With World Bee Day and BC’s Day of the Honey Bee today, May 20, two Kootenay businesses, Pealow’s Your Independent Grocer and Honey Bee Zen Apiaries, have launched a bold initiative to support community fundraising and bee research.
The two companies have joined forces launching a specially-labelled 500g jar of pure Canadian wildflower honey.
Partial proceeds from each jar sold will be donated by each company to programs they support. Pealow’s will use proceeds to fund local charitable programs. Honey Bee Zen will make an equal contribution to Canadian bee research and honey authentication programs.
“We are always looking for new and creative ways to support our community.” said Brian Pealow, Owner/Operator of Pealow’s Your Independent Grocer.
“The partnership with Honey Bee Zen has brought two of our core values together. We are able to support a local food producer, and a portion of every jar sold goes back to invest in local community initiatives,”
“We thank Jeff and Amanda of Honey Bee Zen and all of those who purchase a jar of this delicious honey for their support.”
The program comes at a time when Canadians have renewed preference for wholly-Canadian brands and foods.
It is also being announced as the Province of BC proclaims World Bee Day and Day of the Honey Bee today. This proclamation, which marries two international recognitions of the critical environmental importance of both honey bees and native pollinators, raises public awareness of the value these insects play in our lives.
“When Brian and Julia Pealow approached us with this idea of creating a special-label honey that could be used to generate fundraising for our communities, we jumped at the idea,” said Amanda Goodman Lee, Honey Bee Zen’s Co-owner and President.
“My partner, Jeff Lee and I firmly believe in supporting our community.”
“Helping Brian and Julia generate funds for their considerable charitable efforts makes so much sense. At the same time, it allows Jeff and I to contribute to important bee research and honey authentication programs. We want people to have complete confidence in the purity of the Canadian honey they buy, and we also want to help research into the complexities bees face in this increasingly urbanized world.”
Both Honey Bee Zen and Pealow’s Your Independent Grocer are wholly-owned Canadian companies. The honey in this project is quality raw and unpasteurized honey produced by Western Canadian beekeepers.

Under the program, every 500g jar of Pealow’s Wildflower Honey sold will generate proceeds that will be disbursed by each company on a quarterly basis starting in 2025.
The product is available now at both Pealow’s store in Creston, and online at HoneyBeeZen.com.
Be the first to know! Don’t miss out on breaking news and daily updates in your area. Sign up to MyCrestonNowNews Alerts.