Valley firm lighting up American market
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As published in The Halifax Herald Limited
Friday, August 5, 2005
By Suzanne Robicheau
In a valley made famous by orchards and dykes, a New Minas soap and candle company is burning the wick at both ends to make 2,000 candles a day for its private–label partner, American body care giant Kiss My Face.
The KMF contract will see 110,000 of Burnt Out Solution's candles hit 900 leading American retail stores this year. Entry into the Canadian market is scheduled to follow in 2006.
Burnt Out Solutions' soy wax candles and hand-poured soaps are already on retail shelves across North America and in fancy hotels like the Ritz Carleton. But this is a huge break. It has doubled its staff - going from five employees to 10, and they're still hiring, with an ongoing mandate to provide employment to the disabled as well as to others who have a hard time finding and keeping a job.
Co-owners Les Falconer and Perley Beairsto have cause to celebrate. Almost five years ago, the two Kings County men partnered with two Americans to produce soy wax candle. Product manager Michelle Kulyk was their first employee.
"We started with two microwaves and two Pyrex dishes," laughs Kulyk.
Today she runs the company and takes pride in a product that the National Post has called the Nelson Mandela of candles. The peace-loving candles are vegan, free of artificial scent and colour, and they've never been tested on animals. The wax and wicks are biodegradable. The holders are reusable.
"The Kiss My Face contract takes soy candles out of the small niche market and moves them mainstream," says Kulyk.
It's hard not to root for a company with such humble origins. It's harder still not to root for a company with such environmentally friendly and socially responsible policies. It's impossible not to root for a company that produces chocolate candles in six flavours.
