Yankee Candle - The future?

Launching in the USA with immediate effect and with plans to introduce worldwide from later in the year  – the signature collection is designed to be the brand new main core product from Yankee Candle.

 Yankee Candle have evolved the main jar into a completely new look. The new core range will be a straighter jar shape, have two wicks, use soy wax, have completely new labels and the jars will have flat lids.

In summary it is a whole new product and the current intention is that it becomes the main core product for Yankee Candle going forward.

 The iconic classic Yankee Candle jar is to be retained in limited quantities (and I believe in large jars only). Plans may change of course but from 2022 (and earlier in the USA) the signature collection becomes the main focus with the ‘apothecary’ or classic jars retained as a sideline product with only limited fragrances available.

 I first heard this news directly from Yankee Candle a few weeks ago and I have to say that I was heartbroken, exasperated and angry. I still am and I am sure many of you will have the same feelings.

 I honestly can’t understand the thought process behind this huge change and I can assure you that I absolutely let Yankee Candle know what I thought of this new proposal and I held nothing back. It is in my opinion the craziest decision that Yankee Candle have ever made in their 52 year history – it makes no sense whatsoever.

I don’t know what the feedback will be in the USA, it is a completely different marketplace but for the UK, Europe and the rest of the world I can’t see many adapting to or supporting this change.

Having been such an advocate of the brand, it’s classic jar and the superb fragrances for almost a decade now this news has absolutely devastated me. I have actually had almost sleepless nights over it! As far as I am concerned and I have told Yankee Candle this – it is absolute commercial suicide to make such an unwanted and major change to the essence of  what Yankee Candle is and is known to be.

It doesn’t look like a Yankee Candle – the labels are truly terrible, the jar shape is hideous and the least of the worries is the soy wax blend and two wicks (with the wax type and wicks I often wondered if Yankee would make this change and I think we could have just about lived with that).

I don’t get it, I won’t ever get it and my only hope is that Yankee Candle backtracks from this impending disastrous move before it is too late. I fear for the future of Yankee Candle as fans and customers will not welcome this major change to the core product.

I am sure if this new range had been brought out in addition to it’s main classic jar range – we would have all supported it and been interested in it. However it is portrayed though (and Yankee Candle have been at pains to point out that the current classic jar will be retained and developed in some shape or form), this is the new product and in current plans it is designed to be Yankee Candle’s main jar product going forward.

Perhaps this explains why I have been stocking up on so many classic jars lately  and I will really try and enjoy the rest of what Yankee Candle brings us in 2021 (I have heard that I should get really excited by Christmas 2021).

My final comments are I think a plea directly to Yankee Candle – please don’t do this. Whatever market and consumer research you have carried out is severely flawed – people do not want this and it won’t be welcomed (I can’t speak for the USA but I don’t think the reaction will be that different) . Please do not destroy your iconic brand and all of its history by sidelining your core wonderful product that we all love so much.

Thank you everyone for reading and I hope this at least provides some clarity on plans based on what I have been told.