‘Help the bee’ charity wine launched

Manchester importer Morgenrot has teamed up with UK pub chain Mitchells & Butler (M&B) to launch Planetbee – a South African Chenin Blanc whose profits will go toward supporting the conservation of the bee.

Planetbee and the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) is hoping to counter the declining bee population in the UK which is in serious decline the world over.

Without bees, the world’ crop yields would drop dramatically with estimates of one-third of all the food we eat relying on bees for its production.

Einstein once warned: “Once the bees have left earth, man will have four years left on the planet”.

For every bottle of the wine sold 50 pence will be donated to the Friends of the Honey Bee national fundraising campaign, set up by the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA), alongside the slogan “Help the Bee, buy Planetbee”.

Money raised will go toward fighting the Varroa Mite, which infests hives and destroys honey bee colonies, and to nationwide projects aimed at increasing the number of pollen and nectar-rich pollinating flowers, plants and trees that bees need to thrive and prosper.

Jane Moseley BBKA General Secretary & Operations Director said: “[M&B’s] support of the BBKA’s ‘Friends of the Honey Bee’ will help raise awareness of the importance of planting year round nutrient rich forage that will support honey bees and other pollinators, create habitat and improve bio-diversity. Importantly too it will raise much needed funds for vital Varroa research.”

Henry Boyes, wine buyer for Mitchell & Butlers said: “As soon as we were presented with the concept, tasted the wine and saw the packaging we were keen to get involved. We are delighted to be able to support this initiative and to be able to do so in a way that is fun, relevant, engaging and hopefully very enjoyable for our guests”

The wine will launch in All Bar One sites this week followed by a May roll out in more than 120 of M&B’s country pub sites.