Honey produced in Zambia has successfully penetrated the European Union market and is on sale in several countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Norway.
According to a media statement by Abigail Chapondam the First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at Zambia High Commission in the United Kingdom, the honey is produced by a company called Mama Buci based on the Copperbelt Province and is being sold by large European retail shops such as Fenwick, Wholefoods and is also available on Amazon the worlds largest online retailer.
Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural World Bee Day 2019 held in London at which Zambia was invited to participate in recognition of the country being a renowned bee-keeping and world honey producer, Mr. Martin Zuch, proprietor of Mama Buci, said “Zambian honey is the best in the world because it is natural, straight from the forest and it is multiflora, it has different favors, we have Summer honey and Winter honey, we harvest in July and December. I am happy to say that we have managed to penetrate the EU market and our honey is found in United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Norway and also South Africa. Here in the UK, our honey is currently sold in Fenwick, Wholefoods, Amazon, Daily and Organic shops. This is good but we can do more, we need to market Zambian honey more,”.
He said his company has won several international awards in the bee production sector among them a Gold star award and a Great Taste award. He added that his company was trying to create a premium brand that is purely Zambian.
He said Mama Buci exports between 400 and 500 tonnes of honey to the EU every year.
He further said Mama Buci is also producing cosmetics and other side products and wants Zambian Honey and wax to represent Zambia. He added that his mission is see Zambian honey and cosmetic products in the best shops in the UK.
Meanwhile, Mr. Zuch said there is urgent need to raise awareness about the importance of honey bees as pollinators and as an income generator in Zambia saying people should be encouraged to undertake beekeeping training so that people in rural areas can generate an income and contribute to sustainable rural development.
He said Apiculture (the activity of job of keeping bees, especially to produce honey) plays a crucial role for Zambian agriculture and forestry, since the pollination of bees is necessary for the development and survival of both agricultural crops and trees.
The inaugural World Bee Day was attended by representatives from several countries and Zambia was represented by two companies engaged in Zambian honey products, Namely Tropical Forests Limited (Mr. Ian Wainwright) and Mama Buci (Mr. Martin Zuch) as well as officials from the Zambia High Commission in London.
Our government has in the past +50 years NOT produced a BLACK Zambian to export honey. What a shame. Or even the government itself.
This is great news but where is that money really really ending up ?
White farms who on most of these farms in your county.
Water off a duck’s back Isn’t it
Thanks
BB2014,2016
You people, how can you be racist over honey for real???
The guy gets honey from Zambia and sell in UK, whats wrong with that? Now you are asking State House to Liquidate him?
What ever happened to the SA export ban of our honey? What of the samples that were sent to test in Germany? The only problem we have is a lazy govt that is not accountable and transparent….they are reactive rather than proactive. No one knows what has happened to that Honey manufacturer based in NW that used to export to RSA and had employed more 50 staff.
It’s not for the government to produce people, its up to you the individuals. Our mindset is so warped!
Nostra….. As usual posting incoherent comments that only make sense to his dull friend Ndobo and himself..please dont drink and blog not a good combination.
And the credit for that goes to His Exorcist Lungu the Great dictator of Zombia. (Sarcasm intended)
Abigail Chapondam you should be ashamed to even post this type of half-baked information without even getting facts about this company like how many staff they have employed where they are based, orders they are taking a month. I order a lot of our honey as I use it in my tea, porridge and grooming…I can tell you there are a lot of Zambian companies on the ground I have never come across this one must be a posh one…where is the European penetration you are talking about, Chinese sell on Amazon in UK from China? This type of event would have been ideal to invite Zambian honey manufacturers to showcase their products…proper govts even pay for their travel to London instead of wasting money on first lady and her entourage.
*****….who told you that one has to be black to be Zambian
So what if a Zambian product is sold in Europe, should that really be news. Consider how many foreign products have penetrated the Zambian market. This is really a show of an inferiority complex by the reporters. Its as if we ought to be surprised that Europeans are consuming our honey. Africans should lose this mentality.
How else do you see us breaking this “Inferiority complex”? If I’m motivated to expand my business to export by this news then how am i inferior?
Yes, its great news do you not need forex…if you can ask such a questions it says alot about you…Zambia we have a lot of morons with internet access but have nothing to cntribute on social media, their brains start to work when its a story about that girl Iris or a s£x story.
Dustbin..don’t comment on issue you don’t understand. Just continue working. Leave business to businessmen…
Misunderstanding of inferiority complex. That complex describes superficial acts designed to imitate superior beings. It’s not seen in competing with the so-called superior. Competition is what life is about
Is this really an achievement in 2019? Trade has been going on since before slavery. Meanwhile the same owner of this company is of European origin. So what achievement is it for Zambian apart from them working as labourers on peanuts. Failed state. Vote upnd
Says the guy who is married to a White “Swiss” woman…really ironic
Jayjay the race of the person any zambian decides to marry has got nothing to do with economic development. For example more than 98 percent of pf office holders are married to zambians and yet this country has gone down the toilet. You seem to have something against my wife for whatever reason. The funny part is that I bet my life she has more knowledge on zambiam economic and historical issues than you . No one is born a racist. Please seek help
Look at you now talking gibberish compare your original post to that response above…I can not even go deep with you into my train of thought it would be a waste of time…just know that next time you try to post something think carefully.
I want to talk about Zambian honey today!!
ba under5 NO
Great news indeed aside politics all the while. Mr. Zuch is demonstrating to us Zambians how we should be doing it.. and it’s not just honey alone. Our beautiful motherland is endowed with various globally marketable products that are worth millions in foreign exchange.
It is not even about politics, so no PF this, UPND that! Anyone can step up in life and get things done if they have the will and ability to do so.
You now nothing about this man he may be a British passport holder living in the UK and merely imports barrels and processes it in UK…there are companies in Zambia who would have loved to also have that opportunity but sadly we have a useless govt who have employed useless cadres at these embassies..I bet you this Abigail Chapondam was invited she didnt eve know about this World Bee Day, next year it will be the same thing. Just look at the way New Zealand honey is showcased its even sold in Aldi now that’s penetration yet our honey tastes better in my opinion.
Tourist industry needs us too
We Zambians don’t know how to create an Industry that’s why we fail in everything. We are just consumers and love everything that shines. Since Independence we have not made anything useful that we can say it’s Zambian.
We only know how to make money by digging metal under ground and Up rooting trees above ground
Very Sad!!
Totally agree with you Dhumbo. We fail to even adequately market the Victoria Falls and the many other beautiful falls around the country. If a muzungu sets up a lodge at the Kalambo Falls and markets adventure holidays in European and American press, Zambians will cry blue murder.
Well done , keep up the good work
Imwe pleas …..it does not matter who owns the company as long as everything is produced and packaged in Zambia …….more jobs for our people….
That is what we have been telling lungu , 200 % tax on all solar products and let them come and have them made or assembled in Zambia with Zambian copper for all wireing and any other product we can make
Hope this doesn’t go political or else the apiculture industry will fail
God is good – all the time! He gave us – we the ZAMBIAN pipo RAINS, JUNGLES/BUSHES plus wild game animals, SUNSHINE, KABESHA (fresh air) etc, LAKES/RIVERS including FISH therein and ALL for free! The question is; what have done with all the above amid; complaining everyday ati njala? Here we’re today, all our HONEY (and all the money) now coming to England! Shame on us …
I took a quick tour of Amazon online. The Mama Buchi is listed- Nice! I noticed Winter bottle is almost out of stock. I have no problem with which race produces the product, just as long as it originates from here. It would actually be nice if the Zambians out there would buy our product to help with sales.
Its not cheap at £9.90 a bottle…maybe because its a niche product..great packaging I must say.
@Jay Jay, Have you seen the price for the summer bottle? £31.18. Perhaps like you say its a niche product and the market were its being sold is up market
Organic honey fetches a good price abroad
Thats a pack of 6…. its cheaper
For a 6 pack its cheaper as that’s roughly over £6.00 a bottle for exotic honey, New Zealand honey is priced the same but in a smaller bottle…what annoys me about Zambian honey products is that there is no certification from Honey Association of Zambia if there is one or Ministry of Commerce. Any Jim and Jack can start to product honey and write a small story that its benefiting families in Mwinilungu …..mind you our Chinese brothers will see opportunity here and simply produce synthetic honey which is a syrup based blend (common in Supermarkets the cheap one) state its a Zambian product.
This article is misleading. Zambia has already been exporting honey to the EU for years.
Alu – No its not misleading…yes Zambia has been exporting honey to EU for years but as a raw material, Zambian honey is blending (and heated) with other honeys from other countries and mixed with syrup so its sold in stores cheaply. There is minimum benefit to us as the EU manufacturer buys at cheap wholesale price…compared to products like that above that adds value to the economy (value addition) as its manufactured and packaged in Zambia.
The article is misleading yes what it is stating happened long ago. Kabompo honey has been selling in Germany since the 80s
Just look at its intro
Honey produced in Zambia has successfully penetrated the European Union market and is on sale in several countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Norway.
Ba Kambeu – Where has it been sold and advertised as “produced and Packaged in Zambia” ..please read my post…its been sold to EU AS A RAW MATERIAL…the cheap honey in stores such Walmart Stores that costs £1.99 is blended honey sourced different parts of world including Zambia.
Ba Jay Jay what you are saying and what the article says are two different things. What you say isn’t in the article. We are talking about the article
Unemployed “experts” like Jay Jay bwafya
Now you start to insult me since I mentioned your “trophy” wife…typical silly opposition mentality!!
jay jay one piece of advice, prompt responses to every posted comment is a sign of desperation and attention seeking. if at all you are a man, i am sure you have some little pride left inside you.. act on it
Everybody in Zambia can export. Those diasporas could have opened markets and stalls selling products from Zambia. Decent side gig to some unsavoury jobs some do. It could change the tone of discussions when ECL invites them for a chat on his visits, from whinging for entitlements, to trade.
There is a huge market for vinkhubala, kapenta, dried bean and pumpkin leaves, cassava, organic sweet potatoes etc which can be exported in suitcases like West Africans do. Instead of just carrying dollars obtained from Bureaus to avoid ZRA tax rader, Tamangas could minimise dollar demand by carrying these to offload at the stalls.
I think it’s brilliant news. I look forward to seeing Zambian honey on the shelf of my local wholefood shop!