Irish Enterprise Awards 2021

EU BUSINESS NEWS /2021 Irish Enterprise Awards 17 , Best Family-Owned Candles Business - County Galway & Customer Service Excellence Award 2021 Based inCounty Galway, Athenry Candles is a small family-run business specialising in the creation of personalised candles for all those incredibly special and precious occasions. No matter the need, Athenry Candles can helpmake it that little bitmore extra special than ever before. Following its well-deserved success in the Irish Enterprise Awards 2021, we got in touch with EdithKovacs to find outmore. Jan21439 After studying the art of candle making, Athenry Candles set out to provide customised products for all occasions in 2016. Candles can serve many purposes, not least including creating a feeling of true relaxation and serenity. The calmness that comes from burning a beautiful candle is second to none, and the work of Athenry Candles is a clear example of this commitment to excellence. To begin, Edith provides a brief overview of the firm and offers more insight into its clientele. “As a local business we typically manufacture candles for weddings, birthdays and christenings amongst other occasions. As the first and biggest supplier of sand ceremony kits, we are able to personalise products in line with our customers’ demands. In addition, we can provide clients with sand in various colours and homemade natural cosmetic products.” Overcoming competition has proved an ongoing challenge for the business since its inception, however as Edith goes on to explain, by adopting a client- focused approach the firm has been able to stand out from the crowd. “In order to produce high-quality products we listen to our customers’ demands on their first visit. Here at Athenry Candles we are proud to be able to provide such a service in a very short time frame, especially if the order is urgent to the client. Moreover, to limit the number of online shops our customers need to purchase from, we ensure they have a broad range of products to choose from. No design or ask is ever too much, we can do everything our customers demand.” As Athenry Candles mainly function as an online business, the outbreak of COVID-19 hasn’t affected the firm’s trade quite as much as others as Edith points out. “To ensure of a safe service, our online presence has enabled us to offer a contactless pick-up option. Moreover, online advertisements have also encouraged more orders both online and over the phone. As an additional measure, we decided to offer our existing customers who had already purchased a celebration candle a free date and/or any detail changes if needed to adapt to the current situation.” Finally, Edith comments on the firm’s future prospects as we look ahead to 2021 and beyond. “As a local business we are very proud of how far we’ve come, however moving forward our main goal is to further grow the business through the word of mouth of our customers while making wooden gift products”. Company: Athenry Candles Contact: Edith Kovacs Email: [email protected] Web: www.athenry-candles.ie Address: Athenry, Co Galway, Ireland Phone: 00353 87 6278694