Gift Focus - Jan/Feb 2020 (Issue 117)

177 COMPANY PROFILE levels, ensuring consistent and reliable distribution to all of our customers across the UK and Ireland. Tell us about your overseas factory. Our overseas factory is owned by our parent company SER Wax which is one of Europe’s leading wax manufacturers. SER produces more than 100,000 tonnes of wax each year for thousands of different applications including tyres, chewing gum, cheese coatings, fertilisers and table laminates just to name a few. Some 12,000 tonnes of that wax is used solely for candle production, which we manufacture 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With our specially designed machines, which are unique to SER, we have the capability to produce more than 150,000 tealights and 7,000 poured candle jars per hour. Where do you distribute your candles? Our candles are distributed worldwide. We have a large customer base here in the UK where Price’s Candles can be found in a wide range of businesses including garden centres, department stores, wholesalers and caterers. As well as our strong presence here in the UK, we also export to more than 30 countries including Dubai, New Zealand, Nigeria and Japan. What challenges have you overcome over the years? Price’s Candles has overcome many challenges over the last 189 years. One of these biggest challenges was the introduction of electric lighting which meant candles were no longer an essential item in the home. This caused big changes in the business for Price’s, some of which were branching out into motor oil, lubricants and soap products before reverting back to home fragrance in 1954. Another one of Price’s challenges was in 1840 when, by not patenting their composite candles, Price’s saw rival candle manufacturers quickly copy its products. From then onwards, Price’s ensured they protected and patented all its inventions. The very name of the new company in 1847, Price’s Patent Candle Company, acknowledged the company’s intention to work patented processes. By 1858 Price’s held 114 patents for different candle manufacturing inventions as well as working with many other patents under license. What are your most popular products? Our most popular products are our odour eliminating candles and diffusers. This range has been created using our patented Odourfoyl Technology, which is designed to remove malodours instead of masking them, leaving your home smelling clean and fresh. This range comes in four original fragrances to the most common household odours: Chef’s, Open Window, Household and Anti-Tobacco. We also offer a selection of limited-edition seasonal fragrances to provide interest throughout the year. We’re delighted to announce the introduction of two brand new stunning limited-edition fragrances for spring 2020, which are: Tropical Fusion and Fresh Linen. Have any products taken you by surprise with their popularity? We’ve seen a rapid increase in Gourmand fragrances over the past year. Consumers are swapping their beloved and reliable white floral fragrances to enjoy the succulent fragrances of edible delights. There is a rising popularity of fragrances such as rich chocolate truffles and sweet fresh baked cakes. “The invention of electricity was one of the biggest changes that the cand le industry had to face, turning what was once an essential item in every home for lighting purposes to what we now mainly know and love as a fragranced luxury element.” 