The Buzz for Bulembu Honey is a Sweet Deal!
Bulembu’s bees better get busy because a sweet new deal is going to carry the honey they make all throughout Swaziland. It’s an exciting new partnership with Bulembu Honey and Logico, a Swaziland-based logistics and distribution company. Bulembu Honey is one component of the community enterprise strategy with the goal of providing sustainability to the community by 2020.
Bulembu Honey launched in 2007 with just 150 beehives. By 2008 the number of hives grew to around 800 and are now producing between 10 and 12 tons of honey per year. The scutellata bees, also known as Killer Bees, produce three harvests each year: June, September and November.
While honey production has actually decreased over the last year, the new partnership with Logico aims to market and distribute the product to a variety of sections of the marketplace. Bulembu Honey is already being shipped via Logico to Royal Swazi, the largest hotel in Swaziland and will soon be available in Shoprite stores. Depending on demand, Bulembu Honey will provide approximately eight tons of honey annually for Logico to distribute.
Based in Matsapha, 160 employees at Logico work to maintain 2500 pallet bays at their main distribution center, stock consolidation facilities in Boksburg, Gauteng and Durban, as well as a stock collection facility in Durban. More than 300 Logico wheels are on the road every day transporting products to their customers throughout the Kingdom.
Bulembu Honey currently has four staff members including the Beekeeper, two beekeeper helpers and one processor. In addition to expanding distribution of the honey, expanding hive sites into other locations such as the Swazi capital, Mbabane and the Piggs Peak area is a future goal.
Bulembu Honey transported nationwide… What could be sweeter?
By Theresia Whitfield
sedensfamily
When we were in Bulembu in 2011, we brought home 48 bottles of Bulembu honey. Though we shared many of them with family and friends, we are still enjoying this treat weekly. Thanks for the sweet update on Bulembu honey marketing and distribution.
Brenda Shaneyfelt
Great post, T……tis a “sweet deal” for Bulembu….Thankful….thanks for the post……
Stephanie
What a “sweet” report. Sweet things to write about, and you have written very well. The play on the “B’s” and the “bees” is almost a delightful tongue twister.
I didn’t know this was happening in Bulembu, but I’m very happy to learn of yet one more thing that is becoming successful and working toward the goal of being self sustaining. The planners and workers have a mighty master plan, and I must throw in here that the “Master Planner” certainly has His hand in all the wonderful success stories. I’m so thankful for that – and so proud for the people of Swaziland.
Stephanie
I forgot to mention how much I enjoyed getting the pictures of the hives, the honey combs, and the framed pictures of the bees were interesting. Of course seeing the finished product, the bottle of Bulembu Honey, made me want to add it to my grocery list. Thanks again for a very informative report.
Mbongeni
This is a great move by bulembu and logico for the local producers, processors, retailers and the honey industry in Swaziland. I hope everything goes according to plan.
Thumbs up!!!
mary abelow
Thanks for keeping us up to date with what’s going on in Bulembu, Theresia! It’s encouraging to see the partnerships that have formed here, as I’m sure this will be a crucial element in Bulembu achieving their goal of sustainability. Like Stephanie, I too am excited to see how the “Master Planner ” has His hand in all of this, and I look forward to further updates.
Ncamiso Sibusiso Mamba
I am a beekeeper in nhlangano i want to nigotiate with your company for the market of honey.i have 36 longthoth hive and 45 cach boxes.so i want to have the market.