This summer, we turned our candle obsession into a full sensory experience with Café Candier, a pop-up hosted inside Shopify’s NYC flagship space. More than 275 guests joined us for an evening that blended café culture with foodie fragrances, turning the idea of food scented candles into something you could truly taste, smell, and share.
The event was months in the making, and it all came together in a way that felt pure Candier: playful, luxe, and community-driven. Guests received custom Café Candier newspapers as they waited on line, then explored a space filled with our signature dessert candles and sweet café-inspired setups. From fresh espresso, to matcha, cinnamon rolls and chocolate croissants, the gourmand fragrance lineup was inspired by NYCs best cafes, bakeries and food carts.
The Experience
We paired up the real food and drink items from the best local vendors with our candles to offer our guests a true multi sensory themed experience.
- Cupcake Frosting Candle: We paired up our iconic vanilla candle with adorable little Baked by Melissa cupcakes.
- Cotton Candy Candle: Sweet Love NJ brought their super cute cotton candy machine and handed out fresh made candy floss on the spot.
- Cherry Cola Candle: We matched our famous cherry candle with our fave probiotic soda OLIPOP Cherry Vanilla
- Blueberry Macaron Candle: Thierry Atlan provided the perfect edible accompaniment for our classic dessert candle
- Cinnamon Rolls Candle: We partnered up our cinnamon candle with our fave NYC cinnamon rolls from Spirals
- Birthday Candle: We love Milk Bar's sprinkle cookies and birthday cakes, so we couldn't resist having them be part of Cafe Candier celebration
- Fruit Riot Candle: Naturally we invited our friends at Fruit Riot! to be involved and show off our collab candle along with the frozen sweet treat that inspired it
- Coffee Candle & Matcha Candle: Anecho took over Shopify's coffee bar to provide fresh made espresso and matcha drinks topped with Candier's cute "Sippin Pretty" branding latte art.
- Extra Sweet Treat: We included a surprise charm bar where guests could customize a complementary heart shaped locket lip balm!
The Atmosphere
Shopify’s gorgeous SoHo space set the perfect backdrop with its modern yet timeless downtown New York aesthetic. The event buzzed with energy as creators, customers, and candle lovers mingled over yummy drinks and sweet treats. Candle displays doubled as art installations, and every corner felt Instagram-ready.
The Scent Menu
Our Espresso Obsesso, Matcha My Freak, and limited-edition gourmand candles were showcased like café specials. Guests could “order” a sniff, pairing the experience of a luxe candle with the vibe of a trendy NYC coffee shop. It wasn’t just a pop-up, it was a playful reminder that fragrance can be as craveable as your favorite latte.
The Community
For Candier, this wasn’t just a launch event. It was a celebration of sisterhood and empowerment, showing how candles can be more than décor. They’re little mantras for everyday life, reminders to slow down, treat yourself, and shine brighter. Paula summed it up best: “For a Wednesday evening, 275+ people to show up is crazy — that itself is a big accomplishment and something we didn’t know would happen. Seeing people loving our candles, new fragrances, and activations was everything.”
The Soundtrack
Listen to the cute custom playlist for the event on Spotify now!
Bring Home Café Candier Vibes Now
From coffee candle vibes to sweet café nostalgia, Café Candier was a celebration of gourmand fragrance and sweet dessert candles. Shop our gourmand collection now and bring a little café culture home.
BONUS: Café Candier sweet treats inspired crossword puzzle for you to download, print and play for free.
⚠ Safety note: Some Candier® candles look and smell like food, but none are edible. Always burn responsibly.
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