Most UK vape brand stories from the last few years share a similar arc. Pivoted from disposables to refillables when the ban was confirmed. Scrambled to convert flavours to bottled or pod format. Settled into a new commercial reality. IVG’s story is slightly different because the brand had a UK presence well before disposables dominated the category, which gave them more options when the ban hit.
IVG, which stands for Innovative Vapor Group, originated as a UK e-liquid brand in the early 2010s. Their original product range was 10ml shortfill liquids targeting traditional vape customers. The flavour profiles, particularly in the fruit and dessert categories, built a loyal following among UK vapers long before disposables became a mass-market category. That pre-disposable history matters because it gave IVG flavour development experience that brands which only arrived during the disposable wave didn’t have.
When disposables took off in the early 2020s, IVG expanded into that format. The IVG 2400 multi-flavour disposable kit became one of the better-selling UK disposables in its price band. The 2400 was distinctive in that it offered four flavour pods in a single device, which was unusual and gave IVG a clear differentiation point in a market full of single-flavour disposables. That product helped IVG build broader brand awareness without losing their existing liquid customers.
The 2024 disposable ban announcement gave IVG a clearer transition path than brands that had been disposable-only. Their existing 10ml liquid customers were already operating in the bottled format, so IVG didn’t need to teach those customers anything new. The challenge was keeping their disposable customers across the format change. IVG’s answer was the Pro 10K pod kit, launched in 2025 as their flagship refillable device, alongside the Pro Refills range that captured most of the popular 2400 flavour profiles in pod format.
Shane Margereson at Ecigone, one of the UK’s longer-established independent vape retailers, has noted that IVG’s customer transition from disposables to pod kits has been smoother than most brands’. The reason isn’t mysterious. The flavours customers had loved in the 2400 reappeared in the Pro Refill range with broadly similar profiles. Customers who liked the original berry blends could buy the same flavour direction in pod format. The continuity was the commercial differentiator.
Distribution played a quieter role. IVG focused on independent vape retailer relationships rather than chasing supermarket and corner shop visibility post-ban. That decision built trust with shop owners and gave the brand consistent shelf placement across the independent retail network. Customers wanting IVG products knew where to find them, which is a smaller advantage in theory than in practice.
The brand has expanded the range steadily through 2025 and 2026. The Pro 10K sits as the flagship pod kit. The XL 35K targets the longer-life puff count category. The Smart Max 10K covers a slightly different price point. Pro Refills remain the commercial backbone, providing the recurring revenue that pod kit hardware purchases generate over a customer’s lifetime in the brand.
IVG’s 2026 position sits in the second tier of UK vape brands by volume but with notably higher customer loyalty than most. Where Elux, Hayati and Lost Mary compete on disposable-converted scale, IVG competes on flavour development depth and hardware-pod ecosystem quality. The October 2026 vape duty will test the brand’s relative positioning, but customer retention should hold up better than for most brands because the underlying loyalty drivers are durable.
For a brand that started life selling 10ml shortfills out of a UK vape shop in the early 2010s, the trajectory has been remarkable. IVG didn’t dominate any single era of UK vaping. They’ve quietly outlasted most of the brands that did.
