Hey everyone! South Korea’s Tobacco Business Act amendment got delayed again on November 12—this is the second time since it was first proposed in late 2024. The plan was to regulate synthetic nicotine e-liquids and vapes as “tobacco,” but lawmakers are stuck on a few issues. Let’s break it down:
Why the Delay?
Is synthetic nicotine really “tobacco”? The definition’s fuzzy.
A 6-month grace period might lead to stockpiling chaos.
Nicotine analogues are a regulatory blind spot.
Global Context This isn’t just Korea—EU’s TPD is getting tougher, UK’s ramping up reviews, and the US is cracking down with PMTA. The $200M South Korean market (Statista 2025) is at a crossroads, with $17B lost yearly to illicit trade (WHO FCTC 2025).
What’s Next for Brands? If you’re in the e-liquid game, focus on compliance. YTOO’s got your back with traceable flavors, TPD/UFI compliance, and flexible supply chains. We’ve helped clients adapt to shifting rules—drop your thoughts below!
Ever wondered why some e-liquids just hit different while others taste flat after a few puffs?
At YTOO, every flavor that leaves our lab has been through a pretty intense process. Thought I’d share the real behind-the-scenes (no marketing fluff) so you can see what goes into making a truly great vape juice.
Inspiration & Research We start with global trends + regional preferences + client briefs. Middle East wants heavy sweetness, Europe leans crisp & citrus, SEA loves ice-sweet combos. Sometimes the spark comes from a random dessert the perfumer ate last week. Yeah, it’s that real.
Three-Note Structure (Top / Middle / Base) Exactly like perfume:
Top: First 1-second hit (lemon burst, instant cooling)
Middle: The main character (juicy mango, crisp apple)
Endless Sampling One flavor can have 30-50 prototypes. We tweak cooling levels (1-5), sweetness, acidity, aroma ratios. Premium raw materials only – the difference is night and day.
Real-Device Testing (the make-or-break step) Same juice on a 0.6Ω mesh vs 1.2Ω cotton coil can taste completely different. We test across dozens of devices, wattages, and airflow settings. Only the ones that shine on actual hardware get approved.
Stability & Aging High/low temp storage, accelerated aging, packaging compatibility. If it separates, discolors, or loses flavor after a month – back to the drawing board.
Global Compliance TPD, PMTA, UFI, MSDS, ECHA – every market gets its own fully-documented version. No shortcuts.
That’s the journey from idea to the bottle in your hand. 30,000+ formulas later, we’re still obsessed with getting it right.
Just wanted to hop in before the turkey coma hits and say a massive THANK YOU.
This year you trusted us with your wildest flavor ideas, your impossible deadlines, and your toughest feedback—and somehow we all came out stronger.
From the 3 a.m. “can we tweak the cooling?” messages to watching your brands light up new markets, every crazy moment was worth it because we did it together.
So yeah, the cleanrooms are fancier and the formula count hit 30,000+, but the real win is still the same: having partners who feel more like teammates.
Wishing you a Thanksgiving full of good food, good clouds, and zero drama. Here’s to crushing 2026 side by side.
Our Goal: To create a fruit profile that felt genuinely new—not just another berry blend.
How We Built It: We structured it in three clear stages. The prickly pear cactus note up front is dry and slightly green—it’s meant to reset your palate. The dragon fruit in the middle brings a soft, creamy sweetness without being heavy. We finished with a bright, tart red raspberry to keep everything vibrant and prevent the profile from flattening out. It’s for the vaper who’s tired of the usual fruits.
We’re curious: Does a “cactus” note intrigue you or turn you off? If you like unconventional profiles, what’s the most memorable “weird-but-good” flavor you’ve tried?
Our Goal: To move past candied strawberry and build something that tasted like a real, fresh strawberry dessert.
How We Built It: We focused on texture and progression. It starts with the natural, slightly tart taste of fresh strawberry (seeds and all), moves into a rich, unsweetened cream middle, and finishes with a warm vanilla custard note. Sweetness is deliberately restrained—it’s about authenticity, not sugar rush.
We’re curious: For our EU vapers, does this match your preference for less-sweet, realistic profiles? Do most strawberry creams taste too artificial to you?
Our Goal: Pure, uncomplicated fruit intensity. No subtlety, just impact.
How We Built It: This is about clarity and power. Zesty orange hits first for that juicy burst. Ripe mango forms the dense, sweet core that carries the weight. We finished with a touch of candied watermelon to clean up the exhale and add a familiar sweetness. It’s simple by design but built to deliver in a pod.
We’re curious: When you want a strong fruit hit, do you prefer straightforward blends like this, or more complex, layered ones?
Our Goal: A citrus profile for adults. We wanted to highlight the bitter, pithy, and tart notes—not mask them.
How We Built It: Sharp, cold-pressed lemon leads for a crisp opening. It quickly hands off to the star: a bold, bitter pink grapefruit. A hint of sweeter pomelo softens the edge just enough. Don’t expect sweetness here—expect a brisk, refreshing citrus smack.
We’re curious: Are you into bitter or tart profiles? Is there room for more “unsweetened” fruit flavors in the market?
Our Goal: The ultimate refreshing, all-day fruit blend. Light, cold, and clean.
How We Built It: We used a fresh, juicy strawberry as the star, and paired it with dragon fruit—which acts more as a “lightener” than a dominant flavor, making the strawberry taste “wetter” and less syrupy. The WS-23 cooling is blended into the flavoring itself, so the chill feels like it’s coming from the fruit, not just layered on top.
We’re curious: How important is a “clean” finish for your all-day vape? Do you prefer cooling blended in like this, or as a separate element?
6. Starfruit Candy (30/50mg | Global Chinese Focus)
Our Goal: To tap into nostalgia—to bridge the unique taste of starfruit with the memory of a specific childhood candy.
How We Built It: It opens with the authentic, tangy-floral note of real starfruit (carambola), then intentionally morphs into the smooth, sugary sweetness of a hard fruit candy. The balance between the fruit’s natural tartness and the candy’s sweetness is the whole point—it’s a flavor memory.
We’re curious: Do nostalgic flavors from your own culture or childhood resonate with you? What’s one flavor from your past you wish someone would make?
We’re sharing this because we value real dialogue. Your feedback—what you love, what you hate, what you’re bored with—directly informs what we do next.
The full technical specs are available on our site for those who want to dive deeper.
So, what stands out? What did we get right? What would you change? Let’s talk.
Big news from Mexico: On December 9, the Chamber of Deputies passed a constitutional amendment (Senate approved Dec 11) banning all commercial vape activity – disposables, refillables, heated tobacco, e-liquids, the works. Production, import, sale, distribution – all prohibited. Penalties? Up to 8 years in prison and massive fines.
Personal use is exempt from criminal charges, but the commercial side is completely shut down.
This isn’t just another ban – it’s constitutional, so it’s not going away easily. Mexico was Latin America’s second-biggest market. Gone overnight.
What does this mean for us globally?
Latin America supply chains need rerouting fast
More countries likely to follow with heavy taxes or bans in 2026
Black market risk goes up (opposition already calling it a “gift to cartels”)
Huge opportunity in compliant markets: EU, UK, Japan/Korea, US, Middle East – zero-nic Longfill and natural-source formulas are exploding
As an e-liquid manufacturer (YTOO), we’ve been all-in on compliance for years: TPD/MSDS certified, 30,000+ formulas, ready for zero-nic Longfill switch in 48 hours.
How are you guys adjusting? Brands losing Mexico orders? Factories pivoting? Drop your thoughts below.
