Bees Up Top aims to increase New Zealand’s bee population by supplying healthy, happy hives to urban areas and educating future generations on the importance of keeping these little workers around.
What is your company background, how did you start the business?
Bees Up Top came to be when I realised that bees were being exterminated as pests. One third of the food we eat is pollinated by bees. They are already under a lot of stress from pesticides, disease and planting of mono-cultures, so I felt compelled to do something to stop our pollinators from being exterminated.
Bees Up Top rescues bees for FREE! We are in touch with exterminators all over Auckland who call us instead of poisoning the bees, if a swarm lands in your back yard or makes a home in the wall of your house, we will rescue it for free too.
We re-home the bees on the rooftops of Auckland city because cities are a safe haven for bees due to less competition for food and no crops being sprayed with pesticides. It is the perfect way to raise awareness about the extinction of bees and the bees get the best views in town! Did you know that a bee will fly 5km to find food? Auckland city is full of food for bees because of all the parks, gardens and residents’ balconies and backyards that are in bloom all year round.
What is the current product range and variants and how do these products stand out in the market?
The honey that I sell comes from pockets all over Auckland. Each has a distinctive flavour, smell and texture depending on where the bees forage nectar from. For example, the Coatesville honey is woody and almost caramel-like because the bees forage in the surrounding farmlands and native bush. Whereas the Parnell honey has a lighter, more floral note with hints of blossom because the bees forage in the Parnell Rose Gardens.
The Lavender nectar is collected from the hives at Lavender Hill Farm. When you open these hives, waves of the Lavender scent drift out of the hive and take over the smell of the smoker - it’s delicious! There are no processes between it coming out of the hive and going into the jar. That means all of the goodness is left in the honey instead of being pasteurised (like supermarket honey) especially the pollen that is so good for health.
What are the plans for the business moving forward, is there any expansion on the horizon?
We are always putting bees on new rooftops and backyards. Our latest rescue home resides on top of the air bridge at Commercial Bay.
Where are your products currently available to buy, and are you looking at or wanting to expand your availability?
All of our honey range is available to buy now online. Next month we are brining out Creamed Honey and Kids honey.
For more information visit beesuptop.co.nz and follow on Facebook and Instagram.
