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. This growth was 50% faster than the average consumer goods startup, thanks to a direct-to-consumer model that bypassed department stores. Yankee Candle's $300 million acquisition by Jarden in 2010 proved more profitable than #6 Craigslist's ad-reliant model, as physical products generated higher margins. The brand's seasonal collections, selling over 200 million candles annually, turned a homemade gift into a global empire.