Commercial beekeeping: managing swarms and logistics

Managing thousands of bee colonies as a pollination service provider is a complex, logistical feat. Added to the challenge is keeping the swarms fed amid dwindling natural resources and crops that offer little nutrition. Jaco Wolfaardt, commercial beekeeper and founder of Ubusi Beekeeping, spoke to Henning Naudé about keeping the bees and business abuzz.

- By Henning Naudé

For Jaco Wolfaardt, commercial beekeeper and founder of Ubusi Beekeeping, bees have been a part of his life since he was a student. During his studies at Saasveld Forestry College in George, Western Cape, he was part of a woodworking club where he built his first beehive in 1992.

FROM HOBBY TO BUSINESS

He eventually expanded to 12 hives to maintain as a hobby, selling honey for extra income. After a career change in 2010, Wolfaardt decided to turn his hobby into a business, establishing Ubusi Beekeeping in 2012.

Ubusi is based in Swellendam in the Western Cape, which places Wolfaardt's team within easy reach of some of the country's largest fruit, nut and vegetable producers, who all require pollination services.

"Pollination season for the various crops that we service is by far our busiest time of the year. We aim to grow every year to keep up with demand," he says.

Wolfaardt bought out a commercial bee farmer in the area in 2018, growing his company into a multifaceted operation involved in crop pollination, honey supply, and beekeeping projects focused on the development of pollination and honey production in five African countries.

Wolfaardt opened three retail stores under Ubusi called Bee Things, with branches in Swellendam, George and Mossel Bay.

These stores allow him to sell his own honey and give other beekeepers a place to market their products. They sell bee and honey-related products as well as beekeeping equipment. Ubusi is both a producer and importer of beekeeping equipment.

The Ubusi staff build specialised Langstroth beehives, catch boxes, and brood chambers. Wolfaardt's African beekeeping projects have allowed local farmers in areas where resources are not available to successfully maintain and grow their own hives for both pollination and honey production.