Tyler Brooks
The Vancouver Candle Company issued an apology after its founder, Nick Rabuchin, was accused of sending racist text messages to Christina McDaniel, the founder of a Vancouver-based sales agency. Screenshots of the messages were shared online, leading to widespread backlash and calls for a boycott of the company's products. Rabuchin acknowledged that he defended the use of a racial slur and admitted to sending a text message containing anti-Semitic language. He apologized for his actions and stepped away from his duties at the company. The incident sparked further allegations of harassment and bullying by former employees and business partners, with police launching an investigation into the claims.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founder's name | Nick Rabuchin |
| Founder's actions | Defended the use of the N-word in a text message to a Black woman |
| Founder's actions | Sent a text message with anti-Semitic language |
| Company's actions | Issued an apology |
| Company's actions | Founder stepped away from his duties |
| Company's actions | Sent a cease-and-desist letter to the recipient of the racist messages |
| Company's actions | Tried to get the recipient to take down her social media posts |
| Company's actions | Denied knowledge of hateful texts wishing the recipient's store would burn down |
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What You'll Learn
- Vancouver Candle Co. founder apologises for racist text messages
- The company tried to get posts removed before issuing an apology
- Customers react with anger, sadness, and shock
- The company turns off comments on its Black Lives Matter post
- Police investigate harassment allegations against Vancouver Candle Co
Vancouver Candle Co. founder apologises for racist text messages
The founder of Vancouver Candle Co., Nick Rabuchin, has issued an apology for racist text messages sent to Christina McDaniel, the founder of Warner McDaniel, a Vancouver-based sales agency. In the messages, Rabuchin defended the use of the N-word and also sent a text containing anti-Semitic language.
In his apology, posted on the company's Instagram account, Rabuchin acknowledged that he did not use the N-word himself but admitted to defending its use. He also admitted to sending a text message with anti-Semitic language three years prior. "I apologize sincerely and absolutely. I was totally out of line and wrong," he wrote. Rabuchin also stated that he has reached out to McDaniel privately to apologize.
The incident sparked outrage among customers and companies that Vancouver Candle Co. has worked with. Many former customers stated that they would no longer purchase the company's products, while some called for a boycott of the company on social media. Several companies that Vancouver Candle Co. has collaborated with also responded with anger and shock.
In addition to the racist text messages, Vancouver Candle Co. has also been accused of harassing and bullying behaviour. Police have confirmed that there is an "active and open investigation" involving the company. Two other women who used to work with Rabuchin have come forward, stating that they received rude, threatening, and abusive messages from the same number that sent the racist texts to McDaniel.
As a result of the backlash, Rabuchin has stepped away from his duties at Vancouver Candle Co. The company has also issued a public apology, acknowledging that two of the messages were sent by Rabuchin.
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The company tried to get posts removed before issuing an apology
The Vancouver Candle Company faced backlash after its founder, Nicholas Rabuchin, was accused of sending racist text messages to Christina McDaniel, the founder of Warner McDaniel, a lifestyle sales agency. In the messages, Rabuchin defended the use of the N-word and also sent a text containing anti-Semitic language.
Before issuing a public apology, the company tried to get McDaniel to take down her posts exposing the racist messages. Vancouver Candle Co.'s lawyer, Helena Plecko, sent a cease-and-desist letter to McDaniel, alleging that her post provided "misleading facts" and breached Rabuchin's privacy rights by publishing his name and phone number. The letter also accused McDaniel of "using the current political climate to further your own agenda of harming my client’s reputation."
However, after failing to get the posts removed, the company issued a public apology on June 7, 2020. In his apology letter, posted on the company's Instagram account, Rabuchin admitted to defending the use of the N-word and using anti-Semitic language in a text message three years prior. He apologized for his unacceptable and hurtful words, stating that they were "contrary to the values of our company." Rabuchin also announced that he would be “stepping away" from his duties at the company.
The incident sparked outrage among customers and companies that Vancouver Candle Co. had worked with, leading to calls for a boycott of their products. Many former customers stated that they would never purchase the company's candles again, while some requested refunds for their recent purchases. Additionally, several women came forward with similar experiences of harassing and threatening messages after finishing business contracts with the company, leading to a police investigation into the allegations.
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Customers react with anger, sadness, and shock
Customers and other businesses reacted with anger, sadness, and shock after Vancouver Candle Co. founder Nicholas Rabuchin was accused of sending racist text messages to Christina McDaniel, the founder of Warner McDaniel, a lifestyle sales agency. Screenshots of the messages were shared by McDaniel on Instagram, which showed Rabuchin defending the use of the N-word and another text containing anti-Semitic language.
One customer, Kristina from Swank Social, expressed her anger and shock in a post, stating that she was particularly saddened as her husband is Jamaican and her children are half-Jamaican. She also expressed her disbelief that the company, which she had associated herself with, held such hateful views. Other customers stated that they would never purchase the company's candles again, with some asking for refunds and others saying they would throw their products away.
In addition to customers, several companies that Vancouver Candle Co. had worked with also responded with outrage. Forrest Glen Candle Co., an Ontario-based candle company, described the apology from Vancouver Candle Co. as a poor excuse, highlighting the company's attempt to defend itself rather than taking full responsibility for its actions.
The public backlash and calls for a boycott of Vancouver Candle Co. products on social media led to the founder, Nicholas Rabuchin, issuing an apology and stepping away from his duties. In his apology, Rabuchin acknowledged the hurtful and unacceptable nature of his words, stating that they were contrary to the values of the company. He also reached out to McDaniel privately to apologize.
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The company turns off comments on its Black Lives Matter post
The Vancouver Candle Company faced backlash after its founder, Nick Rabuchin, was accused of sending racist text messages to Christina McDaniel, the founder of a lifestyle sales agency. In response, the company turned off the comments on its Black Lives Matter post and issued an apology.
McDaniel shared screenshots of text messages allegedly sent by Rabuchin, including one defending the use of the N-word and another containing anti-Semitic language. In his apology, Rabuchin acknowledged his wrongdoing and admitted to sending the text with anti-Semitic language. He also reached out to McDaniel privately to apologize.
Before issuing the public apology, the Vancouver Candle Company tried to get McDaniel to take down her post through a cease-and-desist letter, accusing her of breaching Rabuchin's privacy rights and using the political climate to harm the company's reputation. However, the company later acknowledged its founder's actions and apologized.
The incident sparked outrage among customers and companies that had worked with Vancouver Candle Co., with many calling for a boycott of the company's products. Several individuals shared their disappointment and anger, expressing their support for McDaniel and condemning the company's initial attempt to silence her.
The Vancouver Candle Company's decision to turn off the comments on its Black Lives Matter post may have been an attempt to control the narrative and mitigate the backlash they were facing. However, it also sparked criticism, as some people viewed it as a way to avoid accountability and ignore the concerns of their customers and the wider community.
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Police investigate harassment allegations against Vancouver Candle Co
The Vancouver Candle Company has come under fire for sending racist text messages. Founder Nick Rabuchin has issued an apology and stepped away from his duties. In his apology, Rabuchin admitted to defending the use of the N-word in a text message to a Black woman, Christina McDaniel, who runs a Vancouver-based sales agency. McDaniel shared screenshots of the text messages on Instagram, which also included a message from an anonymous number expressing hope that McDaniel's store "burns down with you in it".
Several BC women have come forward to reveal that they received harassing messages after finishing business contracts with the company. These messages included bullying, threatening content, and malicious rumours that left the recipients feeling scared and anxious. The Vancouver Police Department has confirmed that there is an "active and open investigation" involving the company.
In addition to the racist text messages, Rabuchin has also admitted to sending a text message containing anti-Semitic language three years ago. The company has issued another apology, stating that it stands for "diversity and inclusivity" and that "racial slurs, hate and violence is not tolerated at Vancouver Candle Co".
The company is also facing a lawsuit from Whistler-based Hollow Tree Candle Co., which alleges that Vancouver Candle Co. has engaged in "aggressive marketing practices, bordering on the unethical" and has attempted to discredit Hollow Tree through negative reviews and telling retailers not to stock their products.
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Frequently asked questions
The Vancouver Candle Company allegedly sent racist text messages to Christina McDaniel, founder of Warner McDaniel, a lifestyle sales agency.
One text message from an anonymous number said they hoped McDaniel's store "burns down with you in it". The sender also used the N-word.
The company first sent a cease-and-desist letter to McDaniel, asking her to take down her post. However, they later issued a public apology, saying that they would be stepping away from their duties.
The founder of the Vancouver Candle Company, Nick Rabuchin, posted a letter on the company's Instagram account. He admitted to defending the use of the N-word in a text message to McDaniel and to sending a text message with anti-Semitic language three years ago. He apologised, saying, "I apologize sincerely and absolutely. I was totally out of line and wrong."
Many former customers stated that they would never purchase the company's candles again and asked for refunds. Companies that Vancouver Candle Co. had worked with expressed anger, sadness, and shock. There were also calls to boycott Vancouver Candle Co. products on social media.
