# TeaLight Candles



## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

We make them. We use the plastic tea light cups and pre tabbed wicks from Better Bee. We used to use the regular alum pour pots but now use smaller ones from Candlewik (I think). It takes a steady hand but with practice you get the hang of it and they are easy, no mess at all.
They are sort of an impulse item. I have different colors sitting loose in a basket and people can mix or match the colors. We also give them away as premiums for our largest bulk beeswax sales box. I don't remember how much off hand we charge. We sell them singly in the shop or in packs of 12. I will guess .75 ea or 2 for $1.00, packaged in the 12 pack for $6.00. I will check the pricing tomorrow and see how good my memory is, lol.
Sheri.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

i wanted to see some pictures of your candles but they are not up in your ebay store. 

I like this packaging:


http://www.beehivecandles.com/beeswax_teaLight_candles.html


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

My website is still in infancy, lol. I should have some time to work on it a bit now that the bees are out in the great California desert.....

I have packaged Ts a bit like that, they also fit really nicely in the 2 taper boxes that candles go into. White box with clear plastic lid. I have pictures around here somewhere, I think. I still haven't gotten out to the shop for pricing.
Sheri


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

I have been seeing them range from .50 each to 1.50 each. Personally, I like a dollar each but i am not set on that price yet. Maybe a dollar each if I go packaging like on the web site I mentioned above.

I love that web site you posted. I went there late last night. Thank goodness it was dark out and I couldnt find my credit card! lol

I really do love making candles. I totally forgot how much fun it was and how much the smell of the beeswax really does put me in a better mood and relaxes me. And they sell well at the market!


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

Candlewik is a good source for supplies _and_ info. If you look at their pages on wicking they have a guide on sizing for candles. It might not be right on but it gives you a place to start if you are just figuring out the size of wicking prior to testing. We have found that an inventory of their #4, #3, #2, #1, #1/0, #2/0, #3/0 handles every candle we make.

Yeah, the smell just permeates our store, which is basically just the front of our candleshop, because we usually have beeswax melting. People come in and think it is honey they are smelling, lol. Well, I guess it sorta IS.
I don't have much time to do the actual pouring anymore but I still love to burn them.
Sheri


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

i use a silicon rubber mold from better bee and mann lake. Like BB's better. I use a mixture of plastic and metal cups and package in groups of three, all metal or all plastic
I am very diligent in letting people know that the plastic cups can only be used when burning on an open surface. For example plastic beeswax tea light on a plate with glass beeds. If the plastic cup is buried or enclosed in any way it will melt and could start a fire, or make a mess at the very least. I read it somewhere, and dang if i could remember where
After pricing the tea light cups, the wax, the celo bag and tie my price was $2.00. At a sale with higher out costs, like travelling longer or higher priced booth, $2.50 for three. And they sold


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Sheri, is that your site chef posted? Love the tea light packageing


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

Honey:

No, it is a site I found last night, looking for pricing and packaging. What is your cost for one tea light? I figure it is .37 which includes the wax (3/4 ounc), the wick, and the plastic container. 

How do you pour into the tealights? And are you securing the wick first and if so how? 

I am thinking $7-8 for a pack of 6


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Alberta beeswax where i get my supplies

Tin tea light cups .079 each + freight...mail order for me
Acrylic tea light cups .18 each + freight
Wr packaging for the cello bags
cello wrap .026 + freight, or part of travel time and gas to the city to pick them up
metalic twist tie to close .0195 + freight or city time to P/U

So far that is .1245 before the beeswax for the tin and .2255 fpr the plastic cups no beeswax
I try and base my beeswax cost at 1.25 candian per oz. Seems high but i take the time to render the wax, and filter, and clean again, and the heat to pour and the hydro (electicity) + my time included. Also in that price includes the over head of sales and travelling to basic sales. Within a 2 hour drive, and tables $50.00 and under
Add to that, I have been mandated to charge provincial sales tax on all none food items due to the fact that i do craft sales and farmers markets over 20 tables and do more than 4 a year and that i jumped to the "big leagues" in some sales (375 to 680.00 per booth). Since adding the tax never works out without having alot of pennies, i include the 7% in the cost and remit that way. Making math easier for sales
The tea lights are still under priced at $2.00 for three with in the confines of the sales mentioned and $2.50 for the more expensive sales. But will the consumer pay more? Not here. It is pretty much in line with other candle makers i have seen in the province

I think there is less than 3/4 of an ounce in a tea light.
I like the silicone molds to pour into...like this one
http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=1601

Clear as mud?

http://www.candlesandbeeswax.com/othercitem.html


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

wicks almost for got

I was threading my own after the wax hardened. I was using the 2/0 i think, but when i bought out a friend they had the pre tabbed zinc core. tested, worked, liked. Will i buy more, dunno. Cost is higher than making my own, just for the simple fact that i am paying for convience. That and the tab is no loner 100% cotton, takes away from the all natural... time will tell
But i will still thread when the wax hardens


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

thanks honey!

I burnt one today that i made and it burnt for 4 hours. That is a great amount of time for a little tealight. 

I love the silicone idea. Maybe I will just have to purchase one!


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

I use the silicone molds for tealights and small votives and like them, but they are expensive. I'm ordering some stuff today to make some of my own "stick" molds


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

We use the betterbee tealight mold as well and pour all our candles from a large glass pyrex measuring cup which has a great pour spout. For the wick we get the metal tabs from Glorybee I think. We just dip 2/0 wick into the wax and let it harden then string a bunch of tabs on the wick and cut to length. We don't use the pre-tabbed wicks because I think they are coated in paraffin and some are metal core and a lot of our customers are purists. I can't stand the metal cups as they bend and wrinkle very easily. The plastic ones hold up better and can be reused.

I also love their burn time and the fact the every drop of wax will get consumed. We sell a box of 12 for $8, but I think that (and other) candle prices will go up next year.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

here is my break down of one tealight:

Wax: .19 cents
Plastic Tin: .11 cents
Wick: .07 cents
paper (to package): .005
Bag: (to package) .007

total for one tea light: Cost: .39 ea

x6 tealights $2.34 which includes packaging

Selling price will be $7. minus cost- $4.66 profit margin.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

Chef, I think you are pricing your wax to low
If i were to buy bulk filtred beeswax for candles from the rendering plant it costs me $2.92 opr .19 cents per oz cnd
That does not cover the cost of me melting it for candles in labor or hydro (electricity)

Now if i take the cappings to the rendering plant i am charged any where from .25 to .75, average charge of .45 render the wax. Cents per pound. That is not to candle grade filtred.

So, based on the price of the bulk buy the wax costs .19 cents per ounce. You have not paid for the hydro to melt or the labour, or included the depreciation of equipment used to melt the stuff.

If you go by .19/lb, i would add a 20%-35% overhead charge to the TOTAL cost of the candle to cover labor, storage, building expense, like electricity, water costs if you are on city water, and depreciation of equipment like melting pots, stove...things you will have to replace over time. Want to be able to replace it at some point.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

Honey:

Good point. I think about it like this: It costs me $4 (labor and everything) to process the wax. That is .25 cents an ounce. The little tealights hold 3/4s of an ounce which is
.1875 cents so about .19 cents for 3/4s of an ounce. This is COST to me (for production as mentioned earlier). 

what do you think?

You think $7 for a 6 packs of tealights is good?


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

i think the cost of 7 for a pack of 6 is good. I do however question the profit margine when the overhead cost of production has not been accounted for. I would take the cost of product x 25% and add the two, subtract the 7 and there is your profit. I think 25% is a little low balling though. Most stores like 25 to 40 percent for overhead cost. 
Remember, if you sell from your home, the COP is cheaper so you might get away with reducing the price. However if you travel to sales and farmers markets, the cost of travel, cost of insurance, cost of your booth or table and your time selling. It all adds up. This is why i suggest the higher than 25%.

So:

2.34x1.25= 2.925-7.00 = 4.075 profit
2.34x1.30= 3.042-7.00= 3.94 profit
2.34x1.40=3.276-7.00=3.724 profit
Your overhead needs to include the labor, the building both for repairs and heat, water and electricity, your sale travelling costs, booth costs, and insurance. Building insurance and depreciation on equipment.
In the price of your tea light cups and wrap, did you include your:
a) time to go and get the product, car depreication and gas and maintenance
b) the freight to get it it your door or post box. 
These to need to be added in.

Remember, if you render your own cappings, there is a cost to that as well as the filter cloth, and equipment you have.
There is also a cost to the melting of your slabs.

You need to build this into your price incase you have to replace or fix your equipment.

I have figured my cost is $1.25 an oz for filtered wax. Then i add in any packageing. Then i add in 25% for overhead. Then if i like i said before, go outside my limit for sales i travel to, I up the cost again, depending on the extra cost of the sale.
When i did the sale where it cost me $275 a day for four days, the honey went up by $1.50 - $2.00 and the candles anywhere from $.25 for the smaller stuff to $4.00 for the bigger stuff.
Your cost of production has to include everything it costs you to get the product to the consumer

Don't forget your bags and if you use tissue to wrap your candles and your business cards, your business licence if needed and if you use a point of sale terminal. Accounting fees, banking fees. All of this comes out of your profit. That is the reason for over head costs, to help cover these costs.

The nice thing about candles is we can charge what we want, up to what the consumer is willing to pay. When we sell honey, yes we can charge what we want, but we have to be in line with other producers, and stores. The cost of honey production shifts to if the bee losses are higher, or bear damage etc. THen if you sell to the packers, you get what they pay. So your COP might not get met. In candles, not so since we are the manufacture and the seller and the wholeseller.

Clear as mud?


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

would you got $7 for the 6 pack then? I have seen them from 1.50 each to .50 per tealight. .50 is tooooo darn cheap.


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

yes 50 is to darn cheap. I think 7 should be good, however if they do not move...
I am $2.50 for three anywhere outside my home area. At home it is $2.00 because my home area is fairly isolated, and the community supports me well. In the city however, it was a bit harder to sell at $2.50 per pack. I would rather charge 3 but in my provinvce, from what i have seen, that is pretty much in line with others.


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## beekeeper_sd (Oct 30, 2008)

I use the tea light mat molds and custom wick tabs I get from Candlewic. You can get the custom tabs with beeswax coating and they are very inexpensive. I then package the tea lights in the plastic cups, 12 in a craft box that I label on the outside and sell for $10.00/doz. 

I don't like the looks of the tin cups. I think they look cheap and cheesy and, with the plastic cups, you can see the melted wax when you are burning the candle and it looks really nice. Of course, I color a lot of my beeswax candles so that makes a big difference also. 

As far as not using the plastic cups in tea light holders, I have only once had a plastic cup melt so I would maybe warn potential customers about that but I don't think it's a big issue. Also, the plastic cups are reusable. 

You will find that tea lights are probably the biggest sellers of all candles.


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## JohnK and Sheri (Nov 28, 2004)

JohnK and Sheri said:


> We sell them singly in the shop or in packs of 12. I will guess .75 ea or 2 for $1.00, packaged in the 12 pack for $6.00. I will check the pricing tomorrow and see how good my memory is, lol.
> Sheri.


Well, so much for my memory, lol. Ours sell for .75 ea/ 3 for $2.00/ 12 pack in a box for $9.00.

When I am figuring the _costs_ of a product I am careful to use my _actual_ itemized cost including labor, energy, etc attached to each component of that item and then compare each component to industry norms. If your costs to produce a particular component are higher than what you can buy that item for, a good way to lower your cost of goods would be to outsource. To give very obvious examples, no one I know fabricates their own wicking or tealight cups or plastic wrap; it is much cheaper to have a specialist do it. Apply this analysis to every aspect. For instance, if you can purchase for under $5/# the same quality wax that it costs you much more to render and filter, it would be a good business decision to buy the stuff rather than expect your customer to pay for inefficiencies of scale. Even if your target market will support a higher than ave price, lowering your overall costs will widen your margins.
Sheri


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## HoneyBee28 (Feb 22, 2009)

i've always wanted to make some of these! i hope to be able to make some next year aft the season ends


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

they are simple. when you are ready, i can help you out if needed.


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## beekeeper_sd (Oct 30, 2008)

We sell our tea lights in a package of 12 for $10.00


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