Honey Care Africa (HCA) is a for-profit social enterprise that has launched its business in a Beehive program to provide smallholder farmers in rural areas with the inputs, training, services and market access necessary to become commercial honey producers. Founded in Kenya in 2000, the organization is a member of the World Fair Trade Organization, guaranteeing a competitive fixed purchase price for honey on a contract basis. This enables farmers to repay their loans quickly and sell to a stable market.

HCA’s honey products are developed through extensive research and hands-on experience to be flavorful, reasonably priced and long lasting. To make this possible, its well-trained field team assists farmers in setting up and maintaining their hives. With the additional income from beekeeping, farmers are able to invest in their children’s educations and continue to grow their farms and beekeeping businesses.

HCA offers a micro-enterprise opportunity for farmers to raise bees, produce honey and sell it to a reliable customer. In turn, HCA markets primarily to African consumers through supermarkets and corporate partners that use honey in their products (like cookies, biscuits and other baked goods).

Because HCA purchases honey from the beekeepers at a guaranteed price, contracts are safe and stable. The organization’s goal is to maximize the income of rural farmers throughout East Africa in order to help meet Millennium Development Goals. In 2005, HCA was named the top small-to-medium-sized-business in Africa by the Africa SMME Awards. Additionally, the organization received the U.N. Sustainable Development Award for consistently reducing poverty in the local communities it serves.