Candle business plan with cost per candle and a seasonal launch calendar
Candles are cheap to make and easy to underprice, and most of the year's sales arrive between October and December. This prompt has your todo.is agent compare candle brands and suppliers, then write a plan with a cost per candle for each size, a safe-labeling checklist, a scent launch calendar and a forecast that plans stock for the holidays.
The prompt
- Write a business plan for my candle business, [BRAND NAME AND STYLE]. Products: [CANDLE TYPES, WAX AND SIZES]. Sales channels: [WHERE I WILL SELL]. My budget and current sales: [BUDGET AND SALES SO FAR]. Research with links: 8 candle brands in my price range (prices, scents, packaging, reviews) and 4 suppliers of wax, wicks, fragrance oils and vessels. Write: summary, brand and scent collections, customers, competition, product testing (burn tests, wick sizing, hot throw), safety and labeling checklist, cost per candle by size, retail and wholesale pricing, production batches and capacity, packaging and shipping, seasonal launch calendar, marketing, risks, and financials. Build an Excel sheet with the cost per candle for each size (wax, fragrance load, wick, vessel, lid, label, box, labor), prices, a 12-month forecast by channel with the holiday peak, and break-even. Mark assumptions. Send Word and Excel.
What to change
- [BRAND NAME AND STYLE]: E.g. "Hearth & Pine, cozy wood and spice scents in amber jars".
- [CANDLE TYPES, WAX AND SIZES]: E.g. "soy-coconut container candles, 8 oz and 14 oz, plus wax melts".
- [WHERE I WILL SELL]: E.g. "my website, Etsy, holiday markets and gift shops wholesale".
- [BUDGET AND SALES SO FAR]: E.g. "$3,000, selling to friends and at 2 markets so far".
Example result
- Summary
- Hearth & Pine makes soy-coconut container candles in amber jars with cozy wood, spice and fresh linen scents. We sell through our website, Etsy, holiday markets and 12 gift shops. This plan takes us from a hobby to $60,000 in yearly sales.
- Collections
- • Core (all year): Cedar & Smoke, Fresh Linen, Fig Leaf
- • Fall/Winter (Sep to Dec): Spiced Cider, Balsam, Fireside
- • Spring/Summer: Sea Salt, Citrus Grove
- • Sizes: 8 oz, 14 oz and wax melts
- Product testing
- • Burn test every scent and wick combination for at least 4 hours at a time and to the end of the candle
- • Check for a full melt pool, no tunneling, no high flame or soot
- • Test fragrance load (for example 6% to 10%, within the wax maker's limit) for cold and hot throw
- Safety and labeling checklist
- • Warning label: never leave a burning candle unattended, keep away from children, pets and drafts, trim wick to 1/4 inch
- • Brand name, contact info, net weight; check local rules for allergen or hazard labels on fragrance
- • Product liability insurance before selling
- Cost per candle (illustrative, 8 oz)
- • Wax $0.95, fragrance oil $1.20, wick $0.15, jar and lid $1.45, label $0.20, box $0.40, labor (6 min) $0.50
- • Total: $4.85
- • Wholesale at about 2.5x: $12; retail at about 5x: $24
- Production
- • Batches of 48 candles; cure for 1 to 2 weeks before selling
- • Capacity: 400 candles a week with one helper in the holiday season
- Seasonal launch calendar
- • July: test fall scents
- • August: wholesale orders for the holidays
- • September: launch the fall collection
- • Nov to Dec: markets every weekend, gift sets, last shipping day email
- Numbers (illustrative assumptions)
- • 45% of yearly sales from October to December
- • Year 1 sales: $60,000; gross margin 68% direct, 50% wholesale
- • Shipping glass is costly: free shipping only above a minimum order
- Risks
- • Breakage in shipping: tested packaging, drop tests
- • Fragrance price increases: two suppliers per key scent
- • Fire or injury claim: labels, testing records, insurance
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your brand, products, channels and budget.
- Paste it into todo.is on the Today screen or send it on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Your agent compares brands and suppliers with links, then sends a Word plan and an Excel costing and forecast.
- Ask for changes like "add a 3-wick 16 oz candle" or "what if wholesale is half my sales?".
Tips for a better result
- Cost the vessel and packaging carefully. They often cost more than the wax and fragrance.
- Keep burn test records for every scent and wick. They help with quality and insurance.
- Take wholesale holiday orders in August so you can plan batches and cash.
- Ask your agent to remind you on WhatsApp each July to start testing fall scents.
candle business plan: FAQ
- Is a candle business profitable? It can be, because materials are low cost and margins on direct sales are high. Profit depends on pricing that covers vessels, shipping, fees and your time.
- How much does it cost to make one candle? It depends on size, wax, fragrance load and the jar. Small container candles often cost a few dollars in materials. The Excel sheet works out the exact cost from your suppliers.
- Do I need insurance to sell candles? Many markets and shops ask for product liability insurance, and it is wise because candles involve fire. Check policies for small product businesses.
- Can it design my labels? Yes. Ask for label designs as PNG or PDF and your agent creates them with exact text added so the warnings read correctly.
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