Who we are
Upendo Honey is a social impact organic honey
company based in Kigoma, Tanzania. By working with traditional beekeepers in very remote forest and game reserves in Western Tanzania we bring high quality organic honey to customers all over the world.
We are certified to EU and USDA NOP organic standards and our facility in Kigoma uses modern equipment as well as adheres to HACCP food safety principles.
Why Tanzania? Why Honey?
Tanzania, especially the more remote western part is still endowed with large areas of pristine forest, ideal for the collection of forest honey. By creating a stable economy around honey, we can directly contribute to the conservation of these large forest areas.
We started the company after seeing that the existing markets for beekeepers were rife with problems. Uncertainty, non-payment, poor terms, and low pricing are common issues faced by traditional beekeepers in Tanzania. By accessing export markets through Organic certification and higher quality standards, we are able to provide a stable market, transparency, and significantly increased farm gate prices for the beekeepers. So far, we have been able to increase the price for honey for our 1,400 registered beekeepers in Western Tanzania by 30%. Providing them with access to equipment and training in the process.
Our day to day leadership team is comprised of Isabell von Oertzen, Arno Rohwedder and Alex Chetkovich. Our combined 35 years of experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa has helped us to navigate many of the problems that most agricultural companies face in Africa. Isabell, Arno and Alex comprise the company’s Board of Directors.
Our Team
We have over 40 full time employees, and during the honey seasons this goes up to over 60. Our team includes 15 Field Officers who liaise with beekeepers in the field and provide training as necessary. All our staff regularly undergoing training to ensure that quality standards are met and so that they can advance their knowledge and careers.
Most of our staff come from Kigoma Region, and we’re proud that we can say that we’re the largest private sector employer in the region!
Our Impact
We are very proud to share our Impact Report 2020 as well as our Carbon Report 2020. If you have any questions, comments, or feedback on either of these please do get in touch. We always seek to improve in everything we do and look forward to engaging constructively on these important issues.
Our Commitment to Food Safety and Our Certifications
At Upendo Honey (registered as Third Man Ltd) we are committed to food safety and are FSSC 22000 certified; one of the few companies in Tanzania to achieve this certification. Please find our food safety policy here.
In addition to this we are certified to USDA NOP and EU Organic standards. We are one of only two companies in Tanzania registered as a B-corp. We have also received a Silver Ecovadis sustainability rating.
