Sustainability & Impact | Bush and the Bee

Our impact

Conscious choices every step of the way

Responsible where possible.

We believe that a fair and responsible product is more than just what's in the jar. It requires conscious choices throughout the entire supply chain. From packaging and transport to production and collaboration: every step has an impact.

Unfortunately, we are not superheroes. Saving the world is not our goal. We take a realistic and pragmatic look at the things we can directly impact and how we can do them better. In addition to making a beautiful natural product accessible, we actively invest in reducing our environmental impact and improving the living environment of bees.

CO2 offsetting

We invest in the living environment of the bee

Sustainably packaged

CO2 offsetting

From harvest to transport

Our Mānuka honey travels a long way: from the green hills of New Zealand to your kitchen table. Unfortunately, such a long journey also entails CO2 emissions, and that doesn't quite fit such a beautiful natural product.

In the entire process from production and packaging to international transport, CO2 emissions are unavoidable. We try to prevent this as much as possible and compensate where necessary.

The apiary in New Zealand is Toitū net carbonzero certified. This means that CO2 emissions are independently measured, verified, and reduced where possible on an annual basis. Emissions that cannot be avoided are offset with certified carbon offsetting projects that contribute to nature restoration.

We compensate for the emissions from international transport through Trees for All. With this, we contribute to forest restoration and new plantings worldwide. We don't simply 'wipe away' our emissions, but we do invest in trees and nature projects that will demonstrably absorb CO2 in the coming years and contribute to greater biodiversity and a healthier living environment for humans and animals.

We invest in the living environment of bees

Minimum 2 m² per pot

Where would we be without bees? These tiny, diligent workers play an indispensable role in our nature and food supply. At the same time, their habitat is under pressure worldwide. We want to do something about that!

That's why with every order, we give away a sachet of organic flower and herb mix for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. Good for at least 1 m² of floral splendor. With this, you can make a difference in your own backyard, balcony, park, or roadside! And it also looks beautiful.

In addition, for every jar of honey sold, we create 1 m² of extra bee habitat on the Bush and the Bee field in Drenthe. This way, with every order, you help contribute to a thriving environment for bees.

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The idea behind our glass jars

A conscious choice for quality, appearance, and circularity.

A special product deserves premium packaging, which is why we choose glass jars. These protect the natural quality of the honey and do not transfer any odor, taste, or other substances to the contents. This positively influences shelf life. Additionally, glass has a timeless, high-quality appearance and allows the honey to be fully appreciated. Because let's be honest: you don't drink wine from a plastic bottle.

Furthermore, we consider glass a more sustainable choice. Glass can be recycled infinitely without loss of quality. According to Verpact, in 2024, 78% of glass packaging was recycled in the Netherlands, compared to 49% of plastic packaging. Metal packaging, such as our lids, even scored 97%.*

Of course, glass also has disadvantages. Production consumes more energy, and due to its higher weight, transport causes more CO2 emissions than plastic. We include these emissions in our CO2 calculations and compensate for them by investing in the aforementioned nature projects.

*In this comparison, we look at statistics for non-circular packaging.