Buying wholesale candles in Canada usually works like this: you contact a candle brand or maker, receive a line sheet with wholesale pricing and available scents, place an opening order that meets their minimum, then reorder what sells. The details that decide whether a candle line works for your business are the ones on that line sheet: the wholesale price against the suggested retail price, the order minimum, lead times and how reorders are handled.
This guide explains each of those pieces, what to ask a Canadian supplier before your first order and how to judge a candle line before it reaches your shelf.
Wholesale, bulk and white label: what's the difference?
The terms overlap, but they usually describe different kinds of orders:
- Wholesale means buying finished candles at a trade price to resell, typically under the maker's brand.
- Bulk usually means buying a larger quantity for your own use, such as event favours, client gifts or candles for a salon or rental. SOVA's guide to buying candles in bulk for events and gifts covers that side.
- White label or custom branded means the candles carry your brand or logo instead of the maker's.
Many suppliers offer more than one of these, but pricing, minimums and labelling responsibilities can differ between them, so say clearly which one you need when you first get in touch.
How wholesale candle pricing works
A wholesale line sheet normally shows two prices for each product: the wholesale price (sometimes written as WSP), which is what you pay, and the suggested retail price (MSRP or RRP), which is what the brand expects the candle to sell for in store.
Many brands set wholesale at roughly half of the suggested retail price, a convention often called keystone pricing. It isn't a rule, so always work from the actual numbers. Two terms are worth keeping separate:
- Markup is the difference between retail and wholesale, divided by the wholesale price.
- Margin is the same difference divided by the retail price.
For example, a candle bought at $20 and sold at $40 has a 100% markup and a 50% margin. The two figures describe the same sale, which is why they're easy to confuse in conversations with suppliers.
Wholesale price is only part of the cost. Shipping, any packaging you add and breakage all come out of your margin, so compare suppliers on landed cost, not on the wholesale price alone. It's also worth asking whether the brand expects stockists to sell at the suggested retail price, and whether it sells the same candles online for less.
Order minimums: opening orders and reorders
Most wholesale suppliers set a minimum order, but they express it in different ways:
- a minimum dollar value per order
- a minimum number of units per order
- a minimum per scent, or candles sold in case packs of a set quantity
Some brands set a higher minimum for the first order and a lower one for reorders. Ask for both before you commit, since the reorder minimum affects how easily you can restock a single bestselling scent without buying the whole range again.
For a first order, depth usually works better than breadth. A few scents bought in reasonable quantities make a fuller display and give you clearer sales data than one candle in every scent. SOVA's guide to building a focused, minimalist candle range goes further into choosing and merchandising a small line.
What a good line sheet tells you
A line sheet is the supplier's wholesale catalogue. Before ordering, check that it answers:
- wholesale and suggested retail price for each product
- size and net weight, so you can compare value across lines
- wax type, wick type and stated burn time
- available scents and how they're described
- order minimums, case packs and reorder terms
- lead times and how orders ship
- payment terms
- branding options, if you want your own logo
If something important isn't on the sheet, ask. Your customers will put the same questions to you, and the answers have to come from the supplier.
Lead times and seasonal timing
Many smaller Canadian candle brands pour in batches rather than holding large warehouses of finished stock, so lead time depends on the order size and the time of year. The months before the winter holidays are the busiest season for candles and gifts, and suppliers' production calendars fill up well before December.
If you want candles on the shelf for the holidays, place the order early in the fall and confirm the delivery date in writing. For the rest of the year, ask how long a typical reorder takes, so you know how low to let stock run before you reorder.
Shipping conditions matter too. Wax can soften in summer heat and containers can crack in deep cold, so ask how candles are packed for transport and what happens if an order arrives damaged.
Buying from a Canadian maker
Ordering from a Canadian candle maker keeps the order domestic. You're quoted in Canadian dollars, the shipment doesn't cross a border, and reorders tend to be simpler because you're dealing directly with the people who make the product.
Origin claims still need reading carefully. "Made in Canada" or "poured in Ontario" generally describes where a candle was made, not where every material came from. If origin matters to your customers, ask the supplier exactly what their claim covers.
Labelling is the other thing to confirm. Candles sold to consumers in Canada are prepackaged products, and the Competition Bureau's guide to the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act explains that labels generally need a product identity, a net quantity and the name and principal place of business of the dealer, with the identity and net quantity in both English and French. If the candles will carry your brand, agree with the supplier who is responsible for the final label. Candles must also meet federal safety rules: the Candles Regulations under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act prohibit candles that reignite on their own after being put out. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions to ask before your first wholesale order
- What are the wholesale and suggested retail prices for each candle?
- What is the minimum for an opening order, and for reorders?
- How long does an order take to produce and ship, and how does that change before the holidays?
- What are the payment terms?
- Can I burn a sample before committing?
- Which scents are core to the range, and which are seasonal or likely to be discontinued?
- Do candles come with care instructions?
- Who is responsible for the label if the candles carry my branding?
- How are candles packed for shipping, and how are damaged items handled?
How to evaluate a sample candle
A description tells you what a supplier intends. Burning a sample tells you what your customers will actually get. Over a few sessions, check whether the first burn melts close to the edge of the container, whether the scent fills a room at a reasonable distance, whether the flame stays steady and whether the candle tunnels. SOVA's explanation of why the first burn matters is a useful reference for what a good first burn looks like.
Look at the materials as well. If the label names the wax, you can explain it to customers. SOVA's guide to what to look for in soy wax candles covers the questions shoppers most often ask.
Wholesale candles from SOVA
SOVA makes one candle format: a 5 oz (142 g) soy wax candle, paraffin-free, with a wooden wick and up to 35 hours of burn time, in minimal black packaging. Candles are hand-poured in small batches in Ontario and carry a $30 retail value, which keeps them simple to price on a shelf or in a gift program. The SOVA soy candle collection shows the current range of scents.
SOVA works with retailers, corporate gifting programs, hospitality businesses and co-branded orders. Business orders can carry SOVA's packaging or your logo, with a proof for approval before production. To start, send an inquiry through the SOVA wholesale page. SOVA replies with the line sheet, available scents and timing, then confirms scents, quantities and branding with you. For reorders, you reply to your SOVA contact.
FAQ
How do I buy candles wholesale in Canada?
Contact the brand or maker directly, ask for their line sheet and wholesale terms, sample the product and place an opening order that meets their minimum. Many independent brands handle wholesale through an inquiry form on their website.
What is a typical wholesale candle markup?
Many brands price wholesale at around half the suggested retail price, which gives the retailer a 100% markup, or a 50% margin. It varies by brand, so work from each supplier's actual line sheet and include shipping in your cost.
Do I need a business to buy candles wholesale?
Most wholesale suppliers sell to businesses and may ask for your business name, website or storefront details before sharing pricing. If you're buying for gifts or an event rather than resale, ask about bulk or business orders instead.
Can wholesale candles carry my own logo?
Some suppliers offer custom branding. SOVA can produce business orders with your logo in place of SOVA branding, with a proof for your approval before production.
