Relationships. We all know how important they can be, whether within our friend groups, families, or businesses. One of the most valuable relationships we have at Nature Nate’s Honey Co. is with our beekeepers. In our eyes, not all beekeepers are equal, and that’s a good thing. We support the ones who have the same vision as we do – to protect and take care of bees and their hives, not just profit from them. The beekeepers we partner with are top notch, and we want to introduce the man who helps keep everyone connected.
Meet TY, Honey Buyer for Nature Nate’s Honey Co.
Q: How would you describe your role on the Nature Nate’s team?
I’m the teammate who links arms with beekeepers from all across the country. I work to ensure that the honey crop they produce meets the high bar of excellence we require. I am passionate about our relationship with each and every beekeeper. I walk them through our quality standards, so they know not only who we are but what we look for when providing the highest quality honey to our customers. We pre-test every lot and do internal and external testing using an industry-leading QA process.
It’s also important that we know them by name. Who they are, what part of the country they live in, and what their process is when handling bees and the honey they produce. We mean what we say when you hear that we are more than just a honey company. We want to know them as people not just a means to an end.
Q: As a company, we strive to be leaders in educating consumers on why choosing raw and unfiltered honey over processed sugar is important as well as setting the highest quality standards in our field. What strides do you see us making to ensure both of these goals are met?
Many people are not aware of how rigorous our standards truly are when it comes to the honey we bottle. We test every honey lot we receive. Every single one. Some companies might test one out of every fifty lots they receive, thus not getting a true read on their product. We test every single lot. The amount of honey we turn away would probably surprise most people, but if our goal is to be the most trusted honey company on the market, we want to have high standards that meet that promise.
Q: The Nature Nate’s family implements a set of core values called the Bee Attitudes. Is there a specific attitude you strive to implement?
This one is easy for me: Bee Honest. As a honey buyer, it’s easy to make things sound better than they really are, but as someone who works daily with beekeepers to develop trust and relationships, we have to deliver straight-forward information to them. Whether it be a conversation or a contract, I want them to know they can be honest with me, and I’m going to be honest with them. It’s who we are as a company.
Q: What is something you want people to know about Nature Nate’s that they might not know from just looking at our orange label?
Nature Nate’s isn’t just about trying to make a dollar. We are striving to supply customers with the best honey available from nature. I’m one of the closest to the raw product as anyone, and I want to help ensure that 100% pure honey is the only thing added to each bottle.