Vape King

What Vape King does

Vape King is a South African, family-run specialty vape retailer founded in 2013 and headquartered in Midrand, Gauteng. The company sells vaping hardware and consumables—including disposable vapes, pod systems, starter kits, advanced mods, rebuildables, batteries, tanks/coils, and a broad e-liquid assortment covering local South African and imported US brands, nicotine salts, MTL formulations, and long-fills—alongside adjacent cannabis accessories (bongs, dry herb vaporizers, grinders) and nicotine pouches. Underlying technology is conventional e-commerce plus retail distribution; there are no proprietary software platforms, APIs, AI/ML capabilities, or mobile apps documented. Distinguishing technical assets are limited to partnered product features such as Wotofo's NexMesh coil technology in the co-branded NexPOD Refillo kit.

Vape King monetizes through three channels: (1) 25 physical retail storefronts concentrated in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal operating six to seven days per week, (2) a transactional e-commerce site at vapeking.co.za offering nationwide delivery with free shipping on orders of R1,000 or more, and (3) a B2B wholesale division gated to VAT-registered businesses via an application process. Pricing is unit-based per SKU (example: Wotofo X Prime Dispo NexPOD Refillo kit at R180 on sale, R400 RRP). The go-to-motion is direct-to-consumer, supported by a 5% cashback loyalty rewards program, Buy 1 Get 1 Free promotions, and blog/email/social content marketing. Ownership is private and concentrated with the founding family (founder Warren Pleass); no external institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity are disclosed.

Name

Vape King

Legal name

Vape King

Website

https://vapeking.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vape King is a South African, family-run specialty vape retailer founded in 2013, operating 25 retail stores across Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal plus an e-commerce site and B2B wholesale division. It serves adult smokers and vapers with hardware, e-liquids, cannabis accessories, and nicotine pouches under multiple third-party and co-branded product lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vape Retail

NAICS

Tobacco, Electronic Cigarette, and Other Smoking Supplies Retailers (459991), Tobacco Product and Electronic Cigarette Merchant Wholesalers (42494)

SIC

Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)

akta.pro primary industry

Dedicated Vape & E-Cigarette Shops (Specialty Retail) (CRANAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vape Wholesale Cash & Carry / Trade Retail (CRANAEAF), Vape & E-Cig Accessories Retail (Mods, Pods, Coils, Batteries, Chargers) (CRANAEAG)

Keywords

• Vape retail stores
• Disposable vapes
• E-liquid distribution
• Vape accessories
• Wholesale vape supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Midrand

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices26 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Revenue from selling vaping products including starter kits, disposable vapes, vape juice, tanks, coils, mods, batteries, cannabis products, and accessories through 25 retail stores and e-commerce website.
2. E-commerce Sales: Online sales through vapeking.co.za with free shipping on orders R1000 or more.
3. Wholesale/B2B Sales: Wholesale division serving registered businesses with VAT numbers. They offer wholesale pricing for retailers and business customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vape King is a South African multi-channel vape retailer selling vaping devices (disposable vapes, pod kits, starter kits, mods), e-liquids (local South African and imported USA, including nicotine salts and MTL formulations), replacement parts (tanks, coils, pods), batteries, rebuildables, cannabis accessories, and lifestyle merchandise. The company serves consumers through 25 physical retail stores and a nationwide e-commerce website, and serves VAT-registered businesses through a dedicated wholesale division.

Product overview

Vape King is a South African e-commerce and retail company operating 25 physical store locations nationwide. The product portfolio consists of a comprehensive vaping ecosystem including Disposable Vapes, Vape Kits, Pod Kits, and Starter Kits as core device categories. Vape Juice/E-Liquids are offered across multiple formulations including Nicotine Salts, Mouth-to-Lung (MTL), Long-Fills, and both local South African and imported USA options. Supporting categories include Tanks/Coils/Pods, Vape Mods (Electronic and Mechanical), Batteries & Chargers, and Rebuildables (RTA/RDA). The company also sells Cannabis products (Rolling, Bongs, Hand Pipes, Dry Herb Vaporizers, Grinders) and Lifestyle merchandise including Nicotine Pouches. A wholesale program serves registered businesses with VAT numbers. The offering is a traditional e-commerce catalog without AI/ML capabilities, API access, or third-party integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disposable Vapes Pre-filled, single-use vaping devices offered as the widest range of disposable vapes in South Africa, featuring brands such as Geek Bar, UPENDS, PunkApe, and Wotofo. Sold to adult vapers across all sales channels.
• Vape Kits Complete reusable vaping setups including starter kits and advanced configurations for adult vapers seeking refillable devices.
• Pod Kits Compact vaping devices using replaceable pod cartridges, including models such as the Aspire Nexi One Kit and Upends Rage X Prime Pod System.
• Vape Juice / E-Liquids
• Tanks, Coils & Pods Replacement atomizers, coils, and pod cartridges including Vape Tanks (atomizers), Replacement Coils & Pods, and Tank Accessories.
• Vape Mods Advanced vaping devices including Electronic Mods, Mechanical Mods (Mechs), and Mod Accessories for experienced vapers.
• Batteries & Chargers Power cells and charging equipment including Vape Batteries, Battery Chargers, and Battery Accessories for vaping devices.
• Rebuildables Rebuildable atomizers for advanced users, including RTA (Rebuildable Tank Atomizers), RDA (Rebuildable Dripping Atomizers), and Building Essentials.
• Cannabis Products 420-friendly products including Rolling supplies, Bongs, Hand Pipes, 420 Accessories, Dry Herb Vaporizers, and Grinders.
• Vape Accessories & Merchandise Accessories including Bags/Vape Tool Kits, Vape Apparel, and Lifestyle products (Outdoor gear, Nicotine Pouches).
• Nicotine Pouches Tobacco-free nicotine pouches for oral use, categorized under Lifestyle products.
• Vape Wholesale Wholesale distribution service for registered companies with VAT numbers; business customers apply via a wholesale application form requiring company registration details.
• Wotofo X Prime Dispo NexPOD Refillo Starter Kit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 13 years of continuous operation in South African vaping market
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• WotofocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduct partnership to bring the NexPOD Refillo to South African market. The kit includes Wotofo's NexPOD device combined with Prime Dispo vape juice, featuring NexMesh coil technology. This collaboration provides exclusive product offerings to Vape King customers.
• Prime (Dispo Prime)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to include Prime's best-selling vape juice bundled with Wotofo's NexPOD device. The Prime Dispo juice is described as award-winning flavor and is included free with the NexPOD Refillo kit.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vape Superstore: Vape Superstore is a large UK specialty vape retailer offering disposables, kits, mods, and e-liquids online. It is comparable in assortment breadth, multi-channel model, and loyalty mechanics, though operating in a different geography.
• Twisp: Twisp is South Africa's largest electronic cigarette brand, owned by British American Tobacco (BAT). It is the most direct competitor to Vape King, selling vape devices, e-liquids, and accessories through its own retail footprint and partner channels in the same South African market.
• Ecigwizard: Ecigwizard is a UK-based multi-channel vape retailer selling devices, e-liquids, and accessories. Comparable in product mix and consumer target, demonstrating the specialty vape retail model Vape King operates.
• Vapouriz: Vapouriz is a UK-origin vape brand and retailer with South African distribution, selling starter kits, e-liquids, and disposables. It overlaps directly with Vape King's product catalog and adult vaper target segment.
• Vape Club: Vape Club is a South African online and brick-and-mortar vape retailer selling disposables, kits, mods, and e-liquids to the same adult smoker/vaper customer base that Vape King targets, with overlapping product range and price points.

Broad incumbents

• Element Vape: Element Vape is a large US online vape retailer with a comprehensive catalog of disposables, mods, tanks, and e-liquids. Comparable in assortment breadth and e-commerce-first model, but a much larger established operator in a different geography.
• blu (Imperial Brands): blu is Imperial Brands' global e-cigarette brand, offering pod systems and disposables across multiple markets. It overlaps with Vape King in product category and adult vaper target, but operates at much larger scale as part of a multinational tobacco portfolio.
• Vuse (BAT): Vuse is British American Tobacco's global vape brand, sold in South Africa and competing with Vape King on disposables and pod kits. As a major tobacco incumbent's vape portfolio, it is broader and better capitalized but overlaps in product category.

Others

• Wotofo: Wotofo is a global vape hardware manufacturer and Vape King's co-development partner for the NexPOD Refillo kit. Relevant as a key supplier and strategic ally rather than a direct competitor, but informs Vape King's exclusive product positioning.
• Geek Bar: Geek Bar is one of the largest global disposable vape brands stocked by Vape King. Relevant as a supplier and category driver shaping consumer demand, but not a retailer and therefore not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagramvapeking.co.za/vape-king-instagram-en.html
• Xx.com/VapeKingSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/VapeKingSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vape-king-south-africa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vape King