pacific trade international, inc. - wordpress.com · · 2011-11-22consumer-inspired,...
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Dear friends,
When we began Chesapeake Bay Candle, I knew my passion for fashion and people—and providing design solutions to the needs and desires they may have not yet realized—would defi ne my future work and new company. Realizing the products I wished for in my own home could not be found in stores, helped defi ne the fresh and contemporary feel of our developing brand.
Now, after years of experience in the home fragrance industry, I have learned that one of the most rewarding things about our candle creations is not the stylish designs and unique, nature-inspired fragrances Chesapeake Bay Candle is known for, but the connections our products provide in the lives of consumers. Involved in celebrations and events worth remembering, our candles and home décor help enhance the occasions that create the most joyous memories—the memories that defi ne our lives.
Naturally, we felt inspired by this heartwarming aspect and adapted our company’s mission statement accordingly: Enhancing life’s every occasion and creating beautiful memories with a passionate global team.
As our customers continue to experience our products during the most exciting moments of life, we are continually inspired and renewed by their happiness and take great pride-- that through our candles-- we have contributed to such times of joy. And, we live by our core values to ensure those opportunities continue.
Mei XuCreator & President
personality. Unique alliances
with the best fragrance vendors
in the U.S. and Europe allow us
to bring sophisticated, multi-
note scents to the market at
affordable pricing.
Creating Objects of DesireWith a keen understanding that
design has the power to turn products
into objects of desire, our packaging is fresh
and natural in look and feel, reflecting our brand
heritage. Global trend research including domestic
and international trade show and store visits, as
well as analyzing the latest trends in fashion, the
arts, and pop culture add a modern twist.
Our combined efforts in consumer and market
research and trend forecasting result in a consumer-
inspired, trend-forward, highly saleable product
portfolio designed to capture the hearts and minds
of today’s savvy consumer.
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THE POWER OF FRAGRANCE AND DESIGN
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Mood Board Fragrance Board
Corporate Trends
High Fashion Inspiration
Final Product
Our combined efforts in consumer and market
research and trend forecasting result in a
consumer-inspired, trend-forward, highly saleable
product portfolio designed to capture the hearts
and minds of today’s savvy consumer.
Early on, Pacific Trade International found its niche
in the marketplace as a consumer-inspired company
focused on fragrance and driven by design. The
ability to provide fully integrated services in consumer
research, comparative market research, and product
design and development has played a critical role in
our success.
Known as a design and fragrance leader within the
industry, today we are trusted by brand partners for
our expertise in consumer trends, identified through
a unique global research process. Anchoring each of
our collections is a macro trend, which responds to
consumer attitudes and reflects trends in fragrance,
color, design, and texture relevant to our industry.
Fragrance First Our product design and development method focuses
foremost on a deep understanding of the magnificent
power of scent; a strategic process we call our
Fragrance First philosophy. With each collection
initiated by aromatics, every Chesapeake Bay Candle
line offers a well-balanced fragrance assortment
–providing a captivating scent for every taste and
The Power of Fragrance &Design
Jar CandlesEasy to use, and a perfect option for decorating with
fragrance, jar candles are always a hit. Unlike pillar
candles which need to hold their shape, jar candles
can rely on the support of a vessel, meaning the wax
formulas used in jar candles can be enriched with a
higher fragrance load. Available in a variety of stylish
vessels, from clear and tinted glass to matte and
glossed ceramic, jar candles are a fundamental part
of any Chesapeake Bay Candle collection.
Boxed High Fragrance CandlesInspired by luxury candles available exclusively at
high-end boutiques, Chesapeake Bay Candle’s
boxed high fragrance candles are an affordable
indulgence. Designed to offer a rejuvenating escape
at home, every boxed high fragrance candle makes
an awe-inspiring gift that is sure to be well-received
and cherished by friends and family.
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Gift SetsCreated as a gifting solution for every occasion
and event, gift sets are a part of most Chesapeake
Bay Candle collections. Offered in several unique
fragrance and style options, a gift set allows its
recipient to sample anywhere from two to five
Chesapeake Bay Candle fragrances. Packaged in
captivating gift boxes, our gift sets often include
items such as candles, holders, accessories or home
fragrance items depending on the specific category
and price point.
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Alternative Home FragranceAs home fragrance is becoming an essential part of
interior lifestyle, Chesapeake Bay Candle collections
also include flame-free home fragrance alternatives
for environments that may not be compatible with
candles. Including reed diffusers, room sprays,
scented oils, potpourri sets, scented stones, and
more, our alternative home fragrance menu is full of
safe alternatives to candles that are just as inviting.
Ceramic Jar Candle
Reed Diffuser Set
Votive Gift Set
Product Portfolio
Known as the home fragrance brand synonymous
with stylish design and unique, nature-inspired
fragrances, Chesapeake Bay Candle collections offer
the following product categories:
Pillar CandlesWhen it comes to decorating and entertaining, our
pillar candles are an excellent choice for any occasion
– whether you are looking to create a chic centerpiece
for an elegant dinner party or exquisite ambiance
for an outdoor gathering with friends. Available in
a broad spectrum of colors, shapes, sizes, finishes
and fragrances, the possibilities of Chesapeake Bay
Candle pillar combinations are endless.
Assorted Pillar Candles
Boxed High Fragrance Candle
Alternative Home FragranceAs home fragrance is becoming an essential part of
interior lifestyle, Chesapeake Bay Candle collections
also include flame-free home fragrance alternatives
for environments that may not be compatible with
candles. Including reed diffusers, room sprays,
PRODUCT PORTFOLIO
With the capability to produce an extensive range of
home fragrance products for various customers and
price points, we also offer a special custom design
and development program. In fact, Pacific Trade
International has a track-record of conceptualizing,
designing, developing and producing best-selling,
custom-made home fragrances for some of the most
recognized national retailers.
Partner DedicationOur promise is to make our customers’ needs top
priority at all times. We begin every new partnership by
achieving an intimate understanding of our customer’s
business and business goals. Next, dedicated account
managers work with our in-house marketing, product
design and development, sourcing, and logistics
departments to provide a tailored solution for every
customer’s objectives.
Whether you are looking for a fashion-forward lifestyle
collection or a basic wax candle and home fragrance line,
Pacific Trade International has the expertise, resources,
and partnerships to provide solutions that will inspire
your customers and accelerate business growth.
Fragrance MenuWe offer a well-balanced assortment of sophisticated
multi-note scents and best-selling customer favorites
representing all fragrance families and providing a
captivating scent for every taste and personality.
WaxesOur meticulously edited assortment of paraffin, soy
and vegetable blend formulas are all created and
tested for optimal function.
WicksWe only use 100% cotton, lead-free wicks.
Candle FinishesA wide variety of custom-designed finishes including
layered, mottled, satin and iced, amongst others,
help our products shine.
Candle Vessels We offer glass and ceramic vessels in a variety of
different styles, from organic and modern shapes to
classic and casual styles.
Candle AccessoriesOur value-adding attachments such as ribbons,
crystals and beads in a well-edited assortment of
styles match our vessels and finishes.
Labeling Capabilities Ranging from paper and film substrates with four
color printing to special effects such as metallic
printing and hot foil stamping, our labels can keep
up with great designs.
Packaging CapabilitiesWe offer acetate, paper, recycled paper and shrink-
wrap as packaging options for our products.
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Custom Design & Development Program
CUSTOM DESIGN
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GLOBAL STRATEGY
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Lab technician working on a
candle formula
Global Strategy
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With operational headquarters based in Rockville,
Maryland and Asian headquarters in Hangzhou,
China, Pacific Trade International has a total of
six global locations and employs more than two
thousand people worldwide.
North American HeadquartersOverseeing all business strategy including product
design and development, sales and operations, and
marketing, our Rockville headquarters works hand in
hand with our Asian management in Hangzhou, China.
Asian HeadquartersOur Asian headquarters is a driving force behind
product innovation, research and development,
and also specializes in the production of
home fragrance alternatives and home
décor goods. Collaborating closely with
the PTI Sourcing Center in Shanghai, it
houses our regional Sales Office and
a Design Studio, as well.
Design meeting with Chesapeake Bay Candle creator Mei Xu
Quality control meeting Chesapeake Bay Candle CEO David Wang
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Global Enterpriseour locations and organizational structure
ASIAN CANDLE COMPANY (Haiphong, Vietnam)
Manufacturing, Research & Development.Manufacturing of Filled Vessels for European Countries, Gift Sets.
Manufacturing, Research & Development, Distribution Center, Warehousing.Manufacturing of Filled Vessels, Home Fragrance Alternatives.
Product Design & Development, Research & Development, Marketing, Sales, Sourcing, Operations
PACIFIC TRADE INTERNATIONALHEADQUARTERS (Rockville, MD, USA)
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AROMA CONSUMER PRODUCTS (Hangzhou, China)
PTI DESIGN & SOURCING CENTER (Shanghai, China)
Sourcing and Design
Manufacturing, Research & Development.Manufacturing of Pillar Candles, Tea Lights, Votives
AROMA BAY CANDLE (Haiphong, Vietnam)
Design, Research & Development,Sourcing, Manufacturing.
Manufacturing of Gift Sets,Home Fragrance Alternatives, Home Decor.
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CHESAPEAKE BAY CANDLE CO. (Glen Burnie, MD, USA)
Global Production
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To fulfi ll our promise of delivering premium products
and services to retailers and consumers in the U.S.
and around the globe, we have established vertically
integrated operations and a unique network of global
vendor partners. Today, we own four factories, each of
which is ISO 9001 certifi ed and equipped with state-of-
the-art machinery, allowing every location to specialize
in the production of different product categories.
Our U.S. FactoryBased in Glen Burnie, Maryland, our fi rst domestic
manufacturing facility opened in June 2011, and
produces an extensive range of fi lled vessel goods
through standardized, automated production
processes. Equipped with a state-of-the art research
and development center, as well as burn testing and
fragrance evaluation labs, the Glen Burnie location
also houses an impressive warehouse and operates
a distribution center within its 117,200 square feet
of space.
Our Factories in China and VietnamOur fi rst factory was established in 1995 in Hangzhou,
China and continues to manufacture home fragrance
alternatives such as reed diffusers, room sprays and oil
warmers as well as gift sets and home décor items, today.
Meanwhile, our most artisanal candle products – pillar
candles in an impressive range of sizes and fi nishes,
votives, tea lights, and gift sets – are produced by our
two manufacturing facilities in Haiphong, Vietnam. A
broad range of the artisanal wax products manufactured
at Aroma Bay Candle and Asian Candle Company are
hand-made by skilled candle artisans.
“Our goal is to provide our clients with
what they want, when they want it.
Today’s consumers are smart shoppers
that demand instant gratifi cation.
They will not wait if a product is out
of stock. Candles are about passion,
and passion cannot wait.”
Co-Owner and President of Pacifi c Trade International, Mei Xu, discusses the increase in our speed to market and service capabilities through the establishment of our domestic factory.
GLOBAL PRODUCTION
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Candle artisan in our factory in Vietnam
Candle production at our U.S. factory
Quality control team at our U.S. factory
Social responsibility is one of Pacifi c Trade International’s
core values and an integral component of the company’s
philosophy, spirit and culture.
It was in the late 1980s-- long before Pacifi c Trade
International was established-- that Mei Xu took on an
internship-turned-job as a Project Coordinator at the
World Bank, working to implement water systems for
those less fortunate. Traveling to countries such as
Bangladesh, Mongolia, Sweden and Britain, she not
only discovered a love for travel and other cultures, but
a strong passion for social work, as well.
Today, we believe it is our obligation as a successful
company to give back to our community and
support charitable organizations. We have a history
of supporting groups with which we have a special
connection, including The Committee of 200,
Vital Voices Global Partnership, Meridian International
Center, National Gallery of Art, Children’s National
Medical Center, American Red Cross, American Cancer
Society and Muscular Dystrophy Association.
For 2010 and 2011, Chesapeake Bay Candle partnered
with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest
breast cancer research movement. Through this
initiative, Chesapeake Bay Candle proudly introduced a
special collection of candles inspired by the thousands
of women that have heroically battled breast cancer,
as well as the loved ones that have held their hands
throughout the fi ght. As we inspire, imagine, and hope
for the cure, one dollar from every candle sold goes to
Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
Social Responsibility
Today, social responsibility is one of
Pacifi c Trade International’s core values
and an integral component of the
company’s philosophy,
spirit and culture.
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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
15The Chesapeake Bay Candle – Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Collection
in association with
Our Story
Established by husband-and-wife team Mei Xu and
David Wang, Pacific Trade International is a fully
integrated global marketer of candles, home fragrance,
and home décor products and the company behind
one of the most popular candle brands in the country
and around the world: Chesapeake Bay Candle.
In early 1994, Mei and David both resigned from their
jobs to follow their entrepreneurial spirits and establish
Pacific Trade International. To get started, friends and
family in China assisted them in importing a variety of
products for the home. After a successful exhibition at
the Charlotte Gift Fair in North Carolina, one product
stood out from everything else: candles.
With a long list of new customers and more than ninety
thousand dollars worth of orders in hand, their products
became available in about one hundred doors by the
end of 1994.
Finding Design Inspiration in FrankfurtA few months later at Europe’s largest gift fair -- the
Ambiente show in Frankfurt -- Mei noticed interior
lifestyle goods in refreshing contemporary styles
and modern pop colors like mango, lime green, and
lavender dancing before her eyes. Remembering the
dull home departments she had explored in Manhattan
stores, Mei realized she had truly discovered a void in
the American market.
Discussing her findings back in the United States,
she was introduced to Peter French, owner of French
Color and Fragrance Company, who invited Mei, David,
and their first partner, Richard Zhu, to come learn the
basics of candle making at his offices in New Jersey.
Bubbling with anticipation, the small team returned to
Annapolis, Maryland and used Campbell’s soup cans
as molds in the basement of their home to create their
first candles.
A Brand is BornLeaving out the additive needed to create a seamless
satin finish, Mei, David and Richard coincidentally
created a mottled texture that would later become a
Chesapeake Bay Candle signature look.
With a striking, contemporary collection and an
established network of retailers, only one thing was
missing: a name for their soon-to-be successful brand.
Mesmerized and inspired by the beauty of the
Chesapeake Bay shoreline near their home, they
decided to pay tribute and named the collection
Chesapeake Bay Candle.
Forging Partnerships By the spring of 1995, Mei was scheduling
appointments with retailers such as Bed Bath &
Beyond, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom to show
off her first line of hand-made candles. Blessed with
success, it seemed no matter where the candles were
presented, buyers demanded them for their stores.
Over the course of the years, Chesapeake Bay Candle
went on to establish partnerships with America’s most
renowned retailers including Target, Kohl’s, Bed Bath &
Beyond and Hallmark.
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OUR STORY
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Our Journey The history of Chesapeake Bay Candle
1994 - A Brand Is BornHusband-and-wife team Mei Xu and David Wang establish Pacific Trade International and create signature home fragrance brand, Chesapeake Bay Candle, using Campbell soup cans as candle molds. The success story begins.
1995 - Global EnterpriseAfter working with external candle vendors for more than a year, Mei convinces her sister to open a manufacturing facility in Hangzhou, China -- the foundation for the company’s system of vertically integrated operations.
1996 - National PresenceDepartment stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom, specialty stores like Bed, Bath & Beyond, and numerous independent retail stores now carry Chesapeake Bay Candle.
1997 - BullseyeChesapeake Bay Candle becomes available at Target. It is the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership resulting in significant business growth for both brand and retail partner.
2000 - Fast & FuriousExperiencing astonishing average annual growth, Inc. magazine recognizes Pacific Trade International in the years 2000 and 2001 as one of America’s fastest growing privately owned companies.
2001 - State Of The ArtResponding to tremendous growth, Pacific Trade International relocates the factory in Hangzhou, China to a new state-of-the-art facility also housing a design studio, sourcing center and showroom/sales office.
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THE HISTORY OF CHESAPEAKE BAY CANDLE
2004 - VietnamAs the result of continuous and rapid business growth, Pacific Trade International opens a second manufacturing facility, Aroma Bay Candle, based in Haiphong, Vietnam.
2007 - ShanghaiExpanding the reach of our sourcing efforts, Pacific Trade International opens a sourcing center in Shanghai. The Center cultivates close relationships with vendor partners throughout Asia and works to diversify the sourced goods product menu.
2007 - Three’s CompanyPacific Trade International opens its third manufacturing facility, Asian Candle Company, also based in Haiphong, Vietnam.
2010 - National Branding At Kohl’sKohl’s introduces an impressive sixteen-foot, floor-to-ceiling branded Chesapeake Bay Candle hutch elevating their home department and increasing departmental business growth.
2010 - A Candle For The First LadyThe White House invites Mei to create a candle exclusively for First Lady Michelle Obama. Designed as a special gift for foreign dignitaries, the Chesapeake Bay Candle White House Candle is included in a gift basket presented to the guests of the First Lady’s farm-to-table event held on September 24, 2010.
2011 - U.S. FactoryPacific Trade International opens its first U.S. production and distribution facility in Glen Burnie, Maryland -- near the Chesapeake Bay, close to our roots.
Since 1994, Pacific Trade International has built the reputation of a consumer-inspired, design and fragrance
driven company. This timeline presents the milestones throughout our company history.
2011 – U.S. Factory
2010 – A Candle For The First Lady
2010 – National Presence at Kohl’s
2000 – Fast & Furious
1997 – Bullseye
1994 – A Brand Is Born
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Our MissionEnhancing life’s every occasion and
creating beautiful memorieswith a passionate global team.
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Our Core ValuesWe are passionate.
We are determined. We are innovative.We deliver quality and service.
We invest in a talented team.We care about giving back to our community.
We celebrate success.