Chesapeake Bay Candle is the home fragrance brand synonymous with stylish design and unique, nature-inspired fragrances. Based in Rockville, MD, the brand draws inspiration from the serene beauty of Maryland’s idyllic shoreline. Season after season Chesapeake Bay Candle provides style, fragrance, and ambiance to millions of families around the world.

Driven by their entrepreneurial spirit, husband-and-wife team Mei Xu and David Wang established their company Pacific Trade International with the signature home fragrance brand Chesapeake Bay Candle in 1994. Following her passion for design, Mei began by arranging a candle work shop in their home in Annapolis, MD where she created the first Chesapeake Bay Candle collection using Campbell soup cans as candle molds.

Having always looked for an escape to a natural lifestyle, and inspired by the surrounding beauty of the Maryland bay area, Mei and David decided to pay tribute to this treasured coast line and named the candle brand Chesapeake Bay Candle.

Influenced by the contemporary designs Mei discovered during her travels in Europe and distinctively different from the traditional candles available in the American market of the mid-1990s, Chesapeake Bay Candle was destined to become an instant hit. The very first Chesapeake Bay Candle collection featured stylish pop colors such as mango, lime green, and lavender combined with a unique mottled texture leaving the impression of little snowflakes on the candle finish, paired with exquisite botanical fragrances.

The collection immediately caught the attention of buyers at high end retail outlets. When it finally launched in the fall of 1995, it quickly exceeded all sales forecasts.

Over the years Chesapeake Bay Candle established partnerships with America’s most renowned retailers, including Target, Kohl’s, and Pier 1 Imports. Today Chesapeake Bay Candle is one of the most popular candle brands in the country and around the world.

The current Chesapeake Bay Candle product portfolio includes candles, candle gift sets, alternative home fragrances and home accessories.

From the very beginning the company established vertically integrated operations and a unique network of global vendor partners. The US headquarters in Rockville, MD, oversees all operations, sales, marketing and product development and design. The Chesapeake Bay Candle partnership owns three Asian manufacturing operations – one in China (opened in 1995) and two in Vietnam (opened in 2003 and 2007).The company also established a sourcing office in Shanghai, China (opened in 2007).

In spring 2010, Chesapeake Bay Candle announced plans to establish its first domestic production and distribution facility in Glen Burnie, MD. Scheduled to begin operations in late 2010, the new facility will allow Chesapeake Bay Candle to optimize its services provided to domestic trade partners and consumers. “Our goal is to provide our clients with what they want, when they want it,” said Mei Xu in a statement on May 4, 2010. “Today’s consumers are smart shoppers that demand instant gratification. They will not wait if a product is out of stock. Candles are about passion, and passion cannot wait.”