Dipam
Dipam C.V. is a Dutch artisanal bees wax candle manufacturer, founded in 1983 as a self-owned social enterprise. It sells 100% pure bees wax and rapeseed wax candles, plus DIY supplies, directly to consumers and small retailers in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersDriebergen, Netherlands
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dipam does
Dipam C.V. is a Dutch artisanal manufacturer of bees wax candles, founded in 1983 by Jos Willemse in Driebergen as a social project to help people re-enter the workforce. The company produces a focused portfolio of candles — including dinner candles, pillar candles, hand-dipped candles, tea lights, and seasonal items (Christmas, Easter, Halloween) — at a small factory in Veenendaal, using a circular production process that converts abandoned bee honeycombs into candles with no residual waste, eco-cotton wicks without borax, and recycled cardboard packaging. A rapeseed wax line provides a more affordable, European-sourced alternative, and a DIY line supplies pellets, wicks, honeycomb sheets, and dipping kits to hobbyist customers.
The company operates a direct-to-consumer and B2B e-commerce model through two dedicated storefronts: bijenwaskaars.nl for individual buyers and shop.dipam.nl for approved wholesale and retail accounts, supplemented by pre-packaged retail display units. Pricing is per-unit, with prices quoted excluding 21% Dutch VAT and free domestic shipping above €200. Dipam is a self-owned social enterprise that cannot be bought or sold; its profits are routed through the Sleipnir foundation alongside other like-minded companies, creating a social venture capital structure that operates without bank or shareholder intervention.
Dipam serves primarily Dutch, Belgian, and German customers — both end consumers seeking sustainable, natural candles for home and ceremonial use and small retailers purchasing wholesale displays. With approximately six employees and no external funding, the business remains intentionally small-scale, emphasizing craftsmanship, circular sustainability, and social mission over growth at scale.
Dipam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dipam
- Legal name
- Dipam C.V.
- Website
- https://dipam.nl
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Dipam C.V. is a Dutch artisanal bees wax candle manufacturer, founded in 1983 as a self-owned social enterprise. It sells 100% pure bees wax and rapeseed wax candles, plus DIY supplies, directly to consumers and small retailers in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dipam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Candles and Home Fragrance Products
- akta.pro primary industry
- Scented Candles & Wax Melts (Home Fragrance) (CRAJAEAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Home Fragrance (Candles, Diffusers, Room Sprays) (CRABADAE)
Keywords
Where Dipam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Driebergen
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dipam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Bees Wax Candles Retail: Direct sales of bees wax candles to consumers through e-commerce platform bijenwaskaars.nl
- E-commerce B2C and B2B Sales: Sales through shop.dipam.nl with separate business accounts for wholesale/retail customers, offering product categories including dinner candles, pillar candles, dipped candles, tea lights, seasonal items, and DIY products
- DIY Candle Making Supplies: Sale of bees wax pellets, wicks, honeycomb sheets, and dipping kits for customers who make their own candles
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Consumer candles and products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels2 records
Dipam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dipam is a Dutch artisan manufacturer that produces 100% pure bees wax candles using traditional hand-dipping techniques applied to honeycombs abandoned by bees. Its portfolio spans dinner candles, pillar candles, dipped candles, tea lights, and seasonal shapes, alongside a rapeseed wax line, DIY candle-making supplies (bees wax pellets, wicks, honeycomb sheets), and retail display units, sold through separate consumer and business e-commerce platforms.
Product overview
Dipam is a traditional Dutch bees wax candle manufacturer offering a focused portfolio of natural candle products. The core offering consists of bees wax candles in various forms (dinner candles, pillar candles, dipped candles, and tea lights) produced in their small artisanal factory in Driebergen. The company also expanded to offer rapeseed wax candles as a more affordable alternative. A DIY candle-making line provides materials (bees wax pellets, wicks, honeycomb sheets) for consumers to make their own candles. Supporting products include seasonal shaped candles (Christmas trees, Easter eggs, pumpkins, pine cones), retail displays for shop owners, and accessories like candle holders and glass holders. The products are sold through their own e-commerce platform (bijenwaskaars.nl) and the main company website (dipam.nl).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dinerkaarsen (Dinner Candles) Bees wax dinner candles for tables and special occasions, available in various sizes and styles, sold to consumers and retailers.
- Stompkaarsen (Pillar Candles) Bees wax pillar candles in different sizes, structures, and shapes for home decoration and ceremonies.
- Dompelkaarsen (Dipped Candles) Hand-dipped bees wax candles available in various dimensions, produced using traditional craftsmanship.
- Theelichtjes (Tea Lights) Bees wax tea lights available in various sizes for small glasses and cups.
- Seizoensartikelen (Seasonal Articles) Seasonal bees wax candles including Christmas candles, Easter eggs, pumpkins, and other holiday-themed candles.
- Doe het Zelf (DIY Candle Making Kits) DIY kits and supplies for making bees wax candles at home, including bees wax pellets, wicks, and honeycomb sheets.
- Koolzaadwaskaarsen (Rapeseed Wax Candles) 100% rapeseed wax candles as a more affordable alternative to bees wax, made from European rapeseed flowers.
- Bijenwaskorrels (Bees Wax Pellets) Bees wax in granular form for DIY candle making, available in 500g bags or 5kg boxes.
- Lont (Wicks) Cotton wicks for making bees wax candles, available in various thicknesses and lengths (3x5 meter packs or per kilo).
- Raatvellen (Honeycomb Sheets) Honeycomb-pattern bees wax sheets for rolling candles, approximately 20x34cm with about 12 sheets per kilo.
- Kandelaar voor kerstboomkaarsjes (Candle Holders) Metal candle holders for Christmas tree candles, available in modern hanging or classic clip styles.
- Theelichtglaasjes (Tea Light Glass Holders) Glass holders for tea lights, sold in packs of 16.
- Displays (Retail Displays) Retail display units for presenting dipped bees wax candles in shops, available in 25cm and 30cm sizes, sold to retail partners.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% pure bees wax - white dusting on candles indicates highest quality
Companies that use Dipam
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dipam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Dipam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Sleipnir FoundationcoreDipam is connected to the Sleipnir foundation, a social venture capital structure. Dipam's profits are combined with those of other like-minded companies through the foundation, enabling mutual support for innovation, sustainable product development, and the flourishing of people and nature without intervention from banks or shareholders.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dipam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Jo Malone London: Luxury fragrance house (Estée Lauder) with a prominent home candle line. Comparable to Dipam in premium home fragrance positioning, though operating at much larger scale and with broader brand portfolio.
- Yankee Candle: Largest mass-market candle brand (Newell Brands) dominating the paraffin candle category that Dipam explicitly competes against. Useful as a sizing reference for category scale and as the foil for Dipam's natural/sustainability positioning.
- Diptyque Paris: Luxury home fragrance house with a flagship candle line sold across Europe and globally. Comparable to Dipam as a premium candle brand, though significantly larger and broader in portfolio, serving as an aspirational ceiling on category economics.
Direct peers
- Voluspa: Premium candle brand offering coconut wax blends and natural candles with strong design-led positioning. Comparable to Dipam as a premium-priced, design-forward candle brand competing for the same eco-conscious home fragrance buyer.
- NEST Fragrances: Premium candle and home fragrance brand with strong sustainability credentials and luxury positioning. Comparable to Dipam in the premium natural candle category targeting design-conscious consumers.
- Boy Smells: Artisan candle brand positioned around design, natural wax blends, and a distinctive brand narrative. Comparable to Dipam as a small, design-led candle brand operating in the premium natural candle segment with strong DTC distribution.
- The Beeswax Co: UK-based bees wax candle specialist offering rolled, pillar, and tea light candles. Closely comparable to Dipam in core product format, bees wax purity claims, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce distribution.
- Big Dipper Wax Works: US-based maker of 100% bees wax candles using traditional methods, with a comparable natural/sustainability positioning. Most directly comparable to Dipam on product (bees wax candles), material sourcing story, and small-batch artisan brand identity.
- Brooklyn Candle Studio: Small-batch, vegan and natural candle brand with sustainability positioning. Comparable to Dipam in scale, direct-to-consumer e-commerce model, and natural/sustainable product ethos.
Regional players
- La Corvette: French traditional bees wax candle manufacturer with a long heritage and pure bees wax positioning. Directly comparable to Dipam on product (pure bees wax candles), craft heritage, and small-batch European production.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Dipam social profiles
Digital presenceDipam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dipam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Dipam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dipam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dipam
What does Dipam do?
Dipam is a Dutch artisan manufacturer that produces 100% pure bees wax candles using traditional hand-dipping techniques applied to honeycombs abandoned by bees. Its portfolio spans dinner candles, pillar candles, dipped candles, tea lights, and seasonal shapes, alongside a rapeseed wax line, DIY candle-making supplies (bees wax pellets, wicks, honeycomb sheets), and retail display units, sold through separate consumer and business e-commerce platforms.
Is Dipam a public or private company?
Dipam is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Dipam founded?
Dipam was founded in 1983. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Dipam based?
Dipam is headquartered in Driebergen, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does Dipam make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Bees Wax Candles Retail is the primary driver. The others are E-commerce B2C and B2B Sales and DIY Candle Making Supplies.
Who are Dipam's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Jo Malone London, Yankee Candle and Diptyque Paris. Direct peers are Voluspa, NEST Fragrances, Boy Smells, The Beeswax Co, Big Dipper Wax Works and Brooklyn Candle Studio. La Corvette is listed as a regional player.
Does Dipam have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dipam.
What industry is Dipam in?
Dipam's product category is Candles and Home Fragrance Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAJAEAD, Scented Candles & Wax Melts (Home Fragrance), with a secondary code of CRABADAE, Home Fragrance (Candles, Diffusers, Room Sprays).