In January 2020, the Newell Brands Home Fragrance Business Unit, which includes the Yankee Candle®, WoodWick® and Chesapeake Bay® brands, expanded its research and development capabilities by opening a state-of-the-art 20,300 sq. ft. Research & Development (R&D) Lab in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. This facility, along with our Whately, MA production facility, produces roughly 45 million candles per year.
The Home Fragrance R&D lab is where ideas become products. Once a fragrance idea is formed, the fragrance oil is created and sent to the R&D lab where testing begins. The team in South Deerfield starts by evaluating the oil and ensuring it meets the intended character and strength in their fragrance booths. After the oil is approved, the team will create a wax around it and begin developing the product--determining the perfect vessel, wax, fragrance oil, color and wick combination to make the best product possible.
This process requires stringent testing, which is why the facility features a Burn Lab. In the Burn Lab, they test an eye-popping 35,000 products over the course of the year. The Burn Lab allows for the Home Fragrance team to test and tweak every aspect of the candle until they find the combination that will give the best burn experience. Testing can take months at a time, but it is all worth it when employees can see the product on the shelves.
In January 2020, the Newell Brands Home Fragrance Business Unit, which includes the Yankee Candle®, WoodWick® and Chesapeake Bay® brands, expanded its research and development capabilities by opening a state-of-the-art 20,300 sq. ft. Research & Development (R&D) Lab in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. This facility, along with our Whately, MA production facility, produces roughly 45 million candles per year.
The Home Fragrance R&D lab is where ideas become products. Once a fragrance idea is formed, the fragrance oil is created and sent to the R&D lab where testing begins. The team in South Deerfield starts by evaluating the oil and ensuring it meets the intended character and strength in their fragrance booths. After the oil is approved, the team will create a wax around it and begin developing the product--determining the perfect vessel, wax, fragrance oil, color and wick combination to make the best product possible.
This process requires stringent testing, which is why the facility features a Burn Lab. In the Burn Lab, they test an eye-popping 35,000 products over the course of the year. The Burn Lab allows for the Home Fragrance team to test and tweak every aspect of the candle until they find the combination that will give the best burn experience. Testing can take months at a time, but it is all worth it when employees can see the product on the shelves.
“My favorite thing about working with these brands is the reaction I get when I tell my neighbors and friends where I work. It’s an immediate smile,” said Sam Macio, R&D Director of Home Fragrance. “They love our brands. Fragrances are very personal and pretty much anyone can find something they like within the products we offer.”
Five miles down the road from the R&D lab is the manufacturing facility that brings our Home Fragrance brands to life. Around 600 work together to produce our beloved fragrances. From perfecting the fragrance chemistry, to placing the wick, pouring the hot wax, all the way to cooling and packaging the product, each step of the process is held to the highest standard of quality and efficiency.
Every person who touches the fragrance production process helps contribute to creating moments of joy and peace of mind for our consumers.
Interested in joining the Home Fragrance team? Our South Deerfield and Whately facilities are hiring! All you have to do is text NEWELLCAREERS to 3952 or visit www.careers.newellbrands.com and select South Deerfield and Whately as your locations.
