Comvita Commits to Saving 10 Million Bees Through its Bee Rescue Program in Celebration of World Bee Day

Leading Global Manuka Honey Maker Doubles Last Year's Pledge in Second Year of Beehive Rescue Campaign

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Comvita, the global leader in Manuka Honey, announces the second year of its bee rescue program, partnering with beekeepers and rescuers to relocate hives set to be terminated. Bees are critical to pollination and the survival of the global ecosystem, but populations are rapidly declining. Building on the success of its debut campaign in 2021, when the brand rescued 5 million bees, Comvita has pledged to save 10 million bees in honor of World Bee Day on May 20, 2022. Comvita will work with independent beekeepers across the U.S. to provide the resources they desperately need to safely remove and relocate hives. These hives will be placed in areas where they can thrive, saving bees and ultimately benefiting bee populations.

Climate issues have been causing bees to perish at a staggering rate for several years. A 50% decline in bee colonies in the United States has negatively impacted our ecosystem and the world's food supply. The bee rescuers sponsored by Comvita will relocate at-risk wild hives to safe and protected areas where the hives can successfully pollinate and live in harmony with local communities.

"Comvita has long been considered a trusted partner to beekeepers on both a global and local scale, so it was only natural for us to continue our bee rescue program this year and up the ante by doubling our commitment," said Corey Blick, SVP of Comvita North America. "The wellbeing of bees has been a priority since our founders got together in 1974 to form Comvita. We are called upon to support the crucial work of independent beekeepers, provide education around the vital importance of bee welfare. At Comvita, we want to see a world where we can all live in harmony with bees and nature."

Comvita has partnered with beekeepers across the U.S. to provide grants to complete 200 beehive rescues within their respective local communities, as well as offer assistance to fellow beekeepers in other regions to perform rescues. Relocated hives will be maintained by local beekeepers to ensure health of the queen bee and the hive overall. Beekeeper partners will chronicle their experiences with hive rescues in real-time across Comvita's social media channels along with education surrounding rescue practices and other related topics.

Hilary Kearney, founder of Girl Next Door Honey, is a celebrated San Diego-based beekeeper and one of the advocates Comvita is working with to provide resources for hive rescues. "Honey bees are up against so many stressors––pesticides, lack of food, climate change. I'm proud to collaborate for the second year in a row with a brand like Comvita that recognizes the need for action and so highly prioritizes the vitality of these critical pollinators," said Kearney.

Comvita is widely known for elevating and redefining the Manuka honey category by upholding standards that exceed rigorous certifications for product quality and efficacy. Harvested from the pristine forests of New Zealand, Comvita is known for offering the most premium, pure, well-researched, and sustainably sourced Manuka honey available on the market. Comvita's profile of Manuka honey offerings include Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) ratings to guarantee significant levels of Manuka's strongest bioactive compounds, the gold standard in Manuka ratings backed by the New Zealand government for its verification of quality and potency.

Part of Comvita's ethos is to continuously deliver on its mission to create exceptional products that honor the work of the world's greatest pollinators. In celebration of World Bee Day Comvita is offering 25% off all products, sitewide on comvita.com, for the month of May.

To learn more about Comvita, please visit www.comvita.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube @comvitausa.

About Comvita
Comvita was founded in 1974, with a purpose to heal and protect the world through the natural power of the hive. Comvita is a pioneer and the global leader in Manuka Honey. Publicly traded on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX: CVT), the Company provides wellness-seeking consumers and the medical skincare market with sustainably sourced, Certified UMF™ and MGO-guaranteed raw & wild Manuka Honey, fully traceable from source-to-shelf. With industry leading certifications, Comvita operates the only IANZ government-accredited laboratory. We are growing industry scientific knowledge on bee welfare, Manuka trees and the many benefits of Manuka Honey and bee propolis. We have pledged to be carbon neutral by 2025 and carbon positive by 2030, and we are planting more than two million native trees every year. Comvita North America is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA. To learn more, please visit www.comvita.com.

SOURCE Comvita