Expert Service
Renegade Candles was founded in 2010 by Kathy LaVanier and a team of candle industry veterans. The Renegades use experience, knowledge, and ambition to run a business dedicated to helping clients manufacture and sell the best prestige candles in the marketplace. Our collective expertise and network extends far beyond what you can find anywhere else in the Home Fragrance and Décor Industry. Anywhere!
The term "renegade" comes from our rebellion against the corporate culture. The marketplace has transitioned from product-driven to market-driven, so we believe the future belongs to those who listen to the consumer, not an internal company dialog heavy with special interests, politics and policies. And what can we Renegades say about rules. Seriously, rules get in the way and institutional control takes the fun out of everything.
We don't own a box so we're always on the outside. We've taken a blood oath not to live in the past but to respect the best ideas from the past and push for innovative, creative and bolder ideas. We're quite pragmatic as well; so we keep it real and relevant; not forgetting who and what the ultimate consumer wants and needs.
Our team has been an active part of the ASTM Committee on Candle Safety since its inception in the 90’s. We’ve taken a leadership role in the development of safety standards for the industry and leverage that to make sure all of our clients are compliant so their products are as safe as possible. We Renegades may not like most rules, but we love looking out for the wellbeing of our product end users, so we embrace these standards.
If you are considering selling your products in the European market, we have the skilled team to help you navigate the requirements for labeling and testing. From compliant label design to documented testing results, we have you covered.
Your renegades
Kathy LaVanier is the founder and design, development, and sourcing driver of Renegade Candle Company, aka Chief Candle Fashionista. Kathy uses her incredible creative and customer service skills, as well as her knowledge of the industry, to provide tailored services to every project. Early in her career, Kathy proved herself as an invaluable team member in retail and creative fields and continues to prove her worth to clients today.
In the early 1990s, Kathy got her first experience with product development as Walt Disney Attractions' senior buyer in Character Merchandise. After transitioning into the home fragrance and décor industry, and working for the likes of Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret, Wicks ‘n Sticks, and Illuminations, Kathy realized her passion. In order to gain a better understanding of the dynamic home fragrance process end-to-end, Kathy moved into the manufacturing sector where she rounded out her experience and skills in the industry while working for Starlight/Illume, Candle-lite, Nature's Finest Candle, and
Fragrant Passage Candle Co. (a David Oreck company).
In 2010, Kathy was ready to take her depth of knowledge to build a company that met her high standards of innovation and customer service. She gathered her most qualified peers and created Renegade Candle Company. The best in the industry were looking to step out of the corporate culture and she was ready to build an enthusiastic team that is free to leverage skills without limits. Renegade offers customers a fresh approach and meaningful ways to overcome obstacles and be relevant in the marketplace, not a small task by any means. Renegade is Kathy's expression of what a business should be and stand for, and she has leveraged her entire career to build a business that serves her clients,
but most importantly the end users, in a fun and safe way.
Shanon Yawkey is the hands-on power that drives projects from their inception through scale-up to the production floor. She has her eyes on the details and the energy to push past any speed bumps.
She is all about solutions.
Shanon has over twenty years of management experience in the candle industry, starting in Purchasing and transitioning into Research and Development. At Lumi-Lite Candle Co. she was responsible for development of new products and new formulations from initial conceptualization through manufacturing completion. This in-depth experience in the practical as well as theoretical enables her to design systems that meet our customer expectations
while remaining production friendly.
In Purchasing, Shanon was responsible for up to $10MM annually. One of her favorite aspects of the position was being challenged to find a resolution to a production or development problem, and then exploring the options to find the best solution. During her years in Purchasing, she developed extensive relationships with technical experts and key industry stake holders at a wide variety of suppliers. Moving from finding the solutions to executing the solutions in R&D was a natural transition.
Shanon is very hands-on. She enjoys the blend of science and creativity necessary to turn an average product into something exceptional. Exactly what our band of Renegades stands for.