On the test bench: SOJA&CO, unique candles to discover!

This series of articles is written in collaboration with UQTR students participating in the Export Trade Mission to Europe .

SOJA&CO is a Quebec company that specializes in the manufacture of handmade candles. Each of the candles is made from 100% natural soy wax.

The company also offers a range of related products, such as:

• Essential oils;
• Liquid soaps;
• Bar soaps;
• Bubble baths;
• bath bombs;
• Reed diffusers.

Behind this flourishing business is a young female entrepreneur, Laurence Gaudreau-Pépin; management enthusiast. She succeeds brilliantly in managing her restaurants, her career as a DJ, SOJA&CO, while putting all her heart into it.

The candles

The scents of SOJA&CO candles are carefully chosen and designed by the team, which strives for creativity and originality in the making of its scents. In addition, she wishes to highlight the quality of the essential oils used. This is, among other things, why we can find amazing fragrances, such as Marshmallow + Clementine, Cereal + Milk, Lilac + Rosemary or Icelandic Fjords.

I had the pleasure of experiencing it directly in the store at Dix30 and purchasing two 8-ounce candles with exquisite scents: Peach + Fresh Ginger and Bamboo + Citrus Zest . These are two scents that aren't necessarily among the most popular, but I really liked them.

Peach + Fresh Ginger Candle

A sweet and fruity candle, the peach in its subtlety adds a refreshing scent to the room and the ginger balances the fragrance that reminds me of summer.

Bamboo Candle + Citrus Zest

For its part, the Bamboo + Citrus Zest candle is ideal when you want to refresh the house with a clean smell that allows you to embody a deep sense of zen and well-being.

The scents and the quality of the candles pleasantly surprised me. Their lifespan of approximately 50 hours for the 8-ounce format is perfect for giving a warm atmosphere to your home.

The bar soap, a crush!

During my visit to the store, I also purchased a bar soap, Eucalyptus + Grapefruit . A big hit for me. A delicate, gentle, moisturizing soap, made with natural ingredients and without packaging. This soap perfectly moisturizes sensitive skin like mine. It is with total confidence in the ingredients that compose it that I will buy this soap again and again.

SOJA&CO products will soon try to conquer the hearts and souls of Europeans .

If you want to know more, don't hesitate to see the article “ in the heart of the company ”, to visit their website or to take a look on their social networks.

By Jade Fontaine

Reviewed by MF Editorial

Jade Fontaine, Vicky Lavigne, Rosalie Nadeau and Karine Samson

Who are we and what is our project?

We are a team of four graduating students with a bachelor's degree in business administration (BAA), marketing profile at UQTR. To conclude our school career, we take part in an end-of-study internship called Export Trade Mission .

What is a trade mission? This is a process that we are undertaking in order to export products to a new country. We study the markets, the competition, the opportunities as well as the threats. Throughout our internship, we will come into contact with stakeholders likely to support the export process.

Our approach begins with analytical work, in collaboration with local businesses. The approach will continue with a trip to Paris and Brussels to meet the contacts and thus validate our research. The internship will end with a presentation of our results to the partner companies as well as to our professors.

Throughout our journey, we will share with you some publications that will allow you to follow our evolution, but also to know the companies for which we carry out the commercial mission.