The “Bright” History of Diana Candles

Back in 1969, Connie and Geert Olesen wished for a bright future, and thanks to the couple’s enthusiasm and bold personalities, their wish became reality. Diana Candles was born and is today one of Scandinavia’s largest candle manufacturers.

Geert Olesen was originally trained as a baker, and Connie Olesen worked as a shop assistant. However, it wasn’t bread that Geert drove around selling—it was gift items and napkins. Later, he also started selling candles, and before long, customer demand for candles grew so much that the Olesen family started their own small-scale candle production. The very first Diana Candles were produced in the basement of their home in Sparkaer, Denmark, where Geert and Connie lived.

But their home in Sparkaer was not only filled with candles—it was also filled with a group of lively little boys. So, in 1970, Geert was thrilled to hear that the old dairy in Hald was for sale. The old dairy became the couple’s first real candle factory.

Soon, more employees were hired, and while Geert mainly took care of purchasing and sales, Connie handled accounting and finances. Diana Candles was here to stay, spreading light and coziness across the country.

The company grew rapidly, despite being devastated by fire no less than three times throughout the 1970s and 1980s—the most recent fire occurring in 1988.

Today, the company’s headquarters are still located at the same address in Hald, although the facility has been expanded several times and now covers more than 15,000 square meters. Where the old dairy once stood, there is now an inspiring showroom.

In addition to the factory in Hald, there is also a factory in Hoejslev, Denmark. In 2004, the Olesen family opened a factory in Ventspils, Latvia. The factories in Denmark operate under the company Diana Lys A/S, while the Latvian factory operates under Diana Sveces SIA. The companies are not affiliated within the same group but have the same ownership structure.

Diana Candles is now run and owned by the couple’s four sons, all of whom have inherited their parents’ enthusiasm.

Their son Lars now lives in Latvia and, together with his Latvian wife, manages Diana Sveces SIA. Their son Jesper oversees production in Hoejslev alongside his wife. Their sons Thomas and Joergen manage the factory in Hald, where Joergen’s wife serves as the coordinator for the company’s many tasks.