JI Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 (edited) I picked up this wholesale contract in May. It is a private health food store that is very popular here. I warned them about summer time sales being slower. They sold out 36 candles in a matter of 8 weeks. I make undyed soy. They had also nearly doubled their money on the sale so everyone was happy. They had me come down yesterday with samples of my fall candles to get their order ready. The owner then asked me if the soy was gmo free. I had already researched this prior and said that all soy wax comes from gm soy. But all organic material is removed from it. So technically it is just oils lipids. 2% of soy in usa is non gmo but it is used for food product. I told her everything has an impact, environmentally. And that I chose US soy vs. Brazilian etc. She said she absolutely cannot support gm industry etc and therefore couldn't buy them since gm damages our dna. I pointed out that the wax wasn't being ingested and that I would be more concerned about the fragrance and wick. Bye bye lucrative contract. I have a degree in Env. Sciences and I teach AP classes in this. I am a little leary about gm roundup ready corn. But not fanatical. I don't understand how people worry about preservatives in vaccines yet they risk their children death and disease by not vaccinating. Or they worry about some pesticides yet they don't hesitate to feed their kids raw milk. "Got Listeria?". I asked them if she'd consider paraffin...but wait! That supports the evil petroleum industry! Edited August 27, 2013 by JI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chefmom Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 That's sad to hear. It would be a hard life to live in today's modern America and to fully avoid every single thing that had an environmental impact.The only waxes I could see that would be fully sustainable would be if you lived on a 100 acre fully organic/biodynamic permacultural based farm and harvested your own beeswax and grew your own bayberry. But that wouldn't make a scented candle.All the waxes we use have an impact, the production of soy as a commercial product is dependent so heavily on natural gas and petroleum. I don't have an issue with paraffin because it comes directly from the refinement of crude oil. Soy can not be grown without that same petroleum, so it too is a product of the petroleum industry the same as commercial corn, wheat, barley etc.The fragrances are synthetic, so they are probably a product of the petroleum industry. The wicks are cotton, which is heavily reliant on pesticides for its production and then the natural cotton is processed in a chemical cocktail to make it into a wick.It's a catch 22. Sorry about your contract, that blows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michdj Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Oh no! This is terrible. I agree with Chefmom, it's next to impossible to be completely environmentally friendly. I was at a wholesale show recently, and had several people just walk away when I told them I didn't use soy. Now you have someone nitpicking the soy itself. Sometimes we just can't win. So sorry to hear about this. Keep your chin up - knock on a few more doors and see if you can get a better contract with a bigger distributor! (Trying to remain optimistic is the only way to go sometimes.) Good luck and keep on keeping on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JI Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 So irritating. I think they are fanatical. But hey it is a free country. They also have a lot of raw stuff incl. Milk desserts and other raw dairy. Not for human consumption though. Wink wink. They sell himalayan pink salt. I mentioned to the buyer that the little Indian spice shops sell it too and itis nice. They said that theirs is extracted a certain way and that all other himalayan salt is bad. It looked the same to me. And have they even been to that part of the world? I have. But if course it would be obnoxious of me to point it out. I just smiled and nodded politely.I did score a small acting school fundraiser last night though. Thanks for allowing me to vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Fields Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 The longer you are in the business, the more you will find that you cannot please everyone and shouldn't even try. We listen to criticism (sometimes it is helpful), thank the person and move on. No account is worth what you are going through to keep it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 There is no such things as a 100% "natural" soy candle. In my opinion, many "Health food" store owners and their clientele can be a bit fanatical over many things, usually an indication that they really do not know a hell of a lot about the subject matter (you know how the "little knowledge is more dangerous than no knowledge" saying goes). What do they expect, to simply take the soy beans, melt them and voila, candle wax is made? Does the owner have any freaking idea as to what IS involved in the process (the hexane extraction, for example)? Never mind, this BS annoys me, shouldn't have commented but there, already typed too much, lol). Wish the owner good luck in finding soy wax that is free of all chemical processes and is derived from a field that free of heavy duty pesticides :rolleyes2.I am sorry you had to go through this, but as others have said, you cannot please everyone, and some people are just too ______ to please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JI Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Well she did ask me if I could find organic non gm soy beans myself and extract wax out of it...even if it costs "a little more"!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravens Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Well she did ask me if I could find organic non gm soy beans myself and extract wax out of it...even if it costs "a little more"!!Are you kidding??!! That's it, your new calling... find a field, wait several years (in case it was polluted with fertilizers), then start growing your own soy beans. Set up some type of refinery in your basement, and go at it; oh, tell this person to be prepared to have green wax because removing color from the beans will require the use of chlorine!Unbelievable... You will find more reasonable customers, I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JI Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Lol now I have found the career for my next life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candybee Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I'm curious. Are there other candles in their shop?Sorry about your account loss. I have an idea that it will probably turn out better for you not being in there. This person sounds too fanatical and is probably argumentative about health subjects that she has no idea what she is talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 I lost a wholesale client with 8 stores and backstock already made in advance for them. I was really peeved, but I thanked them for the years I was with them and asked them to call me if they changed their minds. The new buyer wanted to put in reed diffusers instead of candles. Laugh was on the buyer - the buyer got canned and the VP of the company called me, literally begging me to make candles for them again. Their next order was $4500. In your shoes I would thank them for their previous business and do what you can to leave the door open. The rule about non gmo soy could be overturned if they can't sell it. And even if they never request your products again, they might recommend you to another buyer. It's easy to reopen a door with a known manufacturer (especially someone with your product knowledge!) than to have to find someone new. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QTsmum Posted August 29, 2013 Share Posted August 29, 2013 I lost a wholesale client with 8 stores and backstock already made in advance for them. I was really peeved, but I thanked them for the years I was with them and asked them to call me if they changed their minds. The new buyer wanted to put in reed diffusers instead of candles. Laugh was on the buyer - the buyer got canned and the VP of the company called me, literally begging me to make candles for them again. Their next order was $4500. In your shoes I would thank them for their previous business and do what you can to leave the door open. The rule about non gmo soy could be overturned if they can't sell it. And even if they never request your products again, they might recommend you to another buyer. It's easy to reopen a door with a known manufacturer (especially someone with your product knowledge!) than to have to find someone new.Very good post & reminder! Plus, you may have customers coming in, wondering what the heck happened! I mean, someone was obviously buying them for as long as they've been selling! I bet people will be asking questions! I know if I find something I love, I stick to it!!! Sending lots of positive wishes your way! I'm sure another door will open for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JI Posted August 30, 2013 Author Share Posted August 30, 2013 That is sweet victory old glory. I think what bothered me the most is that the products did so well. They made money, I made money and customers were happy. If they hadn't sold so well...well...and then when the buyer had me come down and lug all my product only to have the owner there say no because of the evil big agro business, it was just too irritating. Sigh...I'll get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest OldGlory Posted August 30, 2013 Share Posted August 30, 2013 And you'll be a better and wiser person for the whole experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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