Blend and Burn: Bringing Your Favourite Drink From Cup to Candle!

If you know me, you know I’m not myself without my morning coffee (always a hazelnut latte!).

And we are so lucky in Norwich to be surrounded by an abundance of independent cafes we can visit for our daily dose of caffeine!

I don’t know about you, but my favourite hot drink seems to form part of my personality now - it’s got to the point where friends will order my drink before I’ve arrived and my family knows I rarely drink any other coffee!

Not long ago, I discovered Blend and Burn, a local business that creates gorgeous candles that smell exactly like your favourite drink - perfect for us coffee and tea lovers!

Whether you love the comforting, autumnal scent of hazelnut or pumpkin spice or prefer the refreshing smell of summer from an iced tea, Blend and Burn allows us to enjoy our favourite barista-worthy scents at any time (and not experience a caffeine overload!).

I recently spoke to Anna Eastick, the Founder of Blend and Burn, about the incredible journey of her business and how she brings your favourite drink from cup to candle!

When did Blend and Burn begin (and when did you first discover your passion for candle making)?

I first began candle making 8 years ago, as a relaxing hobby to help calm my anxiety and make my own candles that I could enjoy at home.

As a candle addict myself, I bought SO many candles over the years from budget to luxury. I loved the soothing ritual of lightening a candle in the evening. I was always so excited to burn a new candle that I’d bought, only to be left disappointed that it didn’t smell as strong burning as it did on the shelf. This made me curious if I could make a candle which would fill the room with scent in the way I wanted it to. How hard could it be, right?!

Turns out it is pretty hard! From my home kitchen I experimented with melting wax and testing different fragrances. The obsession grew and grew, and I got deep into the weeds of candle science, spending hundreds of hours learning to craft the best performing candles I could. By this point, I was making candles for friends and family for Christmas gifts and for even favours at my own wedding. The feedback from my candles blew me away, and friends and family encouraged me to start selling them.

Just as I started brainstorming ideas for the business, I became bed bound for around 9 months due to illness. I remember thinking that if I was ever to get better, I would pursue my passion and create the candle business of my dreams. Luckily, I recovered, and I used my time of ill health as motivation to stop putting things off and not waste any more time.

With the encouragement of friends and family I began planning out my candle business.

The home fragrance market is incredibly saturated, so I knew I wanted to create something different, and something that felt authentic to me. I decided to combine three of my greatest loves: candle making and all things tea and coffee. I’ve been nerdy about tea and coffee my entire adult life. I’m that girl that if I invite you around for tea and ask you what you want to drink, I’ll list 100 different blends you can choose from! My idea of a good holiday is chasing down the best coffee spots and single-origin coffee money can buy.

Combining these passions gave Blend & Burn a unique niche that appeals to foodies and candle lovers alike. Basically, it’s for everyone who love the small, cosy rituals. Blend & Burn is about helping others to celebrate those slow and simple pleasures in life. That’s why our candles are inspired by the little joys of tea and coffee. Because sometimes, it’s the smallest moments in life that deserve the biggest celebration.

Describe your creative process when it comes to a new candle/ scent (and what is involved in the testing process to prevent tunnelling etc)?

With our barista theme, a new candle scent is usually inspired by something I’m currently drinking, or a new tea blend I’ve recently discovered. So, whether that’s a visit to a coffee shop with a fun new flavour on the menu, or a new drink trend, it’s easy to find inspiration everywhere.

As soon as I have an idea of the scent itself, I begin the testing process. This can be a fairly lengthy process. I buy anything from 5 - 25 fragrance oils to find the scent that best captures the idea I have in mind. This is an interesting process, as you can order 25 different “coffee” fragrance oils and each one can smell entirely different. This is the fun part of the process, where I will select my favourites and test which ones I like the most.

This is where the unglamorous candle science comes in, But it’s the difference between a mediocre candle and an exceptional one.

I’ll test different fragrance oil percentages, different blend/pour temperatures, and different wick sizes. Master all these and you get a well performing candle. To prevent tunnelling, you must have the correct size wick. To have a smooth top, you must pour at the correct temperature. To make sure the fragrance binds to the wax, you must blend at the correct temperature. To make sure the candle has a good scent throw when burning, you must find the correct fragrance oil percentage. And more fragrance oil doesn’t necessarily mean stronger scent throw. This is the frustrating part of candle making where most people give up. Changing any ONE of these factors can throw everything out, and they all need to work in tandem.

(Sorry, we got in the weeds of candle science there!)

Once I’ve made tester candles, I wait for at least 7 days to burn test them. Soy candles are like wine or cheese, and benefit from a curing period to allow the fragrance oil to bind to the wax for a stronger scent throw.

Once the curing period is complete, I’ll burn test candles for several hours at a time. I measure them on several requirements to make sure they meet all safety requirements and perform to a high standard. I like to make sure a candle fills a small-medium size room with scent, otherwise it doesn’t pass the test. This is what I believe sets our candles apart from many candles on the market today.

What do you love most about running Blend and Burn?

Firstly, I love that I’ve turned my hobby into a business that others seem to love and support too. It doesn’t feel like work.

I love being able to share the joy of good candles with others and to help them celebrate the small things and simple pleasures. I hope Blend & Burn can change people’s perceptions of candles, that they don’t have to be the same generic scents and they can smell as good lit as they do unlit.

Hearing customer’s feedback on our candles makes all the hard work and months of testing worth it. When people come back and buy our candles again and again, or say it’s become their favourite candle, it’s the best feeling in the world.

What has been key to your growth as a business?

The Norfolk/Norwich independent business scene has been instrumental in helping the business grow faster than I expected.

There are so many amazing independent businesses that want to champion and support local makers, and I wouldn’t have grown half as much without them.

Elsie B and Lazy Lobster were two incredible independent stores in the heart of Norwich that supported Blend & Burn from the very beginning and chose to stock our candles in their stores. Having support from local stockists has been transformational and has meant we were able to introduce our candles to so many people we otherwise wouldn’t have.

What makes Blend and Burn unique?

I think having a niche in an incredibly saturated market makes us stand out. We’re not just offering the same generic candle scents. Everyone has a favourite tea or coffee drink (it almost becomes part of your identity) and being able to enjoy that drink in candle form is such a unique, multi-sensory experience. It also makes for a great gift!

Having high standards for testing and performance is also not a given in the candle industry. No two candles are created equal, and it means that once people try our candles, they tend to come back time and time again. My quality and testing process is something I pride myself in, and I won’t ever compromise on.

I could say we only use 100% soy wax, high quality fragrance oils and plastic-free packaging, but the home fragrance industry is filled with plenty of businesses already offering this. These used to be unique selling points, but they are fairly standard these days. The unique tea and coffee theme is definitely what catches people’s attention!

To me, my favourite candle (Hazelnut Latte from Blend and Burn!) can feel comforting, like a hug in a scent. What impact do you believe a good candle/ scent can have on an atmosphere (especially when it smells of your favourite hot drink!)?

A candle is never just a candle. It’s the scent you light after a long day. The way you create slow mornings. A comfort ritual. The smell that makes your house feel like home. The background to your favourite movie or book. The way you cleanse and reset your space. A tiny luxury that changes the mood completely.

Lighting a candle can be a signal for your brain to switch off and relax. Like a cup of tea after a long day. It’s a ritual that helps you to slow down and reminds you to pause.

There is also something especially comforting about it, especially when it smells like the familiar scent of your favourite hot drink! Scent is linked to the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes and stores long term memories. So, it can be a powerful way to transport you to something that’s brought you great joy or comfort over the years (like your favourite cuppa!)

Norwich is becoming a hub for independent businesses. What do you love most about the independent community in Norwich (and how important has this support been to your growth)?

Norwich definitely feels like a thriving hub for independent business right now! People buy from people at the end of the day, and Norwich is filled with the most amazing community of people, passionate about supporting independent businesses and makers.

Meeting fellow independent business owners and empowering business women has been one of my favourite things about starting Blend & Burn. It’s also the thing that surprised me the most. I’ve been blown away by the unconditional support of the small business community. You expect there to be a level of competitiveness and territory marking, but that’s never been the case. I’ve made so many new friends and connections attending local markets and chatting with local store owners. These people genuinely want to see you win and cheer you on.

As independent owners and makers, we’re all there to help each other out in whatever capacity we can, whether that’s sharing a business contact, making an introduction or offering a new product idea. There’s something incredibly wholesome about it, and it’s honestly restored my faith in humanity.

What has been your proudest moment since launching Blend and Burn?

I’m proudest of how much Blend & Burn has pushed me out of my comfort zone.

I’ve achieved things I never would have dreamed of doing because I am so passionate about our candles and the brand. Being an anxiety sufferer, I would never have dreamt of leading a workshop or attending markets several years ago. I’m a different person now, and I’m proud of who Blend & Burn has allowed me to become.

In terms of business milestones, I feel like every new milestone (no matter how small) is a proud moment. Whether that’s a new stockist, a new scent launch or an online sale.

What is your dream goal for the future of Blend and Burn?

The dream is for Blend & Burn to become a UK household name, like Yankee Candle or Jo Malone. I’d love to spread the joy of our tea and coffee themed candles to as many people as possible! Who knows?! Maybe even a Blend & Burn Norwich candle store & cafe one day. My husband has always loved the idea of being a barista, so we often joke that we could own a store where I sell the candles and he makes the coffee on the side. Truly making Blend & Burn a brand that celebrates the cosiness of tea, coffee and candles.

While I have lofty ambitions for the brand, equally I also have a simple vision of a Blend & Burn purpose-built workshop. Somewhere with enough space to make large batches of candles and host hands-on candle making workshops. A magical place where I can introduce the local community to the joy of candle making and pour candles to my heart’s content.

To keep up to date with the incredible work of Blend and Burn, you can head to their Instagram (@blendandburnco)!