Honeybees play a crucial role in the upkeep of a healthy food supply. The winged black and yellow insects native to mainland Afro-Eurasia are responsible for pollinating 80% of all plants in nature, and over 100 of the crops humans consume including wheat, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts.
 
However, climate change is said to be one of the culprits killing off honeybee hives. According to the Associated Press, honeybee hives experienced their second-highest death rate on record in 2023 with beekeepers losing roughly half of their colonies.
 
Honeybee colonies for operations with at least five colonies in the U.S. on Jan. 1, 2023 totaled 2.68 million colonies, a 7% decline from Jan. 1, 2022. The number of colonies in the U.S. on April 1, 2023 tallied 2.71 million, according to recent data released by the National Agricultural Statistics, Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
 
With a potential dearth of bees comes a dearth of fresh produce, which could spell doom for human nutrition. To quote Einstein, “When the last bee dies, humanity has at most four more years to go.”

The Buzz Around Bee&You

Despite these somber facts about climate change’s wrath on bees and its ripple effects, one indie brand working tirelessly to increase the global bee population is generating buzz. Asli Samarici, PhD, founder of Bee&You, a food engineer, has made it her life’s mission to ensure consumers have access to healthy and safe food.
 
In the brand’s 115,000 square-foot production site in Istanbul—touted as among the world’s largest value-added bee product centers—Samarici and her team collaborate with 5,000 contracted beekeepers managing 50,000 beehives. Its sustainable model aligns with Fair Trade principles to ensure 100% traceability in a hive-to-table concept.
 
Bee&You products range from dietary supplements and vitamins to skin care products containing ingredients such as propolis and royal jelly. Ten years ago, these actives were prescribed to her then 5-year-old son who developed an autoimmune disease after suffering a weakened immune system.
 
Propolis is a natural bee product that bees collect from plants to protect their hives from microbes, or disease-causing bacterium. While a rich antioxidant with antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, Samarici said there are some adulterated propolis products on the market.

Patented Extraction Method

Armed with this knowledge, she extracted phenolic components from raw propolis in her lab with a now-patented method called “Water-Soluble and Water-Insoluble Propolis Products with High Antioxidant Capacity and Their Production Methods.”
 
Propolis is a resinous substance collected by bees from various plant sources, mixed with their enzymes and beeswax. The blend yields a potent compound that serves as the hive’s protective barrier against pathogens and external threats.
 
Her son saw what his mother called a “miraculous” improvement in his health after 6 months of ingestion, virtually “curing” his undisclosed disease. The experience prompted her to start her own business, which she affectionately dubbed, “Bee&You.”
 
Her patented propolis extraction method is designed to produce propolis products suitable for diverse industries including food, health, and cosmetics. More than its antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anesthetic effects, propolis is “correctly extracted” to make it consumable for humans in a highly bioavailable form, she says.
 
Dr. Samarici and her team extracted the Anatolian propolis with its patented extraction method in its R&D center and obtained pure Anatolian Propolis Extract, which contains at least 15 different phenolics and flavonoids. Because beeswax within the raw propolis must be thoroughly separated during the purification process, achieving the highest possible levels of phenolic and flavonoid components during extraction is paramount.
 
“Propolis that undergoes proper extraction using suitable solvents is transformed into a liquid or droplet form, providing an impressive approximately 98% bioavailability to the human body,” explained Samarici. “Our patented propolis extraction method aims to remove its bioactive compounds, namely antioxidants, as much as possible from wax and resins without harming its natural biological properties.”
 
Samarici’s experience with restoring her son’s health was the catalyst for starting Bee&You, and producing high-quality propolis in the Anatolian mountains, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, she noted. What started out helping her own son has catapulted into a devotion for the bee population and the future of the world at large.

Contracted Beekeeping

Bee&You secures a sustainable supply of high-quality bee products while working with contracted beekeepers who produce solely for Bee&You with good beekeeping practices.
 
“With our unique contracted beekeeping model, we also support the ecosystem by increasing the number of bees in the world,” noted Samarici.
 
Aside from propolis and royal jelly, Bee&You produces its own branded honey and offers mixtures that meet various consumer needs such as consistency and taste preferences in 36 countries. One of its OTC products suitable for seasonal changes is Bee&You’s Propolis Throat Spray; other offerings include skin care products providing relief from dry skin such as S.O.S. Intensive Care Cream and lip balms, as well as anti-aging products, one of which is a collagen shot set. Bee&You also makes a natural sunscreen containing Anatolian propolis extract and non-nano mineral zinc.

A ‘Driving Force’ For Lasting Change

In 5 years, Bee&You aims to be a “driving force” in promoting sustainable practices and biodiversity, Samarici said. In the next decade, the brand’s long-term goal is to have a lasting impact on environmental conservation and public awareness.
 
Currently, the brand allocates 1% of Bee&You’s Cosmos-certified products—which are currently available at mass retail from CVS to Walgreens and Trader Joe’s in addition to its website—to its beekeepers to acquire new beehives and increase the global bee population.