Blessings from the bees

Wild Beehive (Stock photo)
Wild Beehive (Stock photo)

HONEY, the sweet and viscous offering from honeybees, has been known for its health benefits. It has been used as an alternative to sugar for people with diabetes, for example, as a wound-healer or burn-soother, or a cough remedy, or just another enriching food option.

Five years ago, people hyped up honey's health benefits on social media especially when mixed with almost anything believed to be good for the body like the apple cider vinegar. The fad enticed Rosemarie Lucas to find bottles of honey she can use and eventually sell.

However, what was available in supermarkets, bazaars, and concept stores were too expensive for her. She also had reservations with the honeys sold in public market because it might be mixed with water or just loads of sugar syrup.

Until, she found a potential supplier who promised her of pure wild honey. She started with three bottles and sold it to friends. Realizing that she can make profit out of it, it became her sideline business on top of her snack store. For five years now, she has been selling wild honey online and Sansan's Pure Honey has reached customers in other parts of Mindanao, Visayas, and Metro Manila through her resellers.

The honey business, Lucas explained, is a game of trust.

"Kalaban nimo sa ila is paano nimo iconvince sa ilaha nga tinuod imong honey, dili fake. Walay mix nga water (The challenging part is how to convince people that your honey is pure or it is not mixed with water)," she said.

It was easier to convince her local clients because she can invite them to her place and allowed them to test the consistency of the honey and the difference in its taste.

For those interested clients from other places, she always do her best to explain online why her wild honey is pure especially with people in Metro Manila who were accustomed to the taste and look of honey coming from bee farms.

And she can only be successful if her supplier gives her unadulterated honey, a lesson she learned the hard way.

"Duha akong suppliers before. Didto sa akong second, gisagulan nilag tubig. Late na kaayo ko naka [discover] (I have two suppliers before but in my second supplier, they delivered honey with water. I found it out too late)," Lucas said.

She said it was not obvious and it behaved like pure honey in her tests. She reached a point where she defended that particular batch of honey because she is certain she did not mix it with water.

She only figured it out when she compared it with the honey from her other supplier.

"After ato, wala na ko niulit sa ilaha. Karon sila napud nag sige og [contact] sa akoa kay siguro nanghinayang sila kay dinaghan man pud ko mo-order (I did not order from them since then. They kept on contacting me maybe because I order in bulk and they regret what they did)," she said, adding she orders as much as 30 gallons. "Pero siguro na tempt sila kay dinaghan ang akong kuha, dili nila masupply sa akoa tanan (Maybe they were just tempted because they cannot provide the volume I asked them)."

"Ang pinakasakit lang kay niabot na sa imong customer ang product. Unya ikaw wala ka nag sagol, naa diay sa supplier nimo. Daghan na kaayo kag explanation. Ang [consequence], dili na sila mamalit sa imo (The sad part is when the adulterated product already reached the customers and they no longer order from you)," she added.

She remained with her current supplier which can provide even beyond her usual demand.

"Diri sa Davao area, pabor pa kaayo sa atoa kay daghan pa tag forests sa Davao Region so daghan tag wild honey nga supply (Wild honey in Davao Region is still abundant since we still have vast forests)," she said.

"Naa pud sa Marilog, Bukidnon, ug Mati. Basta naay mga trees, naa puy honey na (As long as there are trees, there is honey)," she added.

She explained that wild honey is harvested in beehives formed in trees and after it is harvested, bees form it again on that same tree.

Compared to cultured honeys, she said wild honeys need no maintenance costs, thus, can be priced cheaper and fair. Pure honey also has longer shelf life.

Lucas planned to supply honey to local restaurants who use it in their menus and if she retires her main business, she wants to continue selling the sweet treat.

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