Innovation

“Kung di alam ng mga tao ang importansya ng mga bees, may negative effect ito sa ani ng mga magsasaka natin at sa magiging pagkain natin”- Mr. Aribal

[If people are unaware of the importance of bees, it will have a negative effect on our farmers’ harvest and our food supply as well.] - Mr. Aribal

Bukidnon Bee Farm (BBF) is a proud producer of unadulterated, raw, and unfiltered honey in the market. They believe that adulterated or heavily processed honey commonly found in commercial markets is an aberration. Thus, they made it a mission to infuse honesty into their products by never altering the harvested honey. Given that their farmland is limited in the bee area, they resourcefully solved this limitation by negotiating with nearby crop-producing farmers to place their beehives on these external farms and come back on the next harvesting season. Such arrangement is a win-win situation for both parties, as BBF can multiply their bee colonies without spending on additional farmland. At the same time, farmers get to have a bountiful harvest through the bee’s effective pollination. With the sustained presence of natural pollinators such as bees (as taken care of by BBF), the flora development within the municipality/province can be preserved and improved.

Moreover, BBF has been conducting training and seminars about bee farming through the help of the local government and agencies. Their training allows BBF to share their knowledge in bee farming and influence other interested individuals to go into the bee business. Their long-term view is flourishing the bee colonies and saving the bees from extinction.

Inspiration

“Maliban sa sariling pamilya ko ngayon, si nanay Helen ko ang inspirasyon ko sa patuloy kong pagbenta ng puro at dekalidad na honey para sa mga mamimili namin”- Mr. Aribal

[Apart from my own family, my mother Helen is my inspiration to continue offering pure and quality honey for our customers.] - Mr. Aribal

“Ayaw namin mandaya at haluan ng kung anu-ano ang aming honey. Di bali nang sapat lang ang aming kita, ang mahalaga ay tapat kami sa aming mga customers na laging tumatangkilik ng producto namin”

[We do not want to cheat and infuse additives into our honey. It is okay that our income is just enough for us; the important thing is that we are honest with our customers who have been very loyal users of our product.]

Mr. Aribal’s late mother, Mrs. Helen, was the inspiration and literal icon for BBF’s bottled honey brand. To his note, Mrs. Helen’s logo in their bottles serves as a reminder to anyone who purchases their product that it is produced with honesty, integrity, and pure love - values that Mrs. Helen exhibits.

Overall impact

“Noong nakipag-partner kami sa ibang farmers, nasabi sa amin na naging ok ang kanilang ani at malago and kanilang tanim. Kami naman sa BBF ay nadagdagan ang harvest namin na honey. Pareho kami nakinabang ng masaya”- Mr. Aribal

[When we partnered with other farmers, they told us that their harvest improved and their crops flourished. At BBF, our harvested honey also improved. We all benefited happily] - Mr. Aribal

BBF maintained at least 100 quality healthy hives within their vicinity with proper preservation and care for the bees. BBF is not after multiplying the number of colonies by themselves. They prioritize caring for and tending to the bees' overall health. The bees' life and pollinating functions come as the priority; harvest for honey only comes second.

Since BBF's training services started in 2019, they were able to train and impart the bees' critical role to the ecosystem to around 20 aspiring individuals over the Philippines. Moreover, BBF's existing and potential customers are always assured of unadulterated honey sold under their iconic brand, Helen's Bukidnon Pure Honey.

Business benefit

“Laging ubos yung harvest naming honey. Masaya naman kami kasi gusto ito ng mga tao” - Mr. Aribal

[Our honey is always sold out. We are happy that people patronize our products] - Mr. Aribal

Helen’s Bukidnon Pure Honey is known for its honest and pure form among their municipality in Bukidnon, with 100% sold bottles every harvest period. To establish and share their fresh honey outside their province, they recently marketed their honey on e-commerce sites. However, their raw honey products always sell fast within their municipality; thus, customers must place online orders in advance for the next harvest. Accommodating orders from e-commerce sites is their way to promote and expand their business and allow other people (outside their province) to experience their unadulterated honey at its freshest and full nutritional value.

Social and environmental benefit

“Hindi lang kami kumukuha ng honey, pero yung honeybees muna yung inuuna at inaalagaan namin” - Mr. Aribal

[We do not just harvest honey, we take care and protect the honeybees first] - Mr. Aribal

Mr. Aribal currently has 100 colonies, and each hive is taken care of against mites and other pests. With the bee colony in place, nearby farms that grow food crops (e.g., squash, lettuce, etc.) experience a bountiful harvest through bee pollination activities. Also, the fruit-bearing trees flourish as the bees visit their flowers.

With the proliferation of plants, bees mutually benefit from it as they get more sources of food, which will eventually let them produce a higher volume of honey.

To end, the unadulterated honey of BBF allows its customers to experience the honey’s natural and nutritional benefits, such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Interview

Benjy Aribal, Proprietor