Honey from the Hills

August 2014

The four hour journey from London to the Shropshire hills is an important one in which we embark each year. The reason for this large transportation of bees in the late summer is down to one crucial factor, the vibrant purple ling heather.

Ling heather doesn’t blossom until the very late summer months and is popular with bees looking for a nectar source at the end of the summer. The ling heather is amazing for honey because it is rich in protein and creates a strong and aromatic flavour. The honey also includes hydrogen peroxide which exerts antiseptic action.

Moving the bees on to the heather is a big job and is very physically demanding. Each hive has to be lifted off the trailer carefully in the dead of night. However, a job like this isn’t so bad considering the location. The Shropshire hills where Steve grew up are wonderful and tranquil and the small wood on top of the Long Mynd where the bees are finally set down is a perfect spot for a cup of tea after a long back breaking evening of lifting the bees.  

Model material?

July 2014

Check this out! Our very own London Honey man looking very stylish indeed in his shoots for Clarks the shoe markers. Pictured here in our warehouse shop, the roof of Tate Modern and on his old Vespa he uses to scoot around the hives in summer. 

Mr Holmes

July 2014

We have something very exciting to announce about some of our bees, they are now big Hollywood movie stars! Steve has teamed up with none other than Sir Ian Mckellen to teach him beekeeping for a role in the new ‘Sherlock Holmes’ movie. In this Sir Ian plays a retired Sherlock living in a fantastic country house in Sussex.

To help with the beekeeping side of things Steve first introduced Sir Ian to the bees on the roof of Fortnum and Mason. The aim was to eventually teach him to handle bees gently out of the hive without gloves for the new film. Once this had been mastered it was time for transportation down to Sussex for filming.

If you’d like to read an article about the up and coming movie it can be found here at:

http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/feb/08/sherlock-film-mr-holmes-ian-mckellen

You can also watch the film trailer featuring our very own bees and an expertly taught Mr Holmes. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJwgItmobFE

Beekeepers of the future

June 2014

Unfortunately bee farming is seen as a dying profession, and this is why we are delighted to be welcoming young blood in the Industry. Hannah joined us in June as part of the Bee Farmers Association 3 year scheme.

The scheme was launched in the spring of 2014 and is open to 16-24 year olds. Its aim is to give young people the skills and knowledge to create a successful career for themselves in the industry. After completing her 3 year programme, Hannah will receive a diploma towards excellence in bee farming.

One of the reasons our company heavily supports this programme is that we feel it is very important to educate young people so that this amazing craft doesn’t vanish and farming will continue long in to the future. We are very lucky to have the young brain of Hannah on board egar to learn valuable skills both in the warehouse and out on bee sites with Steve and Teal!

Those wishing to read more about future positions and next year’s scheme see; http://beefarmers.co.uk/apprenticeships/

Never fear, the bee dog is here

May 2014

We are very excited to welcome ‘Teal’, our newest member of the team who specialises in honey tasting. Here he is pictured in his usual spot in the sun in the warehouse office. Teal was initially bred for ratting but problems arose when he was more interested in chasing balls.

Although Teal may not be very good with bees, (hiding under the bee trucks seat when they fly in) he is however a fantastic companion to Steve on the road keeping him entertained between bee sites. This makes Teal the perfect bee dog, and some may even say he’s well suited to Steve with both pulling off the rather scruffy hair style and pacifist tendencies!

We Are Recruiting

Role: Office and Production Manager 

Salary: Dependent on experience

Location: Bermondsey, London
Hours: 24 hours p/w

Position type: Part-time

Contract: Fixed term

Closing date: 14th of March
Contact email: steve@thelondonhoneycompany.co.uk 

Start date: 1st April – 14th April

This is an exciting time to join the company as we are growing fast and planning a move into a specially fitted new larger warehouse.

Office and Production Manager Key Responsibilities:

• Innovate to improve company work practices and identify new opportunities keeping the company authentic, delicious, fresh and fun.
  
  
• To drive honey sales through customer communications, responding to sales enquiries and disseminating product information.
  
  
• To maintain office and warehouse records including honey stock, production, sales, course bookings etc.
  
  
• Monitor business finance including bank transactions, outstanding sales invoices and purchase invoices. Contribute to financial forecasts and reports. Make authorised payments.
  
  
• Prepare accounts to be reconciled by the accountant, assist the accountant in preparing the quarterly VAT returns and the closing of end of year accounts.
  
  
• Manage office and warehouse supplies.
  
  
• Manage company post and emails.
  
  
• Prepare sales paperwork and arrange the delivery of orders.
  
  
• Oversee warehouse production and staff in Steve Benbow’s absence: bottling of
  honey, cutting of comb, labeling and packing of honey orders.
  
  
• Collaborate with clients and colleagues, including designers, on the development
  of new products both under the London Honey Company brand and white-label products (products sold under other brand names).
  
  Other responsibilities and opportunities
  

• Update the company blog.
  
  
• Attend and work events such as festivals, honey tastings and shows.
  
  
• Assist with beekeeping.
  
  
• Honey processing and packing.
  
  
• Assist with beekeeping courses.
  
  
• Assist in managing hive servicing contracts including site assessments, attending
  client meetings and maintaining client contact.
  
  Personal Specification
  

• Energetic, practical and hard working.
  
  
• Flexible and able to work late, come in early or work weekends occasionally.
  
  
• Interested in food and the food industry.
  
  
• Happy to do physical work when necessary.
  
  
• Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to work confidently with limited supervision.
  
  
• Confident to use initiative, innovate and problem solve.
  
  Experience Required
  

• Office administration.
  
  
• Working in a food production or food retail environment or proven transferable
  skills.
  
  Essential Skills
  

• Works well with others.

• Good communicator.
  
  
• Works well under pressure.
  
  
• Numerically and computer literate, ideally with Apple Mac computers.
  
  
• Ability to balance priorities and co-ordinate work effectively with colleagues.
  
  
• Can use Excel.
  
  
  Desirable skills:
  

• Experience using accounting software, especially Sage One and Xero. 

Further Details

Reports to: Steve Benbow, owner of the London Honey Company.

To apply:

Please send us a CV and a cover letter, explaining your interest in joining the London Honey Company and the contribution you believe you could make to the Company. Please email your application to Steve Benbow at steve@thelondonhoneycompany.co.uk

Applications are scheduled to close on 14th of March and interviews to take place on the week of 17th March.

If you have any questions about the role advertised please contact Emily Reed or Steve Benbow at the London Honey Company: 02073947072,  hello@thelondonhoneycompany.co.uk 

The Bee House

We are proud to be exhibiting a fantastic piece of artwork created by Sophia Jones, artist in residence for RIVA artists. Sophia spent three weeks working with year 5 children at Deptford Park Primary school to produce this fantastic piece.


The Bee House is a not only a celebration of bees and how humans depend on them but also shows an understanding of the plight they now face. Each child was given their own bee hive drawer which they decorated with a bee story, come and explore the bee house and see if you can spot Steve's story in there!


We will be exhibiting this piece in our warehouse on the 18th and 25th of January during our normal Saturday opening hours of 9 am to 2.30 pm so get yourself down to The London Honey Co HQ.



RIVA (Residencies in Visual Art) is a charity set up to place artists in schools and give children and their community the opportunity to work alongside professional artists. By doing so children are able to be involved in an intensive creative process and produce their own work individually and collectively.