St Eval Celebrates 30 Years of Candle Making in Cornwall

Cornish candle maker St Eval is celebrating a double milestone this autumn – marking 30 years in business and the recognition of its founder, Sarah Young-Jamieson, in The Times and LDC’s Top 50 Ones to Watch list.

The prestigious listing celebrates the UK’s most ambitious business leaders, highlighting those who are driving positive change, creating jobs, and championing sustainability. With nearly 700 nominations this year, St Eval is proud that Sarah’s leadership has been recognised among Britain’s brightest entrepreneurs.

A Cornish Success Story

Nestled on a farm on the North Cornish coast, St Eval is a family business that has been crafting beautifully scented candles and home fragrances for 30 years. Inspired by nature and guided by purpose, each product is made using traditional methods, natural ingredients, and renewable energy.

Founded in the early 1990s by Sarah and her late husband Tim, St Eval began as a way to diversify their family farm and bring jobs to their rural community.

Sarah said:

“We started on our family farm with very little, just a small grant, a Bavarian candle-drawing machine, and a belief that we could build something good. At the time, few people were burning fragranced candles, mostly unscented church and dinner candles. We started there, then led the way with earthy fragrances rooted in the land.”

From those humble beginnings in a windswept barn, the business has grown into a £7.5 million, values-led enterprise employing over 70 people and exporting internationally. Its original scent, Tranquillity, remains one of its bestsellers, joined by Sacred Forest — a new fragrance created to mark the company’s 30th anniversary and now part of the 2025 Christmas Collection.

Sarah explained:

“Our fragrances reflect the land around us. Sacred Forest, our anniversary edition scent, is my favourite at the moment – it’s rich with notes of earth, moss, and pine, like walking through a winter forest.”

Second-Generation Leadership

In 2017, Sarah’s son Harry left a career in film to join the family business, bringing fresh energy and a commitment to purpose-driven growth. Since then, St Eval has tripled in size while keeping its values at the centre of every decision.

Harry said:

“This business has always been about more than candles. It’s about creating something lasting, something rooted in purpose. Our B Corp journey helped us sharpen that focus and put people and planet at the heart of every decision.”

A Business with Purpose

As a proud B Corp, St Eval is committed to balancing people, planet, and profit — infusing sustainability into every stage of its process. From carefully crafted candles to low-waste packaging, the brand reflects a deep-rooted belief in crafting with care and living in harmony with nature.

Certified as a B Corp in 2022, St Eval has since released its latest impact report celebrating three decades of growth, innovation, and environmental care.

Highlights from 30 Years of St Eval:

• Growth from a two-person cottage business to a 70-strong team while maintaining a purpose-led culture

• Creation of Tranquillity and launch of Sacred Forest as part of the 2025 Christmas Collection

• Installation of a wind turbine in 2011 and solar PV soon after

• Winning the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development (2021)

• Achieving B Corp certification in 2022 with a target score of 106 for its next recertification

• Supporting the Helman Tor Beaver Project, helping return wild-born beavers to Cornwall after 400 years

• Donating over £58,000 in a single year to more than 100 charities and pledging 1% of turnover to good causes

• Partnering with schools and career programmes to offer factory tours and work experience

• Hosting B Corps at the Beach, uniting purpose-led businesses across the South West

• Expanding internationally while staying deeply connected to its Cornish roots

Celebrating Nature and Place

St Eval’s new packaging rebrand reflects its connection to the Cornish landscape, with designs inspired by the wild places that shape each fragrance. Rather than discarding old packaging, the business chose a slower, more sustainable approach — selling through existing stock before donating what remained.

Harry said:

“We don’t just talk about sustainability, we build it into every layer of our work. That means investing in green energy, designing waste-free packaging, supporting local schools and charities, and empowering our team to grow with us.”

Sarah added:

“I’ve always believed we are part of nature, not separate from it. From the scents we use to the land we care for, that connection guides everything.”

Looking Ahead

As St Eval celebrates its 30th year, the company plans to:

• Expand regenerative farming work on its North Cornwall site

• Launch a new charity partnership and deepen its 1% giving commitment

• Continue exploring new markets while keeping its Cornish identity at the heart of operations

With second-generation leadership in place and a new Financial Director joining this year, St Eval is poised for steady, purpose-driven growth.

Harry concluded:

“We’ve grown slowly, steadily, and always with purpose. We’ve never wanted to chase growth for growth’s sake. That’s the kind of business we want to be. A brand that brings the wild in, supports its community, and leaves the planet better than we found it.”

From its beginnings in a Cornish barn to national recognition in The Times and LDC’s Top 50 Ones to Watch, St Eval continues to prove that business built on purpose, place, and planet can thrive — all while staying true to its roots on the North Cornish coast.