Kinross based Webster Honey is to site two of its beehives in the grounds of the Monachlye Mhor Hotel in Balquidder, near Lochearnhead.
In what will be Webster Honey’s first tie up with an established hotel group, the company will offer a series of beekeeping workshops to guests at the foodie hotel, plus any interested locals who would like to learn how to look after bees.
A renowned food supplier famed for its delicious sourdough bread, Monachlye Mhor also operates a popular bakery in nearby Callander, along with a fish and chip shop & fishmongers.
“We’re very excited about this – Monachlye Mhor has a fantastic reputation as a foodie destination, along with being a sterling example of a hospitality and food business which promotes sustainability, respects its amazing rural setting, and celebrates local produce across the board,” said Daniel Webster, Managing Director of Webster Honey.
“We could not have hoped for a more suitable hotel with which to work with in our first official hospitality tie up. Monachyle Mhor’s passion and enthusiasm for sustainable food products is inspiring, and they have an existing, highly engaged, customer base which we believe will be very interested in learning about beekeeping,” added Daniel.
“Over the next few months we will site the hives, with Meik our beekeeper performing regular checks on them, as he does with all Webster Honey hives that are located in various parts of the country, from schools and nurseries, to nature reserves.
We will then set the dates for a series of half day workshops, which will be jointly publicised by ourselves and Monachlye Mhor,” continued Daniel.”
Stating that he believed the courses would be very well attended, Daniel, who set up Webster Honey in 2016 with his partner Emily Kate McDonnell, explained that beekeeping had become a very popular pastime, and even a business opportunity, for many environmentally aware people who wanted to help sustain bees and their habitat.
“More and more of us have realised their importance to the eco system and food chain,” he said.
“Our beekeeping courses are for adults, and can give you an actual qualification in beekeeping, depending on how many hours you study. We also carry out engagement with schools and nurseries, with Meik running age appropriate ten week lesson plans.”
“Like Monachyle Mhor you can have a hive sited at your school, nursery, or place of business.”
Commenting from Monachyle Mhor, Tom Lewis, the owner of Monachyle Mhor Hotel, said: “It will be fantastic to have our own hives here at Monachyle again.
We are really looking forward to working with Webster Honey.
Meik has a great deal of experience in this field which will be of a great benefit to our beekeeping courses. We are totally “buzzing” about it!”
Daniel Webster said that he believed there was future scope for Monachyle Mhor to work with Webster Honey to perhaps develop its own bespoke honey line.
“Whether it’s putting our honey into Mhor’s amazing bread or bakery products, or developing a diffusion line, this is certainly a direction we see the company going towards in the next few years,” he said.
Additional products from Webster Honey include business and personal sponsorship of hives, with beekeeping experiences for staff incentive and reward. The company’s various varieties of organic honey, including Blossom Set & Runny, can be purchased from its online shop at;
https://www.websterhoney.com/store. Gift vouchers are also available.
