Last summer, I embarked on an unforgettable journey that would shape the future of BEEtastic and bring us closer to our mission of providing top-quality beekeeping equipment to the UK market.

The adventure took me across the globe, from Manchester to the vibrant city of Shenzhen, and onto to a tiny (by Chinese standards!), remote town in northern China that specialises in beekeeping equipment.

Industrial Mega-City

Shenzhen, known for its booming tech scene and industrial might was the perfect starting point for my adventure.

I have an office for one of my existing businesses, and I’m fortunate to employ two talented locals who are integral to our operations. After a few productive days meeting with the team to plan logistics and packaging for the new beekeeping range, I set out on the next leg of my journey.

Beekeeping Town

Two hours north by plane, I arrived in a small town that’s synonymous with beekeeping. Here, nearly every building seemed dedicated to crafting tools and equipment for beekeepers, from hive boxes to tools. China often works like this, entire towns and villages specialise in a single commodity. It's fascinating to experience and as a buyer it's also incredibly efficient as all contacts are close to each other.

I spent the next week visiting several suppliers, carefully selecting the ones that aligned with BEEtastic’s high standards for quality, reliability, and innovation.

The experience of walking through these factories was absolutely jaw-dropping. The scale at which they operate is beyond anything I had imagined. Vast warehouses filled with thousands of hives, machinery working at full capacity, and a level of efficiency I could only dream of in the UK.

Particularly memorable was the wax foundation factory. Raw material came in from beekeepers and the factories own apiaries, was melted down in giant tanks, filter and poured into moulds. From here it was cooled and hardened, then fed in a hungry machine which cut the large sheets to the correct size and embossed honeycomb patterns onto it. You could taste the honey in the air! 

It was inspiring to witness the inner workings of such an industrious operation, and I was given the opportunity to collaborate with the factory teams, offering insights on design improvements, packaging adjustments, and product refinement.

Giant Apiary, Calm Bees

One of the most unforgettable moments of my trip was visiting a 2,000 hive apiary. I’ve always had a deep love for bees, but stepping into this incredible space was a spiritual experience. The bees were calm and docile almost as if they sensed my respect for them.

We walked freely among the hives in shorts and sandals, inspecting the bees and their intricate workings with ease. It felt so natural, so right, like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I spent hours just observing, absorbing everything I could about the bees' behaviour, the hive management process, and the tools used to maintain healthy, thriving colonies.

After this awe-inspiring visit, I made my way back South to Shenzhen via bullet train, a sleek and incredibly efficient mode of transportation.

Ground Zero, Wuhan

Along the way, I stopped for a few nights in Wuhan, where I had the chance to explore the city and unwind a bit before diving back into work.

I'd always wanted to visit Wuhan and learn the stories and experiences of those at Ground Central in the 2020/1 pandemic. I'd felt a lot of anger with the UK Government's handling of the situation, Boris's double standards and their mis-information and lies, while concurrently stealing time from us 'Joe Publics' and preventing us from seeing loved ones.

Visiting the hospital which identified the first case, both the old wet market which was blamed for the outbreak, the Wuhan Institute Of Virology (where under American supervision and investtment, the initial virus was created under the guidance of fellow ex-Mancunian Peter Dashak... allegedly ?) gave me chance to sit down with locals and hear about their experience and memories... And helped me get closure on a period of my life I'd been struggling with. 

9 Months Later... Stock Arrriving

Now, nine months later and several iterations of proto-types back and forth, I’m thrilled to share that all of that hard work is starting to pay off. The beekeeping equipment we selected, designed, and refined is finally arriving at our Manchester warehouse.

The buzz around BEEtastic has never been stronger, and we’re excited to offer UK beekeepers the highest quality tools and supplies on the market.

BEEtastic & Beyond

Looking back on this journey, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude. From the bustling streets of Shenzhen to the tranquil apiaries in northern China, every step of this adventure has been a reminder of why we do what we do.

At BEEtastic, we’re passionate about providing beekeepers with the best, and this trip has only strengthened our commitment to that mission.

I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next, and we’re so excited to share our new range with the UK’s beekeeping community.

Stay tuned for more updates and get ready for some amazing products that will help you create thriving hives and support our precious pollinators. The journey is just beginning!