My experiences with Cargill C-3 wax and Elevance Company

Hi Everyone,
I just had to share an experience in hopes that some other Soy Candle Manufactures might add some input and we can get this resolved. When I first started making soy candles on a regular basis due to the shear demand, I was using Cargill C-3 All Natural Wax. Well it was a great wax to work with if not for the "Fat Bloom" that happens during the cooling process. I could not for the life of me figure out what I was doing wrong. Some candles cooled great and gave perfect glass adhesion some gave small wet spots and that was OK they still looked great and scent throw was incredible. Put them on shelf for inventory come back a week later to fill an order and here is what you find:

SOY WAX FAT BLOOM

Well you could imagine my surprise I put in stock a beautiful soy candle with very slight bloom which is normal for soy wax but this candle was unsellable. I sell these candles as seconds actually there is nothing wrong with this candle except for cosmetics. Burns great, great scent throw but I just can't sell a candle that looks like this as our Premium Hand Poured Candle. Back to the drawing board what could I have done wrong? OK lets pay even closer attention to detail and measure measure and remeasure. Made another batch with C-3, same additives measured to precise tenths of ounces, same color, same 25lbs of Plantation scent (awesome smelling scent by the way). A day later much different........ I didn't have to wait the week, the bloom was there by the next day. Well you could imagine the sweat that built up on my brow. Test, test and more test. And I know testing is a must but lets face it folks it cost money to test. I am not complaining I know in order to be a great candle manufacturer it takes money to get there, but not knowing what you are doing wrong is extremely frustrating. I called the candle supply company I get my wax from in hopes that someone else who buys from them has suffered this fate before me. Well Paula tells me that they really have never received any info from Cargill but here is a number of the Natural Wax Chemist, the man who created this soy wax. I thought to myself after a very huge sigh of relief, this is good! Placed a call to Tim and waited for a call back. Mean while making the paraffin candles I needed for stock. Cell phone rings and I answered like and expected father... actually I think even faster. Hi this is Tim from Cargill how can I help you. I explained the whole issue and after 20 or 30 minutes and a lot of questions like what temp you mixing at, what temp you pouring at, what kind surface you cooling on and for how long which to me are all legit, the conversation ended and I did not have a definitive answer as to what I was doing wrong. OH MY GOD! What now? Was doing everything right except try cooling them a little faster, more space between jars when cooling and make sure room temp was perfect. Made more in hopes that all this would help. NOPE could not get the bloom to be gone or stay away in stock. Now please don't get me wrong over the years I have noticed that some color scent combination seemed to be better with less blooming but still have this reservation when I am producing my candles. First thing out of my mouth when helping customers in store or in shop choose there favorite scent ( I have over 100 sometimes its tough) was do you buy soy normally? Well you do know a slight discoloration of soy candles is normal. Always trying to preempt a look of fear on their face when I handed them a new scent to smell. I changed color companies buying a much higher quality color qualified for soy and it seemed to help some what but not there yet. OK enough babble I will finish my saga in my next post.

Making my first candles when I opened.

Hi Candle Lovers,
Lets go back in time a bit..... dodadodo dodadodo (OK not funny I know I was trying to spell out a spooky tune for back in time) OK it's July 2006 and Stormy Mountain Candle is in full swing. I have finished my internship and hit the ground running and have not stopped since. I started pouring with what I was taught and produced small batches of paraffin candles, hand pouring them the old fashion way, paying close attention to detail. At Stormy Mountain Candle detail is of the utmost importance, second only to Customer Satisfaction. A customer is to be satisfied 100 percent each and every time, no questions asked! We will do what it takes to make you happy guaranteed. OK first day, door opened and here come the customers......... first customer "Hey do you sell Soy?" Well yes we do. Next customer same thing "Hey do you sell Soy" oh my I am now selling 10 to 1. I do a ton of fundraisers each year, all soy. Internet sales all soy. OK so three years later I make soy every day I am in shop. I also test and work constantly to perfect my Soy Candle. Don't get me wrong by any means our candles both soy and paraffin are Premium and burn incredible but there is always a drive for perfection it is how I was made (thanks mom and dad).A recent Business Meeting with a very large Soy Wax manufacturer and it's Soy Chemist has really opened my eyes to the art of making such a product.

My experiences with Making Soy Candles

Hi Candle Lovers,
My name is Jim and I am the owner of Stormy Mountain Candle in Meriden CT. I have owned my Candle Company coming up on 3 years this July 09. When I first bought my company which was an existing company in Berlin Ct the buzz word was paraffin candles. The previous owner was a great candle maker and I owe my success to him and the internship Brian gave me. He made paraffin candles second to none and did so for 20 years. When Brian and his wife Sharon decided to get out of the business I soon knew I had to buy the company. My wife and I had sold their paraffin candles in her Hair Salon for almost 3 years and we could not keep them on the shelf. Forget come the holidays who does not enjoy getting a candle as a gift. It is a gift that keeps giving every time you light it. When I bought the company they had just scratched the surface in the making of Soy Candles. What he taught me was only the tip of the iceberg for these rapidly growing candles. Why rapid growing? Well a huge reason is they are all natural. All the products I put in my Soy Candles are natural including the 100% cotton wicks. They burn cleaner then paraffin and are much better for environment. Who is not all about the environment these days. Another very attractive feature is that soy is a renewable source it comes from plants and it is a food product grown by local farmers. A win win in every aspect. Helps the enviroment and helps keep Americas Farmers in business year after year. Kinda makes yah feel good I know it does for me.