Our Story

The Honey by the Sea family: Andres, Pamela, Vini and Tana. Half Argentinean, half Kiwi.

I am Andres, the director and only beekeeper for Honey by the Sea. You can see me around Matakana, Leigh and Pakiri wearing my safety gear, or sunnies and T-shirt.

I was born in Argentina and moved to Aotearoa in 2006, just after I finished my studies in biology, researching the Varroa mite. That was where my interest in bees started. In NZ, I worked for the entomological department of Auckland Museum and on a national bee monitoring programme for the Ministry of Primary Industries. I then moved back to Leigh and worked for a local beekeeper for more than three years.

I learned something about myself: I do not want to work indoors. I am a happy person when I am working in the field. I love nature and bees. Working with only my bare hands makes nurturing the bees an obligation: if I am gentle to the bees, they will be gentle to me. 

Yes, sometimes we get stung but these barefoot beekeepers are happy doing what they are doing, and this way, I know that the wellbeing of the hives and the bees remain the priority. 

Since arriving in NZ, Pamela has worked in fashion - designing for different companies including her own, until motherhood knocked at the door. Always involved in creativity, style and logistics, she became the organising force of Honey by the Sea. Her exquisite palate positioned her as our ‘taster’ and she can savour the terroir our hives are sitting on. She is a beach and sea lover, and main guardian for our family’s little bee, Vini.

Now we bring you the results of our work - the honey our gentle bees produced. Honey by the Sea reflects the flower’s nectar that is unique to our area. There are pockets of Manuka trees, Pohutukawa hanging on the cliffs, the salty terroir, and the birds and bees. Like good wine, the area where honey comes from defines the honey. No honey is the same.

The slow approach we have with the bees can be tasted in the honey. The Premium HONEYCOMB is the best example of what happy bees can make with care and a nice nectar flow. The old methodology we use is the only way to produce the most delicate and thin beeswax comb - an exquisite reward for a risky and time consuming technique.

I want to share my passion for bees and honey: honey that may come from the same apiary but is different from season to season; honey that is as close as possible to coming straight from the hive; honey that is pure and natural - not blended, not finely strained, raw - with all its goodness preserved.

We look forward to sharing Honey by the Sea with you, season after season.