The
Foothills
Story
Who we are and what we're about.
These innovative country cats are the Malcolm siblings – James, the brainchild of Foothills Honey and his little sister Laura, the activator of the dream with the patience and determination of a bee.
Opposites in many senses, the duo are a complimentary team when it comes to creating and running an authentic whanau business. If you ask the Malcolms what makes Foothills Honey unique they’ll both lock you into a yarn about the culture of this company that’ll leave you a true-blue cheerleader for their wide group of company stakeholders that includes; family, neighbours, friends, staff and the honey bees – pretty much the entire local community of the Canterbury foothills.
The reach of their values also extends to their product- not an easy feat, honouring the age old craft of beekeeping in a contemporary environment with complications like bee population decline and a saturated Manuka market. They recognise the only way to operate is the right way, even if it’s the long way.
Whats on the horizon for Foothills Honey Ltd?
While there are whispers of new, innovative honey products and continued goals of upping best practice across the company, James and Laura run an organisational community that relies on the health and prosperity of nature – the future of the bees is at the centre of it all. And so, they take their role as bee-guardians seriously using sustainable and biodegradable equipment in their hives, their new product range is sold in glass jars as opposed to plastic and they educate their community on safe ways to spray and to plant bee-friendly gardens.
After years of exporting their precious honey, part one of the dream is finally here- their own honey brand on Kiwi tables.
James and Laura and the Foothills Honey crew will debut their new range of Foothills Honey varieties this year, 2019, on selected supermarket shelves.
“From our bees and their keepers, to you.”
Meet the Team
It takes a village to raise and maintain a successful local beekeeping business – good relationships keep us buzzing. So who is in the team?
Farmers
We work with farmers across Te Waipounamu – some as far as the West Coast, some as close as next door.
We place our hives on their farms where the bees feed and in return, pollinate vegetables and clover- putting vital nitrogen back in the soil.
staff
We have treasured staff – beekeepers, Queen Breeding experts all the way from Serbia, and in the office holding it all together there are very patient and hardworking managers, accounts and HR gurus. This clever and dedicated bunch are at the whim of an unpredictable nature and environment – the weather and the bees regularly dictate their work hours.
Beekeeping is not an easy job but it sure is admirable – you’ve got to be extremely patient, hardworking and really care for honeybees.
Stockists
Having recently released our new range, we rely on local stockists to take a punt on us to put the new Foothills out there. While we know through and through we’re offering something special, the commercial reality is that there are many honey brands on the shelf so our stockists have to really believe in us being unique to take on more honey.
You!
Just like our stockists, you have lots of honey to choose from but you chose to spend your money on something special. You are an essential part of our business so we thank you for your support and appreciation of the real deal – Foothills Honey.
the bees
It goes without saying these guys/gals are the crux of it all because who are we without their product?
It’s important we are all doing our bit to preserve the bees and their environment.
