Just dropping by: Algoma Candle Company

Rich Palzewic

Staff

May 17, 2023

Ua004sB4JNwALGOMA – What began as a hobby has turned into a full-time business for a Kewaunee County family – and oh, what a “smelly” business it is.

In my first segment of “Just dropping by,” I visited the shores of Lake Michigan in the small City of Algoma – which has a population of about 3,000.

Algoma Candle Company co-owner Matthew Fay – who runs the business along with his wife Jacquelyn (with a little help from their 10 kids) – was more than willing to let me visit his operation, which is located in the basement of his house.

“We don’t have an actual storefront, but our candles are in several area stores,” Fay said. “We have also been diving into more shows and fundraisers, and that’s been very successful.”

Fay said Algoma Candle Company was basically created to fill a void created by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Because of the pandemic and not being able to purchase our preferred candles, our family began making soy wax candles and melts to use in our home,” he said. “It started with my wife going to a store and buying a wax melt tart thing – I thought it was ridiculously priced, so a few hundred dollars later in supplies, I could do the same thing.”

Fay said once he realized there was a market for candles, that led him to go further.

“Once I got into one store (with my candles), it snowballed from there,” he said. “I got lots of feedback from people saying, ‘These are the best candles I’ve ever burned, they’re clean and they smell great.’”

What makes a great candle?
Fay said Algoma Candle Company focuses on safe, clean-burning candles.

“We use cotton wicks, our candles are free from lead and we use high-quality oils that don’t contain harsh chemicals,” he said. “We have a few different sizes of candles and also offer some in wooden bowls or other shapes.”

Fay said the temperature of the melted wax needs to get into the mid-180-degree range before candle construction can begin.

//17bec5072710cda5b8dd81b69f4c6e58.cdn.bubble.io/f1684350201449x176744158999901920/richtext_content.webpAlgoma Candle Company co-owner Matthew Fay said the business, which he and his family run out of the basement of their house, tripled in production during the last year. Photo Courtesy of Algoma Candle Company

“You have to get the wax hot enough to accept the scent – if you don’t get the correct temperature, the wax and the scent won’t combine properly,” he said. “If you ever see a candle that looks like it’s sweating on top, that means it wasn’t blended properly or there was too much scent put into it and the wax wasn’t able to absorb it.”

Fay said not all candles are created equally.

“There are some candles out there – which are quite popular among consumers – that when you burn them, they look wet on top, their wicks mushroom and they put out a lot of soot,” he said. “Most of those candles that do this have way too much scent put into them. When you walk into the store, they have a strong smell, and that’s what draws consumers to buy them. It’s a fine line to find the right balance, with a lot of trial and error. Some people like their candles to have a stronger scent, others like the opposite.”

Fay said once the wax is heated to the proper temperature, the scent is added, and the mixture is stirred for about two minutes.

“After that, I pour the wax into a jar (with a wick already attached to the bottom of the jar),” he said. “I’ll usually make batches of four or six candles, depending on what I’m making. After the candles are poured, they sit for about 24 hours to make sure they are hard and solidified. Then they’ll sit in another area for about a week so they can cure. Then my wife creates the labels, and we attach them.”
 
Growth
Fay said comparing 2022 to 2021, Algoma Candle Company tripled in size – a growth he doesn’t anticipate slowing down.

“I’m expecting to do two or three times more business this year compared to last,” he said. “Our three- to five-year plan is to supply the stores that carry our candles and expand more into the fundraising efforts of schools. If all of that happens, we may need to get a bigger space to ramp up production.”

According to the Algoma Candle Company website (algomacandlecompany.com), candles are offered at:
Northern Territory – Sturgeon BayCountry Cupboard – AlgomaAissen Tree Farm – LuxemburgHillside Apples – CascoWood Orchard Market – Egg HarborIvy Trails – Green BayThe Upsy Daisy – KentuckyThe Flour Bin – MontelloTarget Bluff German Haus – Camp Douglas 
?Want to see Rich help Fay make a candle?
Check out TBN’s YouTube channel (youtube.com/@businessnewsWI) for a closer look.