FAHM Feature: How Kandelita Company Turned a Pandemic Hobby into a Business | Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce

Oct 22nd, 2021

Filipino soy candles by Kandelita Company

For every person, there’s at least one scent that means home. For Ashley Sullera, owner of Kandelita Company, scents like lychee, Barako coffee, and ube are just a few of the fragrances that reflect that idea. Those same scents and so many more are incorporated into Ashley’s homemade soy coconut candles.

“There are so many cultural nuances that make the smell of ‘home’ very subjective,” Ashley said. “I noticed that the scents I associated with home weren’t being represented in the home fragrance industry, so I decided to turn my hobby into a business.”

The candle-making hobby began like many new entrepreneurs’ business ideas did, during the coronavirus lockdowns. The small businessowner began exploring the nostalgia that comes with certain scents, and not long after, was planning a business launch. Kandelita Company has only been open for three months, and Ashley is still navigating how to manage a website, pop-up shops, and social media marketing. With work-from-home and online school remaining common, Ashley caters to these individuals with an emphasis on the cozy, personalized nature of candles.

“I love watching people react to my products because I know it’s unlikely they have seen a lychee candle before, or ube in the form of a fragrance,” the businessowner said. “I’m also excited to market my brand more and uplift other small businesses, particularly Asian American artists and creators, since this type of work can be stigmatized in our culture.”

As the sole owner and operator of Kandelita Company, Ashley does all the brainstorming, candle creating, label designing, marketing, customer service, and photography. She said, “I’m just learning and Googling as I go.”

Google helps, but the creation of the candles is also guided by Ashley’s culture and the ever-present idea of home.

“My cultural heritage is the cornerstone of my business. Everything is specifically inspired by some aspect of Filipino culture,” Ashley said. “I put a lot of thought into making sure each product honors the cultural crossroads of being both Filipino and American. I’ve seen a lot of people appreciate this representation that you can’t find in a big box store. Plus, it feels great to share pieces of my heritage using clean, plant-based ingredients in eco-friendly packaging.”

Even after only three months of running the business, Ashley said word of mouth traveled fast, and several customers reported being referred by relatives, friends, and coworkers in the Sacramento community. As Kandelita Company grows, Ashley plans to keep diversifying the candles and scents, putting pieces of home into each one.

Here’s where you can shop Kandelita Company:

Website: www.kandelitacompany.com
Instagram: @kandelitacompany
Facebook: Kandelita Company
TikTok: @kandelitacompany