The Yankee Candle Company, Inc. Announces Cash Dividend Payment

The Yankee Candle Company, Inc. ("Yankee" or the
"Company") (NYSE:YCC), the leading designer, manufacturer, wholesaler
and retailer of premium scented candles, today announced the
declaration of its semi-annual cash dividend payment for fiscal 2006.
The semi-annual payment of $0.125 per share will be paid on June 1,
2006 to shareholders of record as of May 11, 2006.

   The Yankee Candle Company, Inc. is the leading designer,
manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of premium scented candles in
the giftware industry. Yankee has a 36 year history of offering
distinctive products and marketing them as affordable luxuries and
consumable gifts. The Company sells its products through a North
American wholesale customer network of approximately 17,000 store
locations, a growing base of Company owned and operated retail stores
(381 located in 42 states as of April 1, 2006), direct mail catalogs,
its Internet website (www.yankeecandle.com), international
distributors and to a European wholesale customer network of
approximately 2,300 store locations (through its distribution center
located in Bristol, England).