Creator of bia candle co. Bia Antunes launched her newest scent at the Resilient Retreat Farm to Table fundraiser where every guest went home with a gourmand inspired candle. She chose the decadent, warm scent to match the culinary theme of the event, but also to pay tribute to Floridian summers by including fruity, coconut notes and in turn creating something completely unique to her online collection. “I wanted something that was more summery, fun and sexy. Kind of like suntan lotion, like a ‘you’re on a really great vacation’ kind of scent,” Antunes says. She began a relationship with Resilient Retreat last year when the center officially opened. “Their mission is to help people who have suffered any type of trauma and they actually got in touch with me because they thought candles bring light and scent, which is a form of therapy as well,” Antunes says. The Resilient Retreat’s Farm to Table event featured local chefs who created an incredible, multi-course meal using ingredients from local gardens and will serve as a way for local supporters to learn more about the nonprofit and the work it is doing to support trauma survivors in Florida. The idea of creating a candle company sparked when Antunes was living in Brazil, a country where candles were primarily used for religious traditions and scented candles were not accessible. “When I would visit the U.S. I would fill my suitcases up with candles to take back to Brazil, and people would say ‘You’re crazy, those are so heavy’. But I would put them in a suitcase and bring them home and give them to friends as gifts,” Antunes said. “That's how I decided to start making candles as a business in Brazil.” In 2022 the company launched in many Whole Foods Market locations across the East Coast, including all 30 locations in Florida.