will emerge in the US e-cigarette market: the regulatory environment will not ease up, enforcement efforts will increase further; market share between compliant and non-compliant companies will diverge significantly, and industry dynamics are being readjusted; companies face a "black-and-white" choice - either adhere to compliance or exit the market.
Michelle Zhang, General Manager Assistant of 2Firsts, shared insights on the Chinese nicotine pouch industry with the theme of "super factory." Zhang stated that China has established a complete and constantly upgrading nicotine pouch supply chain, becoming an important part of the global supply chain. The Chinese nicotine pouch supply chain has the potential to become a "super factory." However, she also pointed out current risks in terms of compliance and policies.
2Firsts Editor-in-chief Leona Zhu shared the significant reporting achievements of the past year, capturing key moments in the e-cigarette industry in 2024.
Chen Yong from Uupai Technology provided a comprehensive overview of the history, technical features, and market prospects of oral thin film products, showcasing their innovative capabilities and technological advantages in the field of new nicotine products.
Sophia Lv, BD Manager of 2Firsts, shared her experience in international business development with attendees and focused on the theme of "10 Sentences to Get WhatsApp" to share techniques for networking.
- Two group discussions were held on the topics of "Products and Technology" and Trends and Prospects".
During the "Product and Technology" discussion, participants focused on exploring the innovative directions of e-cigarette products in different regions, including disposable e-shishas, multi-functional adjustable devices, and popular categories such as nicotine replacement products. They delved into how future product design can better balance user experience, cost control, and compliance requirements.
The discussion on "Trends and Prospects" focused on the future development path of the global e-cigarette industry. Participants shared observations on regional market trends, especially regulatory dynamics, consumer habits, and corporate strategies in the United States, Europe, and Southeast Asia markets. The discussion also extended to the potential impact of industry compliance processes on the market.
2Firsts CEO, Alan Zhao, spoke on behalf of 2Firsts during the 2Firsts Open Day, introducing the mission and future plans of the company.
Alan Zhao introduced that 2Firsts is committed to promoting the high-quality development of the global tobacco industry through professional reporting and consulting services. He also explained the recently launched "Brand Overseas Benefits Program" and "Compliance Benefits Program" by 2Firsts. By 2025, 2Firsts will continue to leverage its global influence advantage to promote development in areas such as compliance, innovation, science, and business, contributing to the global harm reduction cause.
Creating a New Social way through on-site interaction
The Open Day event adopts a combination of online and offline interactions. Audience members can participate in interactive discussions by scanning a QR code on-site and expressing their opinions in real-time, enhancing communication and networking opportunities within the industry.
A vote was conducted on-site to assess global product trends, and the results were announced.
In addition, the carefully prepared tea break area outside the venue provided participants with an opportunity to relax and socialize.
Participants have shown great enthusiasm for the event. Many participants have expressed that 2Firsts has not only provided the industry with a platform for in-depth information sharing, but also closely connected participants in the industry chain through offline activities such as "Open Day", promoting the collision of innovative ideas and practical experiences.
One attendee said, "Through this event, I not only gained important industry data and trend analysis, but also connected with many potential business partners, expanding our business development channels."
Looking ahead to 2025 from a fresh starting point
In 2024, the global NGP industry underwent a profound transformation. As the upcoming year 2025 approaches, it will mark a new milestone for the global industry as significant changes and breakthroughs are expected in the areas of regulation, market, and product categories. The global market landscape will face a reshuffling, and the supply chain in China will also undergo a deeper integration and upgrade.
Alan Zhao revealed that the 2Firsts leaders will continue to promote global industry exchanges and cooperation in various professional fields through activities such as "2Firsts Open Days," in order to collectively address new changes and challenges.
Alan Zhao further urged: "We look forward to more industry professionals, companies, and various parties paying attention to 2Firsts and participating in 2Firsts activities. Let's work together to promote the high-quality development of the global new tobacco industry and achieve the goal of harm reduction as soon as possible."
On January 9, 2025, 2Firsts will also host the 2025 Global Compliance Development New Year Seminar in Shenzhen Qianhai. The event, with the theme of "Compliance Drives Growth," aims to advocate for global practitioners, including Chinese supply chain companies, to focus on compliance, prioritize compliance, practice compliance, and incorporate compliance as one of the core elements of strategic planning for 2025, driving the high-quality development of the global industry through compliance consensus.
All professionals from various types of NGP companies are welcome to come and discuss how to start a new high-quality journey of global vaporization industry development based on compliance.
We welcome news tips, article submissions, interview requests, or comments on this piece.
Please contact us at info@2firsts.com, or reach out to Alan Zhao, CEO of 2Firsts, on LinkedIn
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