Beeswax Candles and Rainbow Candles was founded in Ireland almost 40 years ago by Pete Kern in an old farmhouse just outside the picturesque village of Dromahair in Co. Leitrim. Originally from Germany, Pete is a real character – soft spoken, bearded, bespectacled with well-groomed long hair tied at the back and with many a story to tell.

It all began on an old kitchen-table as a part-time job as there were not any coloured candles available in and around Sligo.

After supplying a few shops in a radius of about 20 miles the demand for coloured and scented candles grew and Pete turned his living room into a workshop with the help of a small grant from Leitrim County Development Team.

Pete first showcased his candles at the 1989 ShowCase Exhibition in Dublin which led to an immediate increase in sales nationwide. The introduction of a sales brochure at ShowCase 1990 opened up international markets. By then the range of candles included pure beeswax, scented candles in Irish made pottery, pillar, dinner and rainbow-coloured candles, candles in glass such as the Irish Coffee and Guinness.

Every year the clientele of independent retailers and craft shops grew and so it became a full-time business to supply the ever-growing demand and Pete hired additional staff to maintain a short delivery time.

In August 1994 the company was granted permission to use the Guaranteed Irish Logo and the following year Rainbow Candles was admitted as a member of the Irish Guild of Master Craftsmen.

In 1996 Beeswax Candles reached its production capacity as work and storage space in the original living room workshop became too small. A new purpose designed workshop was built to accommodate the growing business.

Beeswax Coiled Candle