Launching the Boland Trees for Bees Pledge Fund

Boland Cellar and The Bee Effect Boland Trees for Bees pledge fund.

It is a great day when we see brands and business putting their weight behind environmental needs and Boland Cellar, committed to a sustainability strategy, have done just that in their collaboration with The Bee Effect to create a pledge fund to develop bee food diversity in reforestation projects with Greenpop in South Africa. Endorsed by the Western Cape Bee Industry Association, the pledge fund has been kicked off by Boland Cellar with a donation of R100 000,00 – and we are calling on other brands to get behind this much needed program to support a tiny creature that plays a valuable role in maintaining our biodiversity, rich in flora and colour, without which our world would look very different, and importantly too, without honey bees we would not have some of the foods we have come to expect as part of our daily lives. 

The critical role they play in our food systems and our environments is well-documented and one of the key stressors contributing to their decline in health and number is a growing lack of forage. A situation made worse by the recent droughts and fires that our country has been experiencing.  Our pledge fund is our helping hand to support reforestation that will offer trees for bees. 

Greenpop have two projects that we are supporting at the onset, one in Platbos in the Western Cape and the other in Hogsback in the Eastern Cape.  These Forests for Life reforestation projects need at least 10% in the planting mix to support honey bee foraging.  In their project scopes this equates to needing funds to the tune of R4.5million to plant up 37000 trees.  A target for 2025.  Boland Cellar and The Bee Effect believe we can knock the years off that if other brands pull together and commit to an annuity stream into the pledge.

Commitment to last!

Boland Cellar are leading the way and have gone so far as to support an annuity commitment to the pledge fund in two ways, with the launch of the honey bee centric Melita range, and by offering up a portion of sales from their full bottled range, both local and international, to the pledge. 

The cause related low-alcohol Melita range is the first of its kind for the wine industry in SA, and is being launched to drive home sustained awareness for honey bees, a range that tells the story of this collaboration for honey bees in its namesake of Melita, a name that has its origin in ancient Greek mythology derived from goddess Melissa, a goddess regarded as the keeper of bees and honey making, with Melissae being a reference to all Greek priestesses who served the beekeeping process. A more modern version of Melita, also of Greek origin, is as a girl’s name meaning “honey-sweet”.

“What we love about this collaboration is the thinking behind bringing to life the story of the honey bee in combination with a new product to showcase this, dedicated to a program that supports them. We are simply thrilled at the commitment to honey bee sustainability.” Eve Puttergill – Founder of The Bee Effect

The elegant range label designs, inspired by the collaboration between nature and winemaker, has resulted in a specific fauna and flora design representing bee forage, as well as the honey bee itself.  With The Bee Effect logo beautifully showcased you will know that each purchase of Melita contributes to planting Trees for Bees

“Brands and corporate structures need to become more sustainable and add authentic value in our local and global communities.” says Anneen Du Toit of Boland Cellar. “This is what Boland Cellar is committed to, and we are truly excited that this innovative range can help us achieve that.”

The Melita range launches with a low-alcohol Chenin Blanc and Pinotage in South African stores in March 2020.

Boland Trees for Bees_The Bee Effect
Good Bee Food_The Bee Effect
Boland Trees for Bees _ The Bee Effect
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