How a Coffee Queue Inspired a Candle - The Story Behind Cuban Coffee

Some of the best ideas don't come from a boardroom. They come from a queue.

Ten years ago, you would have found me at the monthly Farm Markets and Fridays at Crown Street Wollongong. Those days played a huge part in shaping The Candle Kitchen into what it is today.

What the Markets Taught Me

Markets are wonderful teachers. The direct feedback - both positive and negative - helped me refine my products, my business, and my confidence. I met so many of you during those years, and I'm lucky to say that many of those customer relationships have turned into genuine friendships that continue to this day.

The Queue That Started It All

But back to coffee.

There was always a never-ending queue forming for a morning brew. People happily standing in line, chatting away, all waiting for that precious first sip. The energy was warm, unhurried, and full of anticipation.

And then... BANG! Cuban Coffee was born.

Rich, sweet, a little naughty, and impossible to ignore, just like the real thing.

Where I Create Today

These days, I share space at Timbermill Studios in Bulli, and I'm fortunate enough to have a fabulous café just a few steps away. Jenny and her team serve up the precious drop from a quirky little shipping-container café, surrounded by cacti lovingly looked after by Cal at Cactus Talk.

So as I sit here with coffee in hand, taking another sip, I'm reminded of those market mornings, the friendships formed along the way, and how a simple cup of coffee inspired one of our most-loved fragrances.

The Candle Behind the Story

Our Cuban Coffee Soy Candle is hand-poured in small batches on the NSW South Coast using premium soy wax. It's warm, indulgent, and deeply comforting,  the kind of scent that makes any room feel like a cosy café on a slow morning.

If you love the ritual of a morning coffee, this one's for you.

Browse our full soy candle collection or explore more of our candle stories and care guides.

I hope you enjoy Cuban Coffee as much as I enjoy the ritual that inspired it.

Enjoy,
Petra ☕️

P.S. Let me know if you remember me at the markets — I'd love to hear from you! (Photo: Crown St Mall, 2017)