Bees Blessing the bees knees of natural cordials
Being inspired to get crafty in the kitchen, due to an extra plentiful honey harvest, triggered the start of successful family business Bees Blessing.
Based on a farm in Upper Hutt’s Mangaroa Valley, Bees Blessing produce honey-sweetened all natural cordials, from local and organic ingredients, the only of its kind made in New Zealand. It’s a family business, run by Jo Donnelly and Ian Stewart with the helpful watch of their 6-year-old daughter Emare.
Five years ago Bees Blessing began selling honey at local farmers’ markets, gathered from hives on their 22-hectare “Kau Whero Farm” in the Mangaroa Valley. “An extra plentiful honey harvest that year inspired Ian to get crafty in the kitchen. He devised honey-themed marinades, dressings and cordials which went to market too,” says Jo. Bees Blessing produced something they could stand behind, grounded by their own farm lifestyle and a strong belief in additive and preservative-free food.
“The stand-out favourite was the Lemon Honey and Ginger Cordial, followed swiftly by an extra gingery Knock Your Socks Off Lemon, Honey and Ginger Cordial, developed at the request of some ginger-mad customers!” Says Jo. Many more flavours of honey-based cordials soon followed and were customer-tested at the market. The most popular cordials now form their permanent range.
“You never get everything right the first time around,” says Jo. “Trial and error, taking on feedback from all sources; and most importantly tenacity are key to success. My own journey has taught me that you have to be open to the opportunities that come your way and be prepared to say “yes” even when you might not feel ready or the opportunity presenting might seem a little daunting!”.The hard work has paid off for Jo and Ian with their cordials now sought after by boutique retailers and taste enthusiasts around New Zealand and overseas.
“Production has increased dramatically and more time is dedicated to sourcing the right ingredients locally – like organic fruit from Hawkes Bay and pure New Zealand honey,” says Jo.
Every cordial recipe is a Bees Blessing original, sometimes based on a traditional favourite (like Lemon, Honey and Ginger) and sometimes delightfully unexpected (like Mulled Lemon and Honey or Strawberry cordial).
Bees Blessing cordials are a premium product. Potential customers can’t often taste-test their quality so Ian and Jo decided in 2011to invest in making their bottles tasty from the outside. With the encouragement of local culinary hero Al Brown, Jo engaged the help of a talented local designer, Kirsten Browne, to re-brand. The result of the exercise perches happily on the fence between meadow and delicatessen.
Bees Blessing have no plans to slow down either, “We launched a new look for our brand in late 2011 and have since joined forces with sales and marketing agency Pure Wairarapa to promote the brand and extend sales within New Zealand,” says Jo. “We also have an eye to the export market and Bees Blessing is currently exploring some potential opportunities in the United States.”
“Grow Wellington has been an important source of information for us regarding key activities and events related to the food and beverage sector”, says Jo.” They’ve provided us with various platforms to showcase our products, including the Wellington Food and Beverage Database, which have resulted in greater exposure and opportunities for the business”.
With all the success Bees Blessing have had, Ian and Jo admit it hasn’t always been easy. “Don’t underestimate the hard work needed to make your dream a reality, but if you stick with it the rewards are so much more meaningful because you are fulfilling your own vision,” says Jo.
Visit Bees Blessing website.