Our Story

About Us

Ashburton Apiaries has a beekeeping legacy that dates back more than 50 years.

What started out as a passionate hobby for Geoff Bongard has grown into a sustainable family business with three permanent staff and the inclusion of temporary staff as each season predicts.

Although, when he left school, Geoff initially set out to engage in the dairy industry, but prevailing economic and climatic drought conditions at the time lured him into bee farming. This paved the way for an adventure that has lasted for most of his working life. Geoff Bongard in the company of his wife Angela started their small business in 1981 with 400 hives. This eventuated after Geoff had spent many years honing his skills working for other large established beekeeping businesses.

Over the following years the business has grown, influenced by the annual climate and the dollar value of the product produced. Each year is very different with regards to climatic conditions and the quantity of product produced.

Today Ashburton Apiaries Ltd is MPI certified (Ministry of Primary Industries) and is one of New Zealand’s top suppliers of premium products to the New Zealand and Global Markets.

At Ashburton Apiaries, we are all about producing only superior quality honey.

Our flagship honey varieties, the clover honey and honeydew, are some of New Zealand’s best!

We are major suppliers to markets in New Zealand. The business is located on the rich alluvial plains of Canterbury, in the town of Ashburton, where Geoff and his family reside.

Our Journey

The business that was developed in 1981 by Geoff and Angela continued with 400 hives for five years.

In 1986 a further 200 hives were purchased from a retiring beekeeper who lived in the small town of Mount Somers – Geoff was working the hives by himself at this stage.

In 1994 a further 250 hives were purchased – this then allowed us to employ and train a beekeeper on a full-time basis.

The next big development came in 1998, we bought more hives from a retiring Ashburton beekeeper. These hives were situated in the Foothills of Mid Canterbury. This is where our bees are able to gather Honeydew from the Southern Beech Tree.

Ashburton Apiaries operated as a Partnership from 1981 to 2005 when we formed a Limited Company using the same name.

From 2005, The Company was now running 1400 hives and required two full time beekeepers to help Geoff manage the apiary.

2005 to present day the Company has been able to increase the hive holdings to guarantee full time employment for all our staff.

2018 – Geoff is now approaching retirement and is pleased his son, Greg, has chosen to become the second-generation owner of Ashburton Apiaries Limited.

Call Us +64 3 308 3927

Visit our Shop 205 Alford Forest Road, Ashburton 7700