Best Wholesale Supplier of 2020

2020 was not a very easy year for all hookah bar owners. The pandemic and legislative restrictions have hit this segment hard. In turbulent conditions, many hookah bars literally had to survive – and to do this, optimize suppliers, assortment and prices.

Which of the wholesale suppliers was most popular among hookah bar owners in 2020?

We decided to interview representatives of both the network business and individual establishments.

They were asked the following questions:

1. What difficulties did you have to face in 2020 in terms of supplying hookah  products and consumables for your hookah?

2. What are the 3 main criteria for you that guide you when choosing a hookah supplier?

3. Which company, in your opinion, can be called the best wholesale supplier for hookah bars in Russia in 2020?

1. Overpack.

Two hookah bar establishments in Chelyabinsk, working for 5 and 6 years. We have a lot of experience as a craftsmen, one of the widest choices of both hookah park and tobacco flavors.
We are trendmakers in Chelyabinsk and make great content on social networks. At the moment, we hold fewer events due to restrictions, but in normal times the leaders in the number of events aimed at introducing new products for the B2B and B2C segment and training hookah culture among the B2C segment
Vkontakte groups:1.overpack_centr 

2.overpack_chayka 

Instagram:1.overpack_centr

2.overpack_chayka 


1. To be honest, there were no tangible supply problems at all, except for 2 items:

A. Coal, but it’s a widespread problem and no one can fix it. There is also coal in the right quantity, but the brand itself (Nero) is more compromise than satisfying our needs.

B. Cups. When there was a need to update the cup fleet, I faced the problem that there are no necessary models in one place and you have to look for them from different suppliers. Inconvenient.

2. A. The most important thing is the service, which is expressed in normal communication, speed of order processing, loyalty for small things in the work (write about setting a new taste, offer merchandise, bring by the right time).

B. Availability of an update price list with assortment, no errors in positions when delivering to a point. Sounds trite, but there are still some.

B. An assortment that will close needs to the maximum

3. We work with local suppliers more often because they cover 95% of needs, but if that’s not enough, we turn to SmokeLab, although they can be called good with tension lately. As they say, it used to be better.

2.Omar Khayyam

„Omar Khayyam“ is a symbiosis of the Hookah Club with an assortment of more than 400 flavors, a full-fledged bar with an emphasis on author’s cocktails and delicious cuisine.

VKontakte Group: Omar Khayyam
Instagram: Omar Khayyam
Website: Omar Khayyam

1. Perhaps the difficulties in 2020 include a shortage of coal at the end of the year.

2. The criteria are simple:

– Assortment of flavors and manufacturers

– Good wholesale and large wholesale prices + fast feedback from the supplier

– Availability of current novelties and offers in the form of master classes and lectures from manufacturers

3. I think SmokeLab is the most suitable candidate.

3. Diskette Lounge

Diskette Lounge is a concept lounge bar in the center of St. Petersburg, created in the style of an unincarnate utopia Synthwave, Vaporwave, Retrowave. The concept of the institution grew out of the idea of showing the connection of times and plunge into the atmosphere of technical and web-progress of recent decades.

Lamp TV bar counter, graphics installations of a bygone era, floppy disk menus, retro set-top boxes and paintball machines. Author’s cocktail card and hookahs, the quality of which we are proud. The bar also features several beers, wine and spirits – whiskey, rum, gin. From soft drinks, we offer homemade lemonades and tea, to which you can choose honey, herbs, fresh berries or fruits as an additive. There is no kitchen, so we allow you to bring any food and snacks with you. Comfortable furniture for rest: we collected piecemeal and restored collectible vintage armchairs from the 60s to the 80s.

Diskette Lounge is the perfect place for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and relax in a pleasant neon atmosphere.

VKontakte Group: Diskette Lounge

Instagram: Diskette Lounge 
Website: Diskette Lounge 


1. At some point, all hookah coal disappeared, everyone.

2. Criteria such as:

-Prices

-Reliability

-Delivery speeds

-Flexibility

3. S2B, but the guys have a lot to work on

4.“1743”

Two-storey hookah club in the center of Orenburg. A relaxed environment, comfortable furniture, unique hookahs and a large selection of tobacco. The first floor is in urban style, the second floor is a quiet lounge for those who want to relax.

VKontakte Group: Hookah „1743“

Instagram:Hookah „1743“
Website: Hookah „1743“


1. By the end of the year, there was a problem with coal

2. Criteria such as:

-Prices

-Delivery speeds

-Choice

3. .Oshisha

5. Mint Edition

Mint Edition, located on the territory of a three-voice manufactory in the center of Moscow.

An excellent assortment of tobacco/cookahs, a full-cycle bar and a kitchen that will not leave even a sophisticated guest indifferent. Highly qualified staff that will make your vacation unforgettable.

Vkontakte Group: Mint Edition

Instagram:Mint Edition
Website: Mint Edition

Мята Edition, кальян-бар, Рочдельская ул., 15, стр. 13, Москва, Россия — Яндекс.Карты

1. No, during the pandemic, the establishments didn’t work, and we, in turn, entered the market with a new project: mint shop.

At the end of the year, there was a small difficulty supplying coal, but our team and the ability to work with manufacturers directly made sure that even it was invisible.

2. Criteria such as:

– Service

– Delivery time

– Product range

3. a fairly extensive question, depending on what criteria to evaluate. The fastest growing one is definitely Mint SHOP

6.Penthouse Heavenly
Penthouse Heavenly is a panoramic Resto-lounge overlooking the city located on the 17th floor with a history of the establishment at 7 years old, large spacious halls with a cozy atmosphere and operating fireplaces create the feeling of a second home, only your personal slippers are missing for full immersion;)

VKontakte group: Penthouse Heavenly

Instagram: Penthouse Heavenly

Website: Penthouse Heavenly

Поднебесная пентхаус, ресторан, ул. Уточкина, 7, Санкт-Петербург, Россия — Яндекс.Карты

1. The main difficulties were in the high demand for tobacco products, so it was not always possible to grasp and acquire certain positions that interested us. The transition to an honest sign, if it can be considered a difficulty, also made me turn around a little, since they wanted to pamper a guest with this or that tobacco product, they had to rebuild a little.
The most basic difficulty is coal, its supply and quality, plus, the jumped price for this product, even to this day, sometimes this issue requires a solution for better work with the guest.
Therefore, if we summarize:
-Coal (price, quality, delivery to St. Petersburg)
-Transition to the new system „honest sign“
-High demand for tobacco products, from which certain positions were in „drawdown“
2.When choosing a hookah supplier, we are guided by such criteria as:
-Speed ​​of order processing and delivery as soon as possible
-Flexible loyalty system in terms of prices and wholesale offers
-Wide range of products
3. For our part, we single out such guys asSmokeLab, Hookah World and DarkSide.
It is quite difficult to choose the best one, but if we take into account the satisfaction of all the criteria, then we will choose DarkSide, as a wholesale supplier of our product, which is extremely loyal to the buyer.
If we take the wholesale supplier of all tobacco products, then the guys from SmokeLab. Thank them very much for such a long time of cooperation in such difficult times for all of us, yes, perhaps, let’s dwell on them.

7. HookahPlace

1.We opened at an incredibly difficult time – mid-2020.
A turning point, a year of decisions, a year of unification.
My colleagues and I made a number of decisions that led to the opening of the third HookahPlace in the city of Krasnodar.
Third HookaPlace, three co-founders, three VIP zones, three things that you can look at forever within the walls of our institution:
how the fire burns – these are our hookahs
how the water flows – these are our cocktails
and how people work is our staff.
The magic number stuck in our name:
HookahPlace III
https://yadi.sk/i/cNnbqT6Ko-4MfQ We are not in social media. networks, not on maps, hard to find, but whoever wants to – will find.
Of course, a strong partner is needed for the stable operation of the establishment.
We do not believe in the labels that people like to hang in the hookah industry, who said that red and green together is impossible?
HookahPlace III unites (if you carefully watched the video and you + – understand the industry, you will understand).

2.Three advantages:
1. Support – communication 24/7
If there are any problems, then managers will immediately suggest solutions.
2. Delivery on time
This is important for planning the preparation of orders and control of stock balances.
3. New items, exclusives.
How to pamper guests in a hookah bar, if not this? Don’t be in trend, but ask it.

3. NuaSklad is definitely the opening of 2020.

8. Klever Lounge

Klever is a cozy hookah bar where people can relax and unwind, either alone or with a company.
Cool loft-style interior with an emphasis on greenery, a good hookah park for our city.
Well trained hookah people.

Vkontakte group: Klever Lounge

Instagram Page: Klever Lounge

1. In terms of supply, there were no difficulties as such, with the exception of coal, only coal was the major supply problem due to the pandemic.

2. Three main categories:

1.Price
2.Quality
3.Choice

3. As such, I cannot name the best supplier, because our city is small, but we cooperate with the mechanics, I think that the guys are the best in our city.

9.Papa’s Chilla

At the moment, Papa’s Chilla is the only true-cost establishment in the city of Vladivostok among more than 40 specialized industry enterprises and about 150 cafes and restaurants with hookah service as an additional one.
We charge visitor entry fees and offer an expanded range of hookah products at cost, including actual costs, at no additional cost. Within a calendar week, we host, on average, 160 people daily – an average of 150 people on weekdays and 190 people on weekends. The capacity of the enterprise allows us to receive about 240 guests during a work shift; we are also constantly working to increase this resource. We use no more than 75% of the establishment’s production every day, avoiding aggressive policy of managing visiting times in order to increase the loyalty of our guests. Ignoring the named policy, in full, is impossible in the true-cost format, but we create compromise conditions for the benefit of guests. In other words, our team gives out over 3500 hookahs every month.

We also have our own Youtube vlog Papa’s Review, two Satyr ambassadors at the headquarters, a partnership agreement with Darkside, cooperation with other tobacco manufacturers and the manufacturer of professional Vulcan ovens with practical tests and providing information on necessary improvements, the possibility of tastings and presentations in the premises of the enterprise and the first specialized industry festival in the Far East, which was attended by more than 350 people, held by us.

VKontakte group: Papa’s Chilla

Instagram page: Papa’s Chilla

1. Mainly problems with warehouse stocks and availability of import supplies, including coal. We had to constantly, moving from one manufacturer to another, react to how the coal behaves in order to change the system of working with heat and driving blanks and tobacco. It all started literally at the end of April. At that time, we organized only individual field service (This is our peripheral project – renting Chilla Surfing hookahs) – therefore, these circumstances did not affect us so much. But, after the restrictions were lifted, the supply problem has not been exhausted so far, which, at the moment, includes in our work constant adjustments to which it is impossible not to react. Also, the problem with the work of all transport companies during the quarantine period and after – the terms of interregional transportation have increased dramatically. Also, the problem with the work of all transport companies during the quarantine period and after – the terms of interregional transportation increased sharply.
2. We highlight such criteria as:
1. Availability – physical location of warehouses and availability of couriers. Considering that we work with interregional suppliers, we receive an order in two hours from Vladivostok and two days later from Khabarovsk. That is, to work with large suppliers, the required geographic proximity and the minimum physical distance from its own location.

2. Efficiency – can also be called a „service“. Effective cooperation requires a well-functioning internal organization of segments – a representative or manager, a warehouse and a courier. Then the waiting time for receiving warehouse balances, assembling the order and delivering it to the required place is reduced, which is the main service. This can also include the definition of the rules of cooperation
– priority time for ordering, courier service, warehouse days off and more.

3. Product. The capacity of the supplying company is based on the capacity of the warehouse, the ability to keep records and timely replenish the decreasing stocks of a specific unit of goods for uninterrupted service. It is impossible to attach an institution to a supplier with an eternal shortage of even a few, but very important positions.

3. This, of course, is more of a regional story, but the distributor of Darkside in the Far East – Barberry – perfectly goes through all three points – uninterrupted maintenance of the assortment, quick response to an order and the same quick shipment of the order to the restaurant. Of course, it is much easier to maintain stocks within a narrow brand specialization than for large wholesale companies that provide a wide range of products and brands of tobacco and tea blends. But, on the other hand, this means that the goals and objectives of the enterprise are defined adequately and rationally, and its capacity is sufficient to organize the most efficient service.

Based on the fact that hookahs in the post above are located in different territories of Russia, it is safe to say that the main and most reliable suppliers remain official distributors of tobacco products. But large local networks such as :

are also becoming reliable suppliers.

0 Comments

Want to add a comment? Commenting and voting is only available to members of the Business Club Hookah Battle (Join for free)
Already a Business club member? Přihlásit.