When Jeff Cuppett was growing up in Preston County, he had no idea his experiences with 4-H and Future Farmers of America would be instrumental to his future entrepreneurial venture.  It was by learning about farming, crops and processing techniques that he learned that soy beans can produce an oil that can be refined into wax, creating a clean-burning candle that lasts longer, burns more evenly, and melts at a very low temperature.

 

Now Cuppett and his wife, Shawna, are the owners of Mountain Oak Candle Company, a local business that creates soy candles in a wide array of colors and scents that are backed by scientific testing.

 

“We put each candle through extensive testing to ensure that the soybean wax, wicks, premium scent oils and dyes are all compatible,” said Cuppett.  “Most soy candles are white, but we chose to challenge ourselves by mixing dyes in the candles so our customers can choose colors that represent their favorite seasons and décor.”

 

Housed in Bridgeport, the Mountain Oak Candle Company boasts dozens of scents and colors and can customize for specific events.  They also add extras such as sprinkles in the sugar cookie candles and sugar crystals to the snowflake candles to increase their appeal.  The unique label on the candle was designed by Mark Stutzman, who designed the famous Elvis Presley stamp.

 

The company has been featured at the Bridgeport Farmer’s Market, area festivals, and will soon be a specialty booth at the Stonewall Jackson Jubilee on Labor Day Weekend at Jackson’s Mill.  They also create unique candles for fundraising opportunities and are among the artisans involved with the Tamarack Foundation.

 

“It was very rewarding coming up with a one-of-a-kind recipe to produce environmentally friendly, fragranced, colored soy container candles with exceptional performance,” said Cuppett. “We are very proud to have such a premier product to offer at the Bridgeport Farmer’s Market and we are so grateful to be a part of such a supportive community.”

 

Supporting American farmers and local small businesses is one of the biggest perks for the Cuppetts. They enjoy getting to know the fellow vendors at the farmer’s market and learning the personal stories that led to the products offered each week.  

 

“We get to meet new people every week and take in the family atmosphere at the market,” said Cuppett, who will deliver to local customers.  The Mountain Oak Candle Company’s Facebook and Instagram pages showcase both the process and the selection of products.