Single-origin Hawaiian honey from the Big Island.

The Beekeeper's Story

Big Island Bees traces its roots to 1972, when Jim Powers — one of the largest honey producers in the United States — recognized the Island of Hawaii as an ideal location for beekeeping and established his eighth and final honey operation there. His stepson, Garnett Puett, took over the Hawaiian operation in 1987 and became the fourth generation of his family to make beekeeping a livelihood. The apiaries grew from just a few hives in the early 1970s to over 2,500 hives supporting approximately 125 million bees today. Faced with industry pressures from cheap imported honey, global warming, and parasitic mites, the family pivoted in 2004 — with Garnett's wife Whendi leading the charge — to sell their honey directly under their own 'Big Island Bees' label. Starting at local farmers markets and hand-pouring raw honey into glass jars, the brand grew into a nationally recognized, award-winning operation offering farm tours, a museum, and an online store shipping honey nationwide.