A local honey business has won its first national award almost a year to the day it was launched. 

Cardrona Valley based Branch Creek Honey took out a silver award at the Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards 2021.

“It’s pretty special to be up there with some of the really well known brands,” Branch Creek Honey co-founder and beekeeper Jess Curtis said.

Branch Creek Honey was launched in June 2020 after Jess, 20, saw an opportunity to turn her and her grandfather’s shared love of beekeeping into a business opportunity. 

The single source clover blend honey scooped up a silver award at the Outstanding NZ Food Producers Awards 2021.

Their clover blend honey, which is all sourced from the family farm, is now sold in several stores around Wanaka as well as further afield. 

“I am hugely passionate about bees and their important role in our ecosystem and also love being able to create a sustainable product that, for me, tastes like home,” Jess said.

She is fifth-generation on the family’s sheep and beef station and completing a beekeeping apprenticeship locally while taking care of the farm’s hives with help from her grandfather, who she says is “the CEO of quality control”.

Jess Curtis, 20, (pictured) launched Branch Creek Honey a year ago, and hopes to educate people about the environmental importance of bees.

He first brought hives to the farm to pollinate the crops and to contribute to regenerative practices decades ago and the bees thrived in the high country environment.

Between her apprenticeship, other work on the farm, looking after the bees and launching the business (during the Covid-19 lockdown), the first year has been “a big learning curve,” Jess said. 

“It’s about taking each day as it comes,” she said, adding she is thankful for the substantial local support - and the award is “positive reinforcement”, too.

Jess said she hopes to use Branch Creek Honey to help educate people about the importance of bees in the environment - “and honey is the way to do that”.

Branch Creek Honey is teaming up with Waste Free Celebrations this week in celebration of International Bee Day (May 20) to offer bundles which include Branch Creek Honey and reusable bags and gift tags.

PHOTOS: Supplied