HoneyBee & Co.: From Transylvanian Apiaries to Three Consecutive Vogue Features

A jar of HoneyBee & Co. Acacia Honey displayed on a white marble table surrounded by elegant desserts, olives, berries, and a bouquet of white roses, creating a refined and luxurious setting.

Last Updated on October 25, 2025

By Dragos Nistor, Founder & CEO, HoneyBee & Co.
October 2024

I learned beekeeping from five in a Transylvanian acacia forest. My grandfather placed a smoker in my hand and a dripping frame in the other. Six generations of my family have harvested honey the same way: raw, unfiltered, and cold-extracted. That discipline defines HoneyBee & Co. and explains our presence in three consecutive Vogue UK summer 2024 editions.

Our Founders. Nistor Fanel and Nistor Dragos. Two Romanian beekeepers standing together near colourful hives in the countryside, representing HoneyBee & Co.’s partnership with local beekeepers and sustainable honey sourcing. — Proud beekeepers whose skill and tradition help create HoneyBee & Co.’s raw, unfiltered honey crafted with care, from hive to jar. 🍯
– Fanel Nistor to the left – Dragos Nistor On the right –

At 27 I relocated to London, graduated from Greenwich University with a business degree, and in 2020 founded HoneyBee & Co.. We operate from Buckinghamshire and the Midlands.

Sunflower, Linden, and Acacia honeys come directly from my family’s Romanian apiaries. Heather honey is sourced from the Yorkshire Moors, Soft Set and Wildflower from the Midlands. Every British purchase funds hive expansion and wildflower restoration.

Inclusion is editorial, requiring alignment with the magazine’s standards for authenticity and supply-chain transparency. The three-month run validates a supply model that is vertically integrated for Romanian lines and contractually regenerative for British ones.

June – Hot List
Our Heather Honey appeared in the season’s definitive luxury roundup. The caption read: “An exquisitely British treasure gathered from the untouched beauty of the Yorkshire moors.” It sat alongside premium gins and seasonal produce, selected for provenance and flavour depth.

July – Great Taste
Wildflower Honey featured in the wellness-focused “Bask in Wellness” section. Editors highlighted its enzymatic profile and role as a natural functional sweetener. The spread aligned with our partnership with London Pulse Netball, where players use the honey for sustained energy.

August – Summer Hamper
Acacia and Wildflower varietals were curated into the gifting guide. Positioned as “the hidden gem for elevated summer hampers,” they complemented craft beers and rosés. The issue closed the trilogy opposite Suki Waterhouse’s cover.

HoneyBee & Co. remains a micro-producer. Scale is measured in hectares preserved and colonies supported. The Vogue recognition confirms that rigorous sourcing and editorial alignment can elevate a family operation into a global conversation.

Dragos Nistor is the founder of HoneyBee & Co., a family-led purveyor of premium, sustainable honeys. Follow @honeybeeandco.uk for recipes, stories, and sustainable sips. Single-origin honey. honeybeeandco.uk

Dragos Nistor

Dragos Nistor is the Founder of HoneyBee & Co., a family-run honey brand built on generations of beekeeping heritage and a deep respect for nature. With roots in Transylvanian apiculture, Dragos combines traditional beekeeping knowledge with modern sustainability principles to bring raw, unfiltered honey from hive to jar.

Driven by a belief that quality food should be transparent, ethical, and traceable, Dragos is passionate about educating consumers on honey authenticity, biodiversity, and responsible harvesting practices. His work focuses on protecting pollinators, supporting sustainable agriculture, and preserving the natural environments that bees depend on.

Through HoneyBee & Co., Dragos aims to reconnect people with real honey, produced slowly, naturally, and without compromise. His writing explores beekeeping traditions, honey varieties, sustainability, and the vital role bees play in our ecosystems.