OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Luxury candles poured by hand in Omaha can also teach us about the global supply chain.
- Nic Bianchi started Bianchi Candle Brands more than a decade ago - when he was just 12 years old. Today, he employs 147 people.
- The estimated 53 million candles Bianchi will manufacture this year are a mix of his own brands, as well as private labels for major retailers.
- Bianchi says the pandemic underscored the importance of relying less on imported components; however, not everything he needs - for his luxe line, in particular - is currently available domestically.
Continue reading for the expanded story, as seen on-air.
For Nic Bianchi, the pandemic brought a few important lessons.
"It was very rough at first. So we actually had to change the whole entire way we looked at our business. Originally, before COVID, we were direct to consumer - doing local markets, working with local stores to be able to get in there like small boutiques and a couple of grocers. When COVID hit, all of those shut down and we lost 98% of our revenue," Bianchi explained.
Staggering, but no jobs were lost. Bianchi believe, to make a more durable company, he needed to change his model.
"A lot of our stuff did come from China at the time, but between COVID, the bogging down inside the ports and then, immediately after, those port strikes? All of that kind of hit at the same time," he shared.
He created a line that's not only made in America, but entirely of American components.
Called Market Street, the wax is from Kentucky, the wicks are from Pennsylvania, the glass is from Arkansas, the lid is made in Ohio, the label comes from Illinois, and most of the fragrance is from Georgia.
His luxe line is more complicated, he said.
Bianchi Candle Co. took two years to develop. Those candles have roughly twice the fragrance percentage, compared to Market Street.
With his highest end candle, Bianchi said the packaging is from Nebraska. The was is a blend of products from America, Canada and Indonesia. The wick is from Germany, the metal tab - or metal piece at the bottom of a candle - is from India and the frosted glass container is from China.
Bianchi said he wishes he could get it all stateside, but it's just not an option today - and not only for his brands, but Bianchi manufactures for a few of the largest retailers in the world.
He views scent as art, but there's a lot math and science involved, too.
"So when it comes to making a candle, worrying about the radius of how a wick burns, how far the fragrance can go inside the air. Even just different stuff when it comes to different vessels," he said - explaining how every part and piece plays a role.
Bianchi employs 147 people. He paused production to share his supply chain perspective with 3 News Now.
"Why is it important to you to explain this? To take the time to explain it?," Mary Nelson asked.
"Because it helps when consumers understand what they're actually getting. There's two main pieces. Because, personally, as a consumer, and a lot of our clients are the same way, they do want transparency," Bianchi began.
He continued to say he believes transparency helps build trust, which is just as important as what's in his candles.
This year, Bianchi Candle Brands will manufacture roughly 53 million candles. With orders already in, they expect to produce 60 million next year.
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