Ångfabriken in Malmö is run by father and son Troedsson - but mostly the younger version, Dennis, these days. The father usually stays away from the shop on Föreningsgatan, even though he is still the majority owner.
"Looking at the vejp industry in Europe, the ban is not positive, but to be selfish, it has been extremely beneficial for us," says Dennis about all the Danish customers they have since the flavour ban was introduced in 2022.
Dennis and his dog Kiwi greet us just before closing time on a chilly Thursday evening in January. Kiwi is of the very small Pomeranian breed and quickly spins around his own shoulder in his eagerness to greet. Dennis takes it much more slowly but offers coffee and tells us a little about the history of the Steam Factory.
- It was my dad and two others who helped start it in 2014. I think it was intended that the two of them would work here, but then one left and then there was the other guy who was left for a while. But then he left too, in 2017 somewhere there, and then I had to start working in here instead," says Dennis.
Then he was 18, now he's 26 - so it's been the lion's share of his working life in the vejp shop. Over time, his father Hans Ola phased himself out more and more, and today Dennis handles most things from purchasing suppliers to the actual shop work, five days a week.
- But he has 51 per cent of the companies, so I am a partner. He signed it over to me, but it wasn't a very big company. But he was going to have that balancing percentage, so he gets to decide," Dennis laughs.
Commuting across Skåne
Those five days a week also include an hour's commute from Kristianstad, where Dennis lives with his partner, Kiwi and his siblings. The other dog is also in the shop sometimes, but is of the livelier kind so had to stay home today.
But they were simply keen to live in a house, and the price difference between the big city of Malmö and the smaller town of Kristianstad took them there. He doesn't usually mind travelling by car - but he was one of those who got stuck in the famous E22 road chaos last winter, spending 19 hours in the car.
Talked vejpning with doctors
Dennis himself was only a teenager when Hans Ola started Ångfabriken, but of course he still knows a lot about the background. It differs somewhat as his father never smoked, snuffed or vejpat.
- I seem to recall that my dad had spoken to a doctor, who had actually been quite favourable to vejp, before it became big. Then he has always been such that he thinks it's fun with new things. So he contacted others who might also be interested and they went ahead.
- I've read some articles on Vejpkollen and really everyone else is an old smoker who quit with the help of vejp. But my dad has always stayed away from all that. But I think he saw it more as something positive, something that could help others to quit.
Then I guess you might not be vejpare either?
No, but I do snuff. I have vejpat a bit from time to time and tried to get rid of the snuff, but it is difficult and instead I did both. But I talk a lot with my customers, and quitting smoking is often about the habit. That's where vejp helps a lot. But with snus it's a bit different and not the same feeling. I have a lot of customers who are down to 0 milligrams of nicotine. But they find it harder to quit the habit than it was to quit the nicotine.
Do you do a lot of work like that, trying to help customers to stop?
- Yes. If you take shortfill, there are some people with different nodal strengths, and then I usually encourage them to reduce. Many times it works, but then of course there are some people who know what they want and won't change it.
Vejpstaden Malmö
Although Malmö is a large city, with many vejp shops, Dennis sells to a fairly loyal clientele.
- Most customers you get some kind of relationship with. So you talk a lot about all sorts of things. I really like that, because it's not like you go into, for example, Ica, put up to the checkout and say hello and goodbye.
How does it work to give advice on flavours and other things when you don't vejpar yourself?
- Yes, but I do try some. Then I tend to be quite honest with customers and say what sells well and what doesn't. You still get some indication of what is popular and works.
The steam factory sells some disposable vejp, but as with the reduced nicotine strength, Dennis tries to lob them out when he can.
- When the first models arrived, we didn't take them in. We thought they were expensive and bad for the environment. But as customers asked for them, we had to do it anyway. You have to survive with ... I'm not very fond of them, but now I think more and more people are switching to refillable or pre-filled pods instead. And that's positive. Then of course I can understand the simplicity of it too.
It feels like Malmö has always been big on vejp. Already 10 - 15 years ago, every little kiosk around "möllan" and Triangeln sold ciggalikes and starter packs.
- I don't know why Malmö became a vejp city. But I do know that I've seen it since I was in secondary school, and I didn't even know what it was then. It is still everywhere in the kiosks.
Danish invasion after ban
Then, of course, there is the proximity to Denmark and the continent. In 2022, a ban on flavoured e-juices was introduced in Denmark, and it was something of a jackpot for the Swedish market near the border.
- Yes, it sounds a bit half-baked, but the ban in Denmark is one of the best things that has happened to us. We have a lot of Danish customers, and what's more, once they're here, they take the opportunity to buy a lot.
- If you look at the arms industry in Europe, a ban is not a positive thing, but if we are to be selfish, it has been extremely favourable for us.
How many Danish customers are involved?
- It is difficult to say because they often come in groups. But maybe around ten times a week. But then a Danish customer buys for the equivalent of five or six Swedes.
You should know that Föreningsgatan and Ångfabriken are not even close to the bridge or the railway station. Dennis has been toying with the idea of opening such a branch.
- I've heard that they have a shop like that up by the Norwegian border, which sells loads. One of our suppliers, who we know quite well, sold there. He said that they have ridiculous amounts there. So we've been thinking about a shop at the bridge here or something similar.
Five quick ones for Dennis Troedsson, Ångfabriken
Who is your typical customer?
- Around 45 - 50 who want to take action to stop smoking. Majority women.
How big is vejp in Malmö?
- It's still quite big. There are at least four shops that can cope, plus all the kiosks.
What is your own favourite flavour?
- Grape Ice
What would you never put in the tank yourself?
- We used to buy juices from Malaysia. Then it was a brand that had carrot flavour...
What made you start vejpa?
- Does not weigh regularly
