The Antigua Candle Factory Open For Business
The Antigua Candle Factory has opened its doors for the manufacture of glass jar citronella candles. The idea for candle making had long been a quest for the owners, but getting the product right with the correct wax, colorants, fragrances and jars was quite an educational trek. It started back many moons ago when the owners of the factory were dining
at a local restaurant; and at that table was one of the traditional wax ‘pear-drop’ shaped anti mosquito citronella candles. The aroma from this particular candle was fairly okay – ish – but the aroma from the paraffin wax was a little off putting with dinner. They asked the waitress what happened to the glass when the wax had burned away. ‘It get smash’. What a shame and a waste but it presented an opportunity to manufacture soy wax candles on island and then have the glass re-cycled, refilled and delivered back cheaper! The research took them away from the usual paraffin based candles to a more natural compound and sustainable resource which is environmentally friendly and kinder to health. Hence the Antigua Candle Factory uses soy wax, a derivative of soya beans. Soy wax candles are notoriously difficult to make, however the best once accomplished. Because soy wax is biodegradable, of course it can easily be washed away; a great plus if spilled onto table linens or fabrics, and for recycling too. The owners use the term Factory loosely to denote manufacturing rather than large chimney stacks billowing smoke. Soy wax has a lower melting point than other waxes which is a very clean and environmentally friendly operation. The Antigua Candle Factory, manufacture soy wax citronella candles into their own designed square shaped glass jars as well as the traditional ‘pear-drop’ shaped glass and the objectives are to sell locally and then expand throughout the Caribbean. The brand name for the candles is MR SHOOZ, which came about when one member of staff was mixing citronella oil into the wax at dusk when the mosquitoes love us, he said ‘dis stuff sure works and shooz dem mozzies away man’…. That was it Mr SHOOZ was born’.
“We have received a lot of help from Government, officials and people in Government departments; and without their assistance we wouldn’t be anywhere close to opening. It would be just fabulous if we could grow our own soya beans on island – maybe that’s a next step, who knows? We can certainly compete with imports, but we will also look at exports
The Management
