Mar 6, 2017

NCA 2017 Conference & Expo will draw candle industry leaders to St. Petersburg in May

“Lighting up Connections in the Sunshine State”, the National Candle Association’s (NCA) Annual Conference & Expo, takes place this year from May 9-11 at the Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The annual conference, which gathers hundreds of NCA members and non-members from throughout the US and overseas, sets out to broaden the knowledge of participants on all aspects of the candle industry. Attendees have the opportunity to meet with suppliers and gain valuable information, all while networking with industry peers.

This year’s event will consist of informative events focused on promoting candle safety, communicating product advancements, and most of all, identifying consumer trends. These presentations will include exploring trends in fragrance, color, marketing, and purchasing preferences among consumers in varied age groups.

“Younger consumers value time and unique experiences over money and possessions,” said Kathy LaVanier, NCA president. “If you’re not on that trend, then your company risks aging out. Is your organization informed, inspired, nimble, and just plain fast enough? Making sure starts here.”

Trends-focused presentations will include “In the Air” by Amy Marks-McGee, founder of Trendincite, a creative service consultancy specializing in fragrance marketing and flavor marketing. “This presentation will concentrate on candle and air care trends,” says Marks-McGee. “It will open attendees’ eyes to a wide variety of activity in the marketplace, and also look at sources of inspiration for new directions, emerging ingredients, and package design.” 

In addition to including traditional components such as the Hall of Fame Award and Golf Tournament, NCA is excited to unveil the “Networking Lounge”, a new sponsored feature this year which offers a location to recharge, catch up with colleagues, or simply take a break in between touring the Expo and attending presentations.