Established in March 2000, Honey Care Africa (HCA) is a socially responsible Kenyan enterprise, promoting small-scale beekeeping as an income generating opportunity for low-income rural households. Through its unique “Money for Honey” system the firm trains the farmer in commercial beekeeping and then buys their honey at a guaranteed price. Honey Care then packages and sells the honey domestically and internationally.

Honey Care was established as a private entity with an innovative tripartite implementation model, which facilitates the organization's collaboration with development agencies and local communities, to attain its sustainability agenda.

Through its Grassroots Business Initiative (GBI), the International Finance Cooperation (IFC) is assisting Honey Care strengthen its business in Kenya, and replicate its operations in Tanzania. HCA now has access to international markets through the Pangea Artisan Market and Cafe located at the IFC headquarters in downtown Washington DC. Potential customers can extend their support to this initiative by walk-in visits to the store, or online through www.pangeamarket.com.

Strengthening HCA Kenya:

• Market expansion and product development: HCA has been able to expand its market base in Kenya and enter the US and European markets. Additionally, obtaining Fair Trade certification has allowed HCA to charge a premium price in the international market, and expand its beekeepers network by at least 500.
  

• Improving processing and packaging: This includes establishing an HACCP accredited facility for processing and packaging honey, and acquiring an ISO 9001 certification to ensure that HCA’s products meet international food safety standards.
  

• Strengthening management and monitoring capability by:

1. establishing collection centers in the field where farmers can deliver their honey for consolidation and processing
2. creating management information systems that can adequately track production and sales performance
3. implementing a monitoring and evaluation system to allow HCA to track its performance and identify impacts at the farmers’ household levels that are a result of the beekeeping activities supported by HCA.

• Institutionalizing extension services: creating a non-profit company that will focus on delivering extension services to farmers. Without this help, HCA could not afford to carry out its operations profitably and sustain its business activities.

Honey Care has started its expansion into Tanzania by forming a separate company with a local partner in the region. Limited credit history and capital makes it hard for HCA TZ to obtain financing from local banks, so GBI is supporting HCA’s Tanzania operations with a patient capital loan to finance honey and beeswax purchases for the next two seasons.

www.honeycareafrica.com

Learn more about Honey Care's products in Pangea Artisan Market & Cafe

To read a press release on Honey Care's expansion into US markets, click on:
Honey Care Africa Launches Products in US Markets

Video (150K , 56K)
PowerPoint Presentation by Farouk Jiwoa, Honeycare General Manager