The light shines brightly for candle makers – reflections on a successful local business
For Living Light Candles (LLC), 2010 has started with a new marketing campaign, a recycled product line called NEW’D and the expansion of markets overseas.
The Golden Bay candle company currently exports to Germany, Australia and Singapore and may export to Japan in the near future. A new product, a candle made from recycled wine and beer bottles, filled with crushed glass and soya wax, is hitting the market soon.
To promote the LLC products, business owner and manager Cynthia Baur commissioned a video that showcases Golden Bay and the candlemaking process via a digital frame set up in retail outlets around the country. After 12 years and with 12 permanent staff, business is going strong.
“The marketing was the biggest lesson in the last year: what the market requires and working with customers on what they need right down to the promotion, how to package a product and how to give shelf appeal,” said Cynthia.
Steering the business steadily had not always been easy, she added, but four years after shifting into the large premises at Kotinga, the company was “finally getting to the top.”
“We have a great team with a great attitude and we are ready to jump to the next peak. Successful business is based on good attitude, loving and believing in what you do. It comes down to not letting failures get you down and keeping a strong vision,” she reflected. “Of course you need a good product, service or idea that is sustainable and seen as value for money. Then, in simple terms, it’s keeping expenses down, cashflow and budget in check. But ‘God is in the detail’, checking and negotiating all-year prices, getting costings right, good customer service and finally getting the brand strong. The recession has not really hit us particularly. Candles are an inexpensive luxury because people, instead of going out for dinner, stay at home, light a candle and enjoy a glass of wine.”
With the environment in mind, the company is increasingly using recycled wax, paper and glass, says Cynthia. “The NEW’D range [meaning new 100 percent soy wax candle and a reused bottle] is the biggest hit we’ve ever had and we are pleased to be adding our part to recycling. We have also been using up all the old wax from the last 12 years, melting it and making wax bowls filled with plant wax and tealight candles.
“The soy wax we are using is probably the most sustainable wax. It is a byproduct from soybeans grown in the US, holds three times the essential oil of other wax and has a pure burn. I’d love to source some red wine bottles so if anyone out there has any, please let me know.”
NEWDs will be available from outlets around the country from 1 May onwards. To donate bottles please contact Kirstie at 525 7575 8am-5pm or LLC Gallery on the weekends. They are particularly looking for Monteiths’ Lager beer bottles with the fern on the bottle.
Ina Holst
