Makuzo Founder Trades Cocktails for Candles, Building a Fast-Growing Texas Fragrance Brand
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — November 12, 2026 — Makuzo, a family-run home fragrance company, combines hospitality expertise, cultural storytelling and distinctive scents.
Founded in 2020 by Jason Gatsby Domingo, Makuzo began when the former restaurant and bar industry professional traded corporate hospitality for fragrance creation. His expertise balancing ingredients and creating guest experiences translated into layered candle fragrances.
“The transition from hospitality to fragrance was more natural than most people would expect,” said Domingo. “Both are about creating an atmosphere and making someone feel something. I wanted to make fragrances that stayed with people long after they left the room.”
What started as one man’s creative pursuit has become a family affair. Jason leads Makuzo alongside Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Christine Domingo Cool, who brings 23 years of United Nations experience, including senior communications and strategic partnerships work in the Middle East.
Makuzo has sold more than 30,000 candles and reached over 8,000 customers. Its Etsy storefront holds a 4.9-out-of-5-star rating across more than 2,115 reviews and has earned Star Seller status.
After testing products and gathering feedback on Etsy, Makuzo launched its own online store and invested in a dedicated production facility to improve quality control and fulfillment.
“When I started, I wasn’t thinking about selling tens of thousands of candles,” Jason said. “I wanted to make something genuinely good, something I’d be proud to put in someone’s home. Seeing customers return and the business grow has been rewarding, but we’re still at the beginning of what Makuzo can become.”
Makuzo’s candles use a proprietary soy wax blend designed for strong scent throw, or how effectively fragrance fills a room. It offers premium fragrance at accessible prices.
Cultural storytelling shapes its collections, with fragrances inspired by global traditions, Asian-inspired desserts, Texas hospitality and familiar sensory memories.
“Fragrance is personal,” Jason said. “A scent can take you back to your childhood or a favorite place in an instant. We’re not just making candles that smell good. We want them to tell stories and become part of people’s lives.”
Hospitality partnerships are also fueling expansion. Makuzo works with restaurants, cafes and boutiques across Greater San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country, including Haywire and Whiskey Cake. Its private-label service enables businesses to offer custom candles under their own brands, with Makuzo handling formulation, production and packaging.
“These partnerships mean a lot because I began my career in hospitality and sales,” Jason said. “A candle lets a guest bring part of a restaurant’s experience home. That’s a powerful connection between a place and a memory.”
Makuzo is now preparing to expand into body care, skincare and lifestyle products.
“Our next chapter is about scaling thoughtfully without compromising craftsmanship,” said Christine Domingo Cool, Co-Founder and COO. “We’re strengthening our production capabilities, expanding hospitality and retail partnerships, and investing in our direct-to-consumer platform to support the launch of new product categories. Our ambition is to grow Makuzo into a nationally recognized Texas-born fragrance and lifestyle brand.”
“There’s something special about building a business with family,” Jason said. “Our customers have become part of the Makuzo family, and they’ve been a huge part of this journey. What started here in Texas has the potential to become something much bigger, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us.”
ABOUT MAKUZO
Founded in 2020 in New Braunfels, Texas, Makuzo creates culturally inspired candles using a proprietary soy wax blend. Led by Founder and CEO Jason Gatsby Domingo, the company serves consumers and commercial partners through online sales, wholesale and private-label production, with plans to expand into body care, skincare and lifestyle.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Cool, Makuzo Holdings LLC
New Braunfels, Texas
https://www.instagram.com/jasethecandleguy
Media Contact
Company Name: Makuzo Holdings LLC
Contact Person: Christine Cool
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website: https://Makuzohome.co
