The honey industry is a high-value industry, estimated to be worth $9 billion in 2020. However, the industry is rife with a variety of issues, stemming mostly from the fact that it is solely reliant on honeybees as the medium of production. Because of high demand, about 20,000 wild and native bees are disappearing rapidly and crowded out from their habitats. Harvests are also affected by climate change, which yield low amounts of honey, making market prices volatile.

To provide solutions to these sustainability and supply chain issues, California-based MeliBio has made honey without using bees. This is done through a scientific and proprietary approach that allows them to manufacture this plant-based product even without the insect.

Darko Mandich, CEO and Co-Founder of MeliBio said: “MeliBio is founded with the mission to make food in a way to save our planet Earth by ending our use of bees in honey production, and thereby helping to restore bee biodiversity amongst native and wild bees worldwide. Scientific advancements have created a very exciting position where humans can finally make one of their favorite foods without the use of animals. Honey is an ingredient found in every product category, from food to beverage and personal care products for which MeliBio is now providing a plant-based option. By bringing delicious, nutritious and real honey made without bees to the market, we are shaping our present and future in a way that is better for bees and for humans.”

This fully vegan, non-animal ingredient was introduced during an event organised at Cell Valley Labs in Berkeley, California. B2B customers and clients in the foodservice space can start placing orders for delivery by the end of 2021 and early 2022.

MeliBio Inc. is a venture-backed company founded in 2020. They were able to raise $1.5 million in pre-seed rounds from investors in the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia