The Trimming’s Candles Story

My Name is Costa Lapaseotes, and my candle company started with an argument. Growing up in Western Nebraska Beef is just what we know. I was working in the butcher shop in Oak Park, Illinois, and was in an argument with my business partner Ben about the price of beef. The butcher shop where we worked offered cuts of whole animals, Old School, but every time a forequarter came in they immediately threw out huge amounts of fat. Ben told me to quit complaining and figure out a solution. So I did that I started Researching and hit on something that reminded me of the Oregon Trail stories I used to hear growing up in my Hometown. Beef Tallow Candles.

Several states later, I found myself back in my hometown and decided to make the research a reality. From the Beefbasket of America, I created Trimming’s Candles as a way to keep this valuable by-product out of landfills while offering a classy candle experience.

It turns out, Tallow burns really clean, and for a really long time. Family members loved the lack of smoke; early customers said they didn’t give their husbands headaches like conventional candles. If I didn’t tell you, you’d never know what they were made of- but I am proud of it. The beef industry built our hometown; we’re just trying to make it smell better.