Participating In The 12th National Honey Week Changed My Story

Greetings! My name is Akatukunda Ruth, a proud business partner at Virgin Honey Limited. Our journey began in 2021, symbolizing purity and the unspoiled landscapes where bees and blossoms thrive in perfect harmony. Our slogan, “the original taste of honey,” speaks to the essence of our honey – pure and unadulterated, without any additives. Over the past few years, Virgin Honey has evolved significantly in response to a growing demand for our exceptional products. 

How we got started  

In the year 2010, our retired parents embarked on a beekeeping venture in Western Uganda’s district of Rukungiri. Their high-quality honey gained popularity, and this prompted them to start supplying it to local supermarkets. As the demand for our honey continued to rise, we recognized the opportunity to invest, scale, and expand our reach to Kampala. This expansion marked the birth of Virgin Honey as a brand in 2021, allowing us to bring our exceptional honey even closer to customers across Uganda.

How it’s going

Our business is thriving, primarily through customer referrals and effective social media marketing. Next year, you can expect to find our honey in world of bees shops and beyond.

Notably, we’ve received no customer complaints about our honey, which currently comes in two variations: a thick, rich brown texture and a thinner, dark brown option.

Our vision for the future is to revolutionize honey, transforming it from its traditional liquid form into a versatile range of everyday products. We are dedicated to bringing you innovative honey-inspired delights that enhance your daily life.

Challenges

Unpredictable weather which is characterized by strong winds and heavy rainfall has been one of our biggest challenges. The extreme coldness that comes with this kind of weather leads to the death of bees and the collapse of hives from their stands, especially those placed outdoors.

The use of harsh pesticides by neighboring farmers has a harmful impact on our bee colonies. These chemicals often lead to bee fatalities, posing a threat to our beekeeping endeavors.

We also have a challenge of small hive beetle infestation which is on the rise. These intruders disrupt the hives, driving away the bees and disrupting honey production. 

Our business is thriving, primarily through customer referrals and effective social media marketing. Next year, you can expect to find our honey in world of bees shops and beyond.

Ruth.

The cost of essential beekeeping equipment, including hives, protective clothing, and tools, presents a financial barrier. This limitation has constrained our ability to scale up our beekeeping operations. Currently, we rely on manual methods, and the absence of proper equipment like enough airtight buckets and settling cans affects the moisture content of our honey, making it unsuitable for sale.

Additionally, there is the persistent issue of thieves who not only steal our honey but also harm the bees due to their improper handling, as they lack the necessary tools like smokers.

However, despite these challenges, we remain committed to our mission of producing high-quality honey and contributing to the preservation of these vital pollinators. 

Memorable or rewarding experiences had as a beekeeper

This year marked an exceptional milestone for Virgin Honey as we participated in the annual Honey Week organized by the Uganda National Apiculture Development Organization (TUNADO). This was a truly memorable and rewarding experience in our journey as beekeepers. Honey Week brought together beekeeping enthusiasts and experts from across Uganda. We were provided with a unique opportunity to connect with fellow beekeepers, taste a diverse array of honey, exchange valuable insights, and establish new contacts within the vibrant apicultural community. The connections we made have not only enriched our understanding of the apicultural world but have also opened doors to potential partnerships. The Honey Week also served as an ideal platform for Virgin Honey to explore untapped markets and we were also able to receive valuable feedback and insights. Additionally, the event offered informative classes and workshops that equipped us with fresh knowledge and techniques to enhance our beekeeping practices.

Reflecting on the experience, Honey Week was not only educational but also a whole lot of fun. The shared enthusiasm among participants created an unforgettable atmosphere.

We were provided with a unique opportunity to connect with fellow beekeepers, taste a diverse array of honey, exchange valuable insights, and establish new contacts within the vibrant apicultural community.

Ruth.

Advice to fellow young women that would love to venture into beekeeping.

Start small, begin your beekeeping adventure with a manageable hive size. Starting small allows you to learn and grow at a comfortable pace while minimizing potential overwhelm. As you gain experience, you can gradually expand your beekeeping operation. Learn about beekeeping, there is plenty of information on the internet about beekeeping for example on the TUNADO YouTube channel, you can also get books here in our bookshops in Uganda about bee keeping.  It’s also important to get a mentor in the business to guide and inspire you on how to run and manage the business.  Beekeeping can be challenging at times; you can have a number of hives and very few of them colonize so you need to be patient with yourself and your bees. Mistakes are a part of the learning process, and each setback is an opportunity to grow and improve. Otherwise, bee keeping is a very profitable business and there is room for all of us to thrive. It’s a pathway to financial independence, environmental stewardship, personal growth, and community impact.