Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t the only American institution selling her scent to the masses.
Junior’s has now entered the scented-candle market.
The world-famous New York City eatery — known for its luscious cheesecake — has partnered with Literie to make a candle based on its most well-known flavor.
The first offering to come out from the collaboration is called A Slice of Strawberry Cheesecake, which has a scent of berries and cream with notes of vanilla, strawberry and cream cheese.
While it may not be as body-focused and costly as Paltrow’s infamous vagina candle (which she sold for $75 in January 2020), Junior’s cheesecake candle sells for $45. Made of a vegan soy and coconut wax blend with a burning time of about 50 hours, the nine-ounce single wick candle has a frosted white jar that comes in a box replicating the look of the classic Junior’s striped box.
“Ever since my grandfather opened Junior’s in Brooklyn nearly three quarters of a century ago, the scent and of course the taste, of our cheesecake has lured customers from across the five boroughs, the country and world,” third-generation owner Alan Rosen said.
The self-described “candle lover” said the partnership with the New York based Literie allows cheesecake fans to be enticed by the famous scent “but without the calories.”
Former marketing and licensing exec Erica Werber launched the brand in March 2021 as a response to the bad rap she felt her hometown was getting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the line has built a fan base by capturing beloved hometown scents in candles like Pizza from a Guy Named Joe, Afternoon in Central Park, Bodega Coffee and 28th Street Flower Market.
“As a born and raised New Yorker there are few things as recognizable as a slice of Junior’s cheesecake,” Werber said. “Our first candle was created to bottle the scent of midtown’s omnipresent hot roasted nut carts, so continuing the tradition of preserving the city’s sweetest scent with Junior’s made perfect sense for us.”
A Slice of Strawberry Cheesecake candles are now available on literiecandle.com and juniorscheesecake.com as well as at their three New York City restaurants.
