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SUSTAINABILITY MAKING A BEELINE FOR BEST PRACTICE HONEY FLOW Hive + Wellness Australia, promoted as the country’s largest packer and marketer of honey, says it is doing its bit to help ensure an economically viable and environmentally sustainable apiculture (beekeeping) industry. Its best-known brand, Capilano, which has been around for some seven decades, is said to be sourced from 100 per cent pure Australian honey from more than 800 beekeeping families across the country. Other heritage brands owned by Hive + Wellness Australia include Barnes Naturals and Wescobee Honey. According to Hive + Wellness Australia CEO Ryan d’Almeida, lack of water and extreme heat as a result of the bushfires had a significant impact on bees and their honey production, leaving the nation’s beekeepers in a critical situation. “The worst drought and bushfires on record resulted in Australia’s worst honey crop on record, with honey supply down 50 per cent,” he said. “Shortages of some products were inevitable. Consumer demand was present, but supply was thin. Fortunately, there’ve been some signs of recovery, with native bush beginning to grow back and bees regaining strength.” To help the industry with its challenges, the company works with beekeepers to improve bee husbandry and welfare, while working with the industry to improve the training, education and development of the next generation of beekeepers. effective biosecurity and to support beekeeper education. He says the company helped establish and support the Hive Aid campaign, which directed funds to struggling beekeepers in the wake of the bushfire crisis. “The campaign has raised more than $300,000 since it was launched, and has supported all professional beekeepers, whether or not they’re Capilano suppliers,” he said. Part of the company’s marketing includes social media sharing of stories and photos of Australian beekeepers. “Keeping consumers connected and engaged with Aussie beekeepers through stories and snippets about how Hive + Wellness Australia obtains honey from beekeepers is a key priority for the brand,” Mr d’Almeida said. Photos of the Hive + Wellness team visiting beekeepers or meeting at industry events give consumers an insight into the company’s deep investment in the local industry, he adds. “We find that when we share information about keeping the Australian honey industry sustainable and about the hardworking beekeepers and employees responsible for our delicious honey, the audience is very engaged because they really care about what’s going on behind the scenes and whether a brand ”Keeping consumers connected and engaged with Aussie beekeepers through stories and snippets about how Hive + Wellness Australia obtains honey from beekeepers is a key priority for the brand.” “This is all a part of our commitment to secure a safe, viable and best- practice Australian honey industry, and to ensure a sustainable future for Australian honey bees and the 800- plus Aussie beekeeping families we support,” Mr d’Almeida told Retail World. “We also invest significantly in a range of initiatives to promote bee health, supports sustainable practices. “It also gets people thinking about the effort that goes into creating natural produce like honey, which is increasingly valued in the face of evermore aversion to additives and non-sustainable ingredients like palm oil, which are included in some alternative breakfast spreads. “Our loyal customers often let us know the extent to which they appreciate our pure honey sourced from hardworking local beekeepers in an eco-friendly environment, the investment we make in the local apiculture industry, as well as our stringent quality controls.” The company sells a range of brands through major supermarkets such as Woolworths, Coles, IGA and independent retailers. 48 RETAIL WORLD NOV, 2020