Scottish island candle company comes full circle with soap firm takeover in 20th anniversary year

A Scottish candle company that began when an 18-year-old taught himself how to make candles in a converted Skye bothy has acquired the soap business which gave its founder his first job on the island.

Isle of Skye Candle Company, which these days employs more than 100 people and operates several shops, said it had completed the acquisition of Isle of Skye Soap Company as it marks 20 years in business.

The deal brings together two Skye-founded brands and represents a full-circle moment for James Robertson, who had the idea for the candle business while working for Isle of Skye Soap Company as a teenager.

James Robertson had the idea for his candle business - Isle of Skye Candle Company - while working for Isle of Skye Soap Company as a teenager.

At the time, the soap company was buying candles from England. Robertson asked owner Fiona Meiklejohn whether she would buy Scottish-made candles if he could make them using the same scents. He bought a book about candle making, a boiler and some wax, and began experimenting in a converted bothy on his uncle’s croft outside Portree.

Two decades on and the candle business sells candles and reed diffusers handmade in the Highlands through its website and shops in Skye, Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Inverness. The business is now run by Robertson and his elder brother Raghnall.

The two brands will continue to operate separately following the deal, with Isle of Skye Soap Company continuing to produce natural soaps which have helped it grow a loyal customer base. Meiklejohn will step down from the business but there will be no job losses.

Robertson said: “None of this would have happened without Fiona. She gave me my first job on Skye and it was while working for her that I had the idea for the business in the first place.

“I remember asking why they were buying candles from England. I said if I could make Scottish candles using the same scents, would they buy them?

“There was no YouTube then, so I bought a book about making candles, a boiler and some wax, and started from a converted bothy on my uncle’s croft just outside Portree. It was a steep learning curve and I made plenty of mistakes, but it felt worth persevering with. I’m glad I did.”

He added: “We would never have gone head-to-head with them, but with Fiona retiring it felt like the perfect opportunity to expand. It is surreal, but we are incredibly proud to have the chance to build on what she has achieved.

“In the next 12 months, we will be focused on expanding distribution, and we are excited by the opportunities available.”

Meiklejohn said: “I am delighted that James and Raghnall are the ones to be taking over the soap company. I’m looking forward to enjoying my retirement and spending more time with my family, and I know the business is in good hands.”

In 2022, the candle company took over the former Aros Centre in Portree and transformed it into the Isle of Skye Candle Co Visitor Centre. The site now includes a shop, production space, restaurant, cinema and theatre, and a wellness studio.