Comvita Pledges to Save Five Million Bees in Honor of World Bee Day, May 20th

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Comvita, the global leader in UMFtm Manuka Honey, announced today its new initiative to save five million domestic bees via sponsorships of a hand-selected network of local beekeepers and rescuers. As beekeepers themselves since 1974, Comvita has tirelessly shared its passion to protect the planet's pollinators, make a positive impact in bee communities, and educate on the importance of bees and their role in the environment. In celebration of the fourth annual World Bee Day on May 20th, Comvita's mission will endow independent beekeepers - who perform safe bee removals and relocations - with additional resources to save beehives.

Bees are dying at an unsustainable rate and population numbers have declined globally due to variations in climate. The loss of bees is a loss for all life on Earth, as bees play a critical role in pollinating nearly 75% of our global food supply and supporting biodiversity ecosystems. By rescuing five million bees from extermination or undesirable hive locations, Comvita's initiative will have a beneficial impact on both local and global bee populations.

"Nearly five decades ago, Comvita's founders and innovative beekeepers - Claude Stratford and Alan Bougen -  set out to connect people to nature for the benefits of good health," said Corey Blick, SVP of Comvita North America. "Bees were their inspiration, and honey their medicine. In this spirit, Comvita has worked hard to cultivate safe and healthy places for bees to thrive. We are proud to both support and pass down the art and science of beekeeping to new generations who are equally as passionate about being stewards to the bees and protectors of the land."

Nine beekeepers located from Santa Barbara, CA to Rockford, MI to Miami, FL will receive up to $2,000 in grants to perform ten beehive rescues each in their local communities, assist other regional beekeepers in performing rescues, or grow more pollinator-friendly plants to encourage a healthy ecosystem for the bees. The hives found in undesirable locations will be safely relocated and maintained by these beekeepers to support the bees in the hive and the strength of the queen bee. Bee-education and real-time rescue content from the beekeepers will be shared on Comvita's social media channels.

"We must act together to protect our environment and bees from the effects of climate change, air pollution, and human encroachment," said Hilary Kearny, founder of Girl Next Door Honey and one of Comvita's local beekeeper advocates. "There's been nearly a 50 percent bee population decline in the areas occupied by bumblebees in America. Something needs to be done to protect our pollinators and I am excited to work with a company like Comvita who has the resources to move this mission forward."

Manuka Honey fans can discover bee-friendly practices to implement in their own day-to-day lives, learn about the beekeepers taking part in these partnered rescue efforts, and view Comvita's short film, Hive Mindfully, to get an intimate look into the world of bee rescue at Comvita.com. Comvita is also offering 25% off site wide to celebrate World Bee Day and their commitment to saving the bees.

To learn more about Comvita, please visit www.comvita.com or follow on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube @comvitausa.

About Comvita:
Comvita is the global leader in Manuka Honey and a pioneering name in the natural health and wellness category. Founded in 1974 and publicly traded on the New Zealand Stock Exchange under ticker symbol CVT, the company provides health-conscious consumers and the medical skincare market with sustainably sourced, Certified UMFtm Manuka Honeys that are fully traceable from source-to-shelf. 

Certified UMFtm Manuka Honey is one of nature's most versatile and rare natural foods. In addition to its Manuka and Bee Propolis product ranges, Comvita owns and operates the world's largest fresh-picked Olive Leaf farm and offers a broad range of other purest source health and wellness products. Comvita North America is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA. To learn more, please visit www.comvita.com.

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SOURCE Comvita