A focus on innovation and research is behind the strong turnaround for honeymaker Capilano.
Capilano’s managing director Dr Ben McKee credits the team, the support of more than 600 beekeepers and an international distribution model as crucial for the organisation’s transformation over the last few years.
“It’s been a busy and productive [time] for the team at Capilano as we’ve embarked on a range of exciting initiatives which have included acquisitions, new product partnerships, expansion into new markets and of course, product innovation,” he told Inside FMCG.
“Supported by the history of a great Australian brand, central to every new initiative has been a commitment to offer consumers greater choice, while delivering high quality, great tasting products and creating new opportunities across all stages of the supply chain.”
Capilano recently launched the world’s first clinically tested prebiotic honey, Beeotic. McKee said this “health and wellness innovation” has been a long time in the making.
McKee spoke to Inside FMCG following the launch to discuss business strategy, innovation and the next big thing for Capilano.
Inside FMCG: Capilano continues to go from strength to strength. What would you credit as the secret to this success?
McKee: The quality of the product we market as well as the strength and geographical diversity of supply across Australia.
Integral to the Capilano story and all of our successes are more than 600 Australian beekeeping families who supply us on a daily basis with premium quality Australian honey. Without them and their ongoing support, we would not be where we are today.
Many of our beekeeping families make it their life’s work to collect the honey, so that Capilano can deliver it not only to Australia homes, but to more than thirty counties around the world. In fact, many of these families are multi-generational and have been a part of the Capilano family for decades.
You have recently launched Beeotic – the world’s first clinically tested prebiotic honey. Tell us the story behind this and how long the product was in the making.
This new product innovation has been years in the making and it marks an exciting time for both Capilano and our beekeepers. Beeotic is a premium 100 per cent pure Australian honey which provides a natural source of prebiotics, shown to help boost digestive health.
The scientific community has long believed honey to be a good source of prebiotics, but until now there [have] never been any clinical studies to support this. A world-first clinical study led by Professor Patricia Conway was conducted at the University of New South Wales to analyse select Australian honeys for prebiotic benefits.
From this, we invested significantly into developing an industry-first methodology to identify Australian honeys that deliver this prebiotic content. Now every batch of Beeotic honey is tested by an independent laboratory to guarantee its content, allowing us to deliver a pure 100 per cent natural prebiotic product to consumers.
We anticipate the investment Capilano has made into developing Beeotic, [which] will be a game changer for the Australian honey industry over time – both domestically and internationally.
Consumers are increasingly caring more about health and wellbeing. How did this play into your drive to develop a healthier honey?
We understand that our consumers care about their health and wellbeing so delivering a product that provided added health benefits — while still being true to the Capilano philosophy — was very important to us.
In bringing Beeotic to market, we are exceptionally proud to be able to deliver an industry-first product that gives people the option to improve their overall digestive health whilst enjoying their favourite great tasting honey.
What effect has the health conscious consumer had on your business overall?
Again, we understand that health and wellness is important to our consumers and it’s becoming increasingly important to many Australians.
As such, Capilano is passionate about uncovering and sharing the many health benefits of our honey. Whether that be the natural antioxidants of regular honey, the antibacterial properties of Manuka honey or the newly uncovered prebiotic properties of Beeotic honey.
There is a great deal of further research into the health and wellness credentials of honey that can be undertaken and we look forward to sharing these findings with consumers.
Now you have launched Beeotic – what’s the next big thing for Capilano?
We have a big focus on research. There is much more to be discovered regarding honey’s digestive health properties, as well as its broader health and wellness credentials. We will also invest in educating consumers about the antibacterial benefits of Manuka honeys.
Generally speaking, we will be doing more to inform and educate our consumers of the vast benefits of honey being part of their daily diet.
