How To Start A Candle Business At Home?
In the mood to start a unique venture of your own? Is budget your main concern? In such cases starting a candle-making business from home might be a perfect option for you. Candlemaking is a fun and creative business opportunity that can be converted into a profitable business.
The candle business is in high demand due to its low-cost initial investment and flexibility in the making. The demand for homemade and handmade candles is only increasing making it an ideal choice for your business venture.
We will be discussing in detail everything you need to know for starting a candle business at home in this article. Please read till the end.
Candle Business Market in India:
Since the last few decades, Candle making business has seen a tremendous change. With a growing preference for home decor and wellness products the surge in demand for exotic-shaped, decorated, and fragrant candles, has risen considerably. There is a significant spike in demand especially during festive seasons like Diwali. The newer generation is swapping the traditional Diyas for more sleek candles contributing to higher sales.
Aromatherapy is also a newer concept gaining popularity in India in the last two decades. Fancy perfumed candles and therapeutic candles have caught the attention of young consumers which is not going away anytime soon.
How to start a Candle business?
Candlemaking is a rewarding business if you follow the necessary steps to take it to a higher level. Here is a breakdown of the steps you can follow:
- Research the trends
Study the market trends and collect relevant data to know what types of candles are in demand – scented, eco-friendly, natural, uniquely shaped, homemade, colored, etc. You should also analyze the seasonal demands for candles. Identify your target audience and plan accordingly.
- Arrange the supplies
To make quality candles, you will need:
- Wax – Soy wax, Beeswax, Coconut wax or Paraffin
- Fragrance oils – Floral, Fruity, etc
- Containers/Moulds – Glass jars, tins, etc
- Wicks – Choose the one as per your container size
- Dyes – For Colored and decorated candles
- Tools – A double boiler, thermometer, scale and mixing utensils
- Experiment different techniques
Learn and experiment with the different methods and techniques used to make quality candles. You can try different wax bases and colors and even add different essential oils to create unique candles. You can also experiment with different shapes to attract younger customers.
For eg: Cute animal fun-shaped candles attract kids.
Heart-shaped scented candles for Valentine’s Day.
Various perfumed candles for aromatherapy.
- Set up your workplace.
Dedicate a separate clean and spacious area to set up your workplace. Keep all your equipment, molds, and containers in one dedicated place. It is ideal to keep all the candle-making ingredients on neat shelves close to your workplace for easy access. The place also needs to be ventilated as it involves handling hot waxes. You also need separate storage areas for storing candles in bulk quantities ready to dispatch.
- Register your business
To scale up your business to a higher level, you need to ensure it complies with all the laws and regulations of your state. For eg:
- You need to check if you need a license to operate.
- The packaging, design, and labeling of the candles need to be as per specific standards.
- The ingredients used to manufacture the candles also need to be printed in the packaging.
- Also, you need to set up proper accounting practices to handle tax implications.
- Market your product
Without a proper marketing strategy, your business won’t scale up to the desired levels. You need to understand the market thoroughly before distributing your product. Some effective strategies would be:
- If possible, create an online presence for your brand for better outreach to the public.
- Participating in local exhibitions, local events, etc in your city to launch your product.
- Collaborating with the local influencers in your area to introduce your product to the masses.
- Arranging free samples to attract customers.
- Selling effectively
You need to analyze your mode of operation for effective sales. You may contact local grocery shops, boutiques, and gift shops and partner with them. You can also launch your business on online platforms like Amazon or Flipkart for selling nationwide.
Candle Business Start-up Cost in India
It is relatively cheaper to start a candle business from home. Depending on your expertise, it is possible to start the business with an investment as low as Rs. 15000 for a small scale and can go up to Rs.50000 for a moderate scale or even Rs. 100000 for a professional setup.
A breakdown of initial expenses will be as follows:
- Equipment
- Raw materials
- Branding and Marketing costs
- Legal expenses like business set-up costs.
- Operating costs such as delivery expenses and advertising costs.
Smaller businesses operating from home only need to focus on equipment and raw material costs initially. The other costs should be considered if they plan to expand their business.
Names for Candle Business
One needs to be creative when deciding on a name for their candle business. You can opt for nature-inspired names for Eco-friendly candles or elegant and fancy names for luxury candles. You can even launch a variety of different candles under one brand name each having separate names. Some of the names you can consider are:
Serene glow candles – Luxury segment
Citrus Magic – Scented candles
Ocean glow candles – nature-inspired
Is the Candle Business profitable in India?
Yes, Candle making is a highly profitable business in India when done with proper planning and executing the right strategies. With the growing consumerism among the Indian middle class and a high range of disposable income, the demand for candles is here to stay.
The Candle business is not only profitable but also scalable if you approach it with clear strategies. With an increase in demand for eco-friendly, handmade luxury and scented candles, you can surely create a niche for yourself and thrive in this Industry.
