Yankee Candle

Yankee Candle started from a high school side hustle in 1969 when Michael Kittredge melted crayons to create a Christmas gift for his mother, which neighbors wanted to buy. The company grew to $1.75 billion in sales by 2022, with over 500 retail stores and a dominant 35% share of the U.S. candle market. The brand's seasonal collections, selling over 200 million candles annually, turned a homemade gift into a global empire.