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.
– 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
