Meet the 14-year-old owner of a successful honey company

Global Business

Recent studies have found that honeybee populations around the world have declined by around 40 percent.

Experts cite mites, pesticides and a lack of biodiversity in farming as major causes. As Mark Niu reports, one young entrepreneur in California is inspiring both young and old individuals to understand the value of these creatures.

In Carmel, California, Jake Reisdorf uses a smoker to calm his honeybees, so he can safely check how they’re doing.

Jake also has someone checking up on how he’s doing mom and dad.

At just 14-years-old, Jake is the successful owner and operator of the Carmel Honey Company, which sells a variety of honey products to more than 100 wholesalers. He’s got plans for more.

“We’re hoping to take it as far and widen it out as far, [and] as long as we can. Basically, we have some ideas for some pretty cool things in the future,” said Jake.

The honey from Jake’s hives ends up in four varietals – wildflower, orange blossom, sage and meadow foam. No preservatives, no additives, just pure raw honey. The flavor is based upon on what the bees have foraged on. So you really get a distinct flavor. Mark takes a bite.

Jake’s honey is used at many upscale restaurants like Poppy Hills Golf Course’s Porter’s in the Forest.

Carmel Honey Company also runs a hive placement service where they manage around 100 hives on other people’s property with the incentive being to split the honey and pollinate their plants.

It’s not an easy business. Jake lost around 45-percent of his bees last year. On top of that, beekeeping itself also appears to be a dying profession.

“The average age of a beekeeper is around 70. And usually generation after generation after generation, sometimes the profession’s not being taken up by their kids,” said Jake. “We’re trying to make it more attractive to younger people and to make it a profession that people will wanna get into.”

That’s why another part of his business is educating the community.

Jake has visions of creating a honey-tasting room or maybe a pollination center. But give him time. His first order of business is finishing middle school.


Chef uses honey from Jake Reisdorf to make recipe

Jake Reisdorf honey has been gaining major popularity with local chefs, including Johnny De Vivo, who shows how he uses the honey in a recipe.