Whanganui candle business Kearose Collective set to move into the Asian market with new brand Kingdom

Stacey Jones is selling her candles in more than 150 stores in New Zealand and will soon move into the Asian market.

Whanganui-based candle queen Stacey Jones is expanding her Kingdom.

Jones has been producing pure soy candles and fragrance diffusers under her Kearose brand for four years and the Kearose Collective now has a second brand, Kingdom.

"Kearose is for people who like a quite opulent, deluxe, baroque, glamorous, chic style," Jones said.

"Kingdom is more aimed at lovers of contemporary style. It's a more simplistic approach on elegance. It suits contemporary, industrial new builds. It's a pared back style."

Kingdom launched in mid-October into 55 stores throughout New Zealand and early next year it will move into the Asian market, with Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan the major targets.

"In Asia they love handmade, pure New Zealand products," Jones said.

"Our candles are pure organic soy, triple scented and completely clean-burning. There's nothing nasty in there. All our candles are individually hand-poured."

The Kingdom brand is aimed at lovers of contemporary style.

The candles are made in Jones' purpose-built studio in Whanganui and sent out nationwide. Clients include high end retailers, funeral homes and about 15 corporates including Mercedes-Benz, L'Oreal and Foodstuffs.

Jones sources her oils from France, Sydney and America. Some fragrances are blended overseas and Jones hand-blends others in-house, spending many hours perfecting a scent.

She employs three part-time staff to help in the studio and office, and an agent in the South Island.

The business is a far cry from Jones' initial foray into candle making. She started out making them in the kitchen of her one-bedroom studio apartment in Bondi. A move back to her home town Whanganui saw the business take off.

"Now, between the two brands, we're in more than 150 stores nationwide.

"People think making candles is easy. It's not. I spent about two years perfecting how to make a candle.

"People ask me why I would choose to be based in Whanganui and I say 'why not?'. It's so much more affordable to have a wholesale company in Whanganui and it's so accessible. I can just jump in the car and get to Taupo, Wellington, New Plymouth, Hawke's Bay if I need to go to see a client."