Don’t you love a little something sweet! Honey without saying, hits the spot, but Tu-Bees Gourmet Honey also comes along with an incredible story of two sisters with roots in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Today Tu-Bees Gourmet Honey is operated by Nicole Hein (19) and her sister Jessica Hein (18) along with the help of their mother, Gaye Sheppard. The company was founded when the sisters were just 12, and 11 years old. When we asked what the reason was behind creating Tu-Bees, their mother Gaye (marketing maven at Tu-Bees) says, at the time “Nicole was too young to get a job to buy a horse so she needed to come up with a great idea. She came up with honey in a tube.”
These two young women brought Tu-Bees to fruition, and today they market a variety of gourmet honey blends made with honey from Southern Saskatchewan, and flavored in their gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free facility. Since its beginning in 2007, Tu-Bees has expanded its product line from marketing two types of creamed honeys, packaged in squeezable tubes, to marketing a complete line of gourmet honey blends available in laminate tubes and two sizes of jars. They have taken special care not only with their honey but with their packaging, opting for tubes and lids that are BPA Free and contain no phthalates.
When we asked Gaye to share some insight into their goals at Tu-Bees she shared it is, “to provide consumers with a quick and simple way to enjoy a naturally sweet product that is of the highest quality and flavour.”
In case you’re wondering, Nicole did get her horse in the end, and today she works as an exercise rider, in Edmonton, Alberta. Although she’s living out of Saskatchewan she remains busy with Tu-Bees and visits home often to help with business operations, offering behind the scenes support, and participating in trade shows and events. She’s earned the title of ‘Queen Bee’ at Tu-Bees.
Jessica has continued to move up the ropes taking on responsibility for quality control at Tu-Bees and is shining in her new role as the key spokesperson for the company. She’s always hard at work as Tu-Bees “Worker Bee”.
Curious about mom? Well Gaye, she is busy buzzing about behind the scenes as Tu-Bees Marketing Maven, and loves to interact with customers on social media, infusing a little humor along the way. One of her favourite things to ask a new person is “Have you squeezed your honey today?” Laughing, she’ll say, “with a tube of Tu-Bees Gourmet honey, now you can!”
Honey is incredibly versatile and the perfect compliment to a warm cup of tea, spread over a slice or whole grain toast, or as a sweetener in place of sugar in cooking. We asked the crew at Tu-Bees to share one of their favourite festive recipes perfect for fall that incorporates their honey. Here it is! “Ginger Honey Chicken” made with Tu-Bees Gourmet Ginger Honey.
To learn more about Tu-Bees and where you can purchase their gourmet honey visit tu-bees.com.
Connect with Tu-Bees on Facebook or tweet @TuBees_Honey.
TU-BEE’S GINGER HONEY CHICKEN
Ingredients
• 2 lbs of diced uncooked chicken breast
• 1/3 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup Tu-Bees Gourmet Ginger Honey
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350F.
2. In a shallow dish combine the flower and seasonings. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.
3. Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt remaining butter and add honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and ginger.
5. After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour sauce mixture evenly over chicken.
6. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently. Serve over rice.
Tip: Double the sauce ingredients to make more to serve over the rice.
