A Vancouver-based sales agency shared screenshots of racist messages over the weekend that its owners say they received from Vancouver Candle Co. employees, prompting the candle-maker to issue an apology.
In the screenshots shared by Warner McDaniel Agency, which describes itself as a boutique sales agency for lifestyle and beauty products, one Vancouver Candle Co. employee uses anti-Semitic language and another appears to support using the N-word.
@warnermcdanielagency/Instagram
“Racism is real and this is our story,” Warner McDaniel wrote in the caption. “Our business is woman-owned, and owned by a woman of colour. A proud black woman, born and raised in British Columbia. What we are sharing has left us speechless, heartbroken and silent.”
The agency also shared a third message from an unnamed number calling one of Warner McDaniel’s employees the N-word.
On Sunday, Vancouver Candle Co. addressed the allegations in its own Instagram post. It confirmed the messages labelled “Vancouver Candle Co.” and “Nicholas” were sent by their employees in 2017. It said it did not know who sent the message referring to the Warner McDaniel employee as the N-word.
“We are not proud of this type of vulgar language. In context and out of context, this is not appropriate and we are deeply apologetic,” Vancouver Candle Co. wrote. “We apologize to Warner McDaniel and to all those that we have hurt. For that, we are truly sorry.”
The candle company added it severed business ties with Warner McDaniel in 2018 and said the two businesses are involved in “ongoing litigation.”
Both Instagram posts have well over 1,000 comments, many of them from people saying they will no longer buy Vancouver Candle Co.’s products. Daily Hive has reached out to Warner McDaniel for an interview but has not yet heard back.
