The Million Dollar Candle Company Born in a Kitchen: The Frères Branchiaux Candle Co.

Salline Gill, a 47-year-old former special education teacher and attorney, is the CEO of the Frères Branchiaux Candle Co., a sustainable candle business based in Washington, DC, started by her and her children in October 2017. The business, which originated from a quest for the children to earn money for toys, is now valued at two million dollars. To choose their product, the kids researched profitable kid businesses, choosing between bath bombs, soaps, and candles. They ultimately decided on candles.

The company started in their home’s kitchen in Southern Virginia, with the children involved in different aspects of the business, such as making room sprays, diffusers, and candles themselves. Despite starting small, selling candles from the back of their minivan at local sports games, the family’s product quickly gained a reputation for quality, and the company began attracting repeat customers. With features in the Washington Post and Good Morning America, the brand saw exponential growth.

Salline was the primary force behind the business’ success, taking on the roles of researcher, marketer, and eventually, legal counsel, utilizing her law degree. The company has expanded its reach through partnerships with larger chains like Marriott, Facebook, Instagram, Stars Network, Paramount, Pixar, and local sports teams.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic causing a dip in online sales, Frères Branchiaux Candle Co. was able to pivot to more retail sales and partnerships, helping to sustain the business. The company primarily targets the West Coast demographic, finding a significant customer base in California.

Salline has future plans to step down from the CEO role and transition to a position on the Board of Directors, entrusting the company’s future to those who can take it even further. She has applied to a program called Partner to Empower, intending to gain further education about brick-and-mortar retail, with hopes of expanding the business into physical stores.

The company’s vision for the future is ambitious. While the children dream of becoming multimillionaires, Salline envisions the business as a legacy, passed down through the generations of their family, making it not just a successful company but also a generational family business.

Learn more about the business at their website.