One of the premier towns in Quezon Province, Candelaria is also known as the “Desiccated Coconut Capital of the World”.  It is the second largest industrial center of the province, after Lucena City.It has the most desiccated coconut factories and oil refineries, such as Peter Paul Philippine Corporation, Primex, Coco Products Inc., Superstar Corporation, Pacific Royal Basic Foods, and others which provide employment to numerous people from Candelaria and even from other municipalities. The municipality of Candelaria is in the cusp of progress and development. In Quezon Province, it is one of the most progressive municipalities. Rapid development of the municipality in the 1990s has caused major changes and improvement in Candelaria. All potential inputs in terms of all possible resources—natural and human—are present in this inland town. Hazards commonly faces by majority of Philippine towns are next to non-existent in Candelaria.

Candelaria is the second-largest industrial center of the province, after Lucena City. Among the municipalities in Quezon province, Candelaria has the most desiccated coconut factories and oil refineries, such as Peter Paul, Primex, Pacific Royal, SuperStar, Licup Oil Mills, and others, which employ thousands of people.