Maven invests in Candle Shack | Private Equity | Maven

Maven is delighted to announce that it has led a £4.4 million investment in Candle Shack, a rapidly growing E-commerce business supplying candle making components as well as providing contract candle manufacture for high profile, luxury brands. The transaction includes £3 million of funding from our high net worth investment syndicate, Maven Investor Partners, as well as a £1.4 million debt facility from HSBC UK.

Candle Shack employs 105 staff and operates from its 100,000 ft² West Carron facility in central Scotland encompassing a fulfilment centre, development lab, and manufacturing. The business provides everything for an artisan manufacturer to make high quality candles, including fragrances, waxes, wicks, glassware, and bespoke branded packaging. Making fine candles is a technical endeavour and many of Candle Shack’s customers rely on its support for training, accreditation and the testing of their candles. In addition, the business serves clients who require contract candle manufacturing services where the company deploys state of the art technology and artisan craftsmanship to produce candles for some of the world’s leading luxury brands.

Candle Shack is now regarded as a market leader in Europe currently serving over 34,000 loyal customers and with a reputation for high quality products and excellent customer support. The business has enjoyed strong sales growth over recent years benefiting from its focus on the premium and artisan segments of the market. Consumers are looking for unique, locally produced premium products at affordable prices and this is increasingly being met by artisan candle makers many of whom are Candle Shack customers. The business also focuses on providing candle ingredients that are sourced sustainably, and this includes its best-selling own-brand, environmentally friendly wax blend, EcoSystem RCX.

Maven’s support will enable management to further scale the business, investing in new marketing and sales channels, expanding its EU operations, financing further product development, and improving operational efficiencies.

Candle Shack represents an exciting opportunity for our clients to invest in a well established business led by a passionate and entrepreneurial team that has delivered impressive, profitable growth. A key attraction for Maven was the extent to which customers valued their relationship with many crediting their own business growth to the support provided to them by Candle Shack. Much has been achieved with limited marketing spend and the funding will help accelerate growth with investment in sales and marketing, stock, and logistics. We also look forward to supporting the business in developing its new fulfilment centre in the Netherlands which will allow for frictionless trade with the EU, removing additional cost for consumers and improving delivery times. David Milroy, Partner at Maven

"Maven’s investment in Candle Shack will fuel our next phase of growth, increasing our ability to support thousands of niche home fragrance brands across Europe. We are excited to be partnering with such an experienced investor and with Maven’s support, are aiming to cement our position as Europe’s leading home fragrance supplies business."

Duncan MacLean, CEO at Candle Shack