IIn 2008 , John Chamley attended an interview for a customer service job . His first question was : “ Are these electronic cigarettes that you want me to sell any good , or just another gimmick ?” The MD gave him one to try ; he took a drag and it had him coughing like his first ever cigarette . He took a few more and could not believe how realistic the sensation of smoking was . John got the job with Intellicig and spent over three years helping to grow the business . In 2009 , they formed a working partnership with FlavourArt Italy , having met CEO Massimiliano ( Max ) Mancini . When John left Intellicig in 2012 , the owners gave him the FlavourArt UK arm as a thank you . Max asked him to take on the role of UK Distributor . FlavourArt UK now supplies a large number of manufacturers , suppliers and resellers . “ It ’ s been a privilege to work with some especially talented people ; Chris and Dave at Intellicig , now at Nerudia , work to high standards that I aspire to match . Max is inspirational and a man of great integrity . FlavourArt is like a family ”. Speaking of family , John ’ s eldest daughter is co-owner and co-director . He praises her outstanding admin skills and how efficiently she runs the business while he develops new ideas and plans for the future . FlavourArt has built a reputation for producing high-quality products and providing customers with a very personal service . Customer service comes above everything else .
“ I still spend time on the phone talking new vapers through the DIY mixing process because I like to see them create and save money ”. Many of the 60 custom blends John has produced over the years have proved very popular . “ Discussing new ideas with customers and making bespoke flavours is very rewarding but the biggest challenge we have faced is TPD , which tried and failed to disrupt our industry . I have been a pioneer for nearly nine years and have overcome many obstacles , but that is what we do best , rise to the challenge ”. The FA Clearstream project is one such example . It took research to an unprecedented level with its cytotoxicity studies of flavoured e-liquids . John was also promoting the idea of ‘ flavourshots ’ + ‘ nicshots ’ two years ago . Now many of the smaller businesses have been able to survive by using that option .
So what ’ s next for FlavourArt UK ?
“ The vaping side is well-established and still growing , but we are expanding more into the food sector , which was the original market when Max founded FlavourArt in 2006 . The renewed interest in home baking has opened up an exciting market . The future is bright ; the future is Orange and Strawberry and Pear Drops and Custard !”
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