Mar 21, 2012

Yankee Candle CEO Harlan Kent to Appear on CBS’s “Undercover Boss,” Friday, March 30th

Harlan Kent, CEO of Yankee Candle, America’s premium candle company, will journey through the inner workings of his company on the hit reality series “Undercover Boss,” Friday, March 30 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

From the first day in 2001 when he walked into Yankee Candle, Kent saw how much Yankee Candle employees cared for their company and their product. Now, nearly 11 years later as the company’s CEO, he wanted to ensure that driving dedication was still intact. By working with employees while in disguise, Kent saw firsthand the passion the employees had for Yankee Candle and how that passion was translated to the customer.

“It was amazing to experience what it’s like to be part of the everyday team that creates the beloved products and scentsational customer experiences we are so well known for,” said Yankee Candle Chief Executive Officer Harlan Kent. “I learned that we have incredibly passionate employees that care deeply about what they do—they are the very heart of who we are and why folks love Yankee Candle.”

During his time undercover Kent worked in a variety of positions, including at the company’s flagship store in South Deerfield, Massachusetts and other locations across the country. Working side by side with retail employees and experiencing their daily responsibilities allowed Kent to observe the company from a different perspective and connect with employees from the position of a peer. It showcased the passion Kent had hoped to find and highlighted opportunities for the organization.

“I’ve always had such respect and appreciation for our employees and it’s been important to me they feel they are treated well by our organization—that we are looking out for them,” said Kent. “Of course, there’s always room for improvement. While we strive to make even better products and give more value to shoppers, it can only happen thanks to our passionate talent and our focus on developing our employees.

“Spending time with staff that cares as much as I do about this brand and our products has inspired me to make positive changes for our employees and our business. I thank them for helping me see the opportunities.”

Each week, the two-time Emmy Award-nominated series “Undercover Boss,” now in its third season, follows a different executive as they leave the comfort of their corner office for an undercover mission to examine the inner workings of their companies. While working beside their employees, they see the effects that their decisions have on others, where the problems lie within their organizations and get an up-close look at both the good and the bad while discovering the unsung heroes who help make their companies run.

Follow us on Facebook.com/TheYankeeCandleCompany or on Twitter @TheYankeeCandle #YC_Undercover.

About The Yankee Candle Company
The Yankee Candle Company, Inc. is the leading designer, manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of premium scented candles, based on sales, in the giftware industry. Yankee Candle has a 42-year history of offering distinctive products and marketing them as affordable luxuries and consumable gifts. The Company sells its products through a North American wholesale customer network of approximately 28,800 store locations; a growing base of Company owned and operated retail stores (552 Yankee Candle Stores located in 46 states and 1 province in Canada as of December 31, 2011), direct mail catalogs, and its Internet website (http://www.yankeecandle.com/). Outside of North America, the Company sells its products primarily through its subsidiary, Yankee Candle Company (Europe), Ltd., which has an international wholesale customer network of approximately 5,700 store locations and distributors covering a combined 49 countries.

Media Contact:
Karyn Martin
451Marketing
kmartin@451marketing.com 617-462-0108