Business Stories
Bee Maid Honey
The Alberta Honey Producer’s Co-operative (AHPC) has a rich legacy dating back to the 1940s, steadfastly supporting beekeepers across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia ever since. Relocating from Edmonton to Spruce Grove in 1993 marked a pivotal moment for AHPC, establishing a strong foothold in the area. Originally a 26,000 square-foot space for warehousing and offices, a recent expansion will not only accommodate a larger Bee Supplies outlet but will significantly enhance processing and packing capabilities. By early 2024, this facility will be five times its initial size, reaching a remarkable 138,000 square feet.
Situated within Spruce Grove’s Diamond Industrial Park, this plant is a hive of activity, employing approximately 40 individuals. It serves as the epicenter for processing the substantial volume of high-quality Canadian honey supplied by AHPC's members.
What sets BeeMaid Honey apart is its distinctive cooperative business model. Through a collaborative effort with the Manitoba and Alberta Honey Producer Cooperatives, the entity processes, markets, and ships a diverse range of liquid and creamed honey products under the BeeMaid brand, as for well private label, food service and industrial markets. Notably, the cooperative members, who are the actual beekeepers nurturing the colonies, also share ownership of the BeeMaid brand.
Proudly embracing its Canadian roots, BeeMaid Honey sources its honey from their cooperative owners. Remarkably, between the two cooperatives, BeeMaid is responsible for packaging approximately one-third of Canada's entire honey production. The Spruce Grove facility serves as the cornerstone of BeeMaid’s operations, not only processing the honey but also housing a blow mould facility for producing the bottles used in packaging.
The contributions of the Spruce Grove facility are pivotal in solidifying BeeMaid's position as one of Canada’s foremost honey packers and distributors.