Get to know Rebeca from Royal Hawaiian Honey!

1) Why did you choose to start making your honey?

I chose to start making our honey line because I wanted to work with my dad in our family’s business. My dad has bee

n a beekeeper since before I was born, and it was natural for me to take his beautiful honeys to market. His farm, the Hawaiian Queen Co., produces select queen bees for export, and honey is a product of this process. He needed someone to help him bottle and sell it, and my partner, Luis Zevallos, and I decided it would be a great project to take on. Thus, our Royal Hawaiian Honey line was born.
2) What’s your secret weapon for making the best honey?

Our secret weapon for making the best honey is bringing it to our customers virtually unchanged from the way it is found in the hive. The best honey is unheated, unfiltered and never blended.

3) Which is your personal favorite and why?

My personal favorite is the Organic Christmas Berry. I like it the most because it is so complex, with hints of brown sugar and molasses. It is also full of antioxidants. I go through a 12oz. jar per week!

4) What is a unique way to enjoy one of your products?

I particularly like exposing consumers to pairing honeys with cheese. Our Macadamia Nut Blossom Honey pairs well with buttery and rich cheeses made from cow’s milk like a triple-crème or brie, or marscapone.

5) Any new products or flavors in the works?

Stay tuned…

6) What advice would you give to someone who wants to get started in the food business?

My advice to someone who wants to get into the food business is the following:

1. Make sure you have researched your product category well, and you are certain that your product idea will fit a niche that hasn’t already been covered. This is an extremely competitive business.

2. Contact your local SBA (Small Business Administration) and take as many classes as possible. This government-sponsored organization is an incredible, low-cost resource!

3. Get good funding before you start. Have a financial cushion in place that will keep you afloat while you get off the ground.

7) Which product on Foodzie makes you most hungry? We’ll chat with that producer next!

The product that really caught my attention was Quoddy’s smoked sea salt. I have recently gotten hooked on gourmet salts, since Hawaii produces some lovely ones, too. But a smoked salt! That sounds like a great addition to a salad I’d like to make… One should never under-estimate how the simplest of ingredients, like salt (or honey) can add a whole new dimension to a meal.

Posted in All Topics, Interviews & Buzz, Starting a Food Business