Candle brand owned by members of the AAPI community creates a popular lychee-scented candle favored by editors.
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In 2019, Erica Luo and Mark Fuqua, the founders of Emme NYC, relocated from San Francisco to New York. Unfortunately, shortly after, the pandemic struck. Feeling nostalgic for the scents of their Asian-American upbringing, the couple searched for candles, but were disappointed by the offerings at regular stores.
Luo explains, “We initially burned whatever candles we could find in department stores. However, these candles were always a blend of scents like flowers, vanilla, or lavender, which didn’t authentically capture the smells we desired from our childhood.”
This led to the creation of Emme NYC. This AAPI-owned brand produces candles, diffusers, and hand washes in scents inspired by the Asian community, its cuisine, and traditions.
“Our first scent was honey and jasmine, inspired by a popular boba drink at the time. This is how we began infusing our products with an Asian influence,” the founder of the candle brand explains.
Emme NYC offers a wide range of scents, from dessert-inspired mochi, red bean, bingsu, and almond biscuit candles, to nature-inspired options like hinoki, bamboo, sakura, and chrysanthemum, among others.