Project's presentation and history.

L'Atelier du Miel was founded in 2013 by three urban young men: An architect, an engineer, and a business consultant, as a personal journey to reconnect with nature.

L'Atelier du Miel has quickly emerged as a loved startup: That wishes to share its discoveries with their customers, to help them immerse themselves in nature, craftsmanship, and good taste.

L'Atelier du Miel remains faithful to the same homey culture that started in the kitchen of the mother of one of our founders. She is still today the main chef at L'Atelier du Miel, with the help of her mother too.

Thirst for Nature:

With an urban background and office jobs, nature was distant. Yet a vibrant dream that we shared. We felt the need to connect with nature and had many ideas to do so. However, when beekeeping came to our mind, it directly thrilled us. What is unique about beekeeping is that it is not limited to a single location, a single flower, or a single season. Bees are the cornerstone of nature and its catalyst. You can move the bees anywhere where flowers blossom, in any season, hence offering us a window to all of nature.

Trust:

Honey was disappearing from all kitchen, being the third most cheated food product in the world. When we got our first hives back in 2013, our goal was (and still is) to re-establish the trust of the people with the purest product of nature.

The Honey Trail:

As newcomers to beekeeping, we used our fresh eye to our advantage, proposing a new approach that focuses on the aspiration of the customer in terms of quality, transparency, and a unique enriching experience. We started moving our beehives to regions with different altitudes and environments around the seasons, following a specific trail. It provided our bees with foraging grounds and natural resources all year let us bring unique natural, and new tastes to our customers: The Untouched Essence of nature in a jar, more than 20 types of honey from the best locations in Lebanon, with enriching information about their origins, their quality and health benefits. It is guaranteed 100% raw. It is untouched from hive to jar, not heated, not filtered, or transformed in any way. Our honey is single-origin. It is not blended. Each harvest in each apiary is filled in its jars and labeled as per the region. Our raw honey is guaranteed free from antibiotics, pesticide residue, and or any added sugars. The honey trail was an occasion for us to meet artisans from different trades and obtain from them exclusive accessories and packages such as the terracotta from Bkerzai, the honey dippers integrating the ornate firebird of Jezzine or the mosaic wood of Tripoli, as well as our signature wood boxes. Our packages are handmade and designed to repurpose.

Partnership with Beekeepers:

The demand for our products quickly grew, and we had to ask ourselves how to increase our production while keeping the same artisanal methods. Our solution was to create a network of artisanal beekeepers that we provide with a quality assurance program. By doing so, we increased our supply instead of our production and helped communities prosper. We now work with a network of more than 30 beekeepers who follow our quality standards. We also empower communities by providing beekeeping training in partnership with NGOs.

A Mother’s Kitchen:

During the first few years, the kitchen of the mother of the founder was where we filled our honey jars. She also made L'Atelier du Miel’s delicacies herself, with the help of her mother.

Today, although we have moved to a more advanced workshop, we keep the same homey culture that emanated from her kitchen: She still makes the delicacies and manages the kitchen with the support of her mother. As you guessed, they are homemade with the love of a mother.

Don’t be shy to indulge yourself with our raw honey nougat, honey mead, and honey jams! .          

How did you become green entrepreneurs?

We felt that we had to make one of two choices, either work for a sustainable future, one that is more just, prosperous, and enjoyable for everyone. Or work towards quick personal gains, a choice that would eventually turn against us. We chose the first choice, to work in sync with nature and the communities surrounding us and provide clean and nurturing food for our customers. 

Why did you choose to partner with Fondation Diane?

Mainly for two reasons:

 

1- The Integrity and honesty of Fondation Diane drive to work for a better Lebanon, its nature, and society.

2- The dynamic spirit of its founder Mrs. Fadel, who worked against the current to establish a green investment fund when everyone in Lebanon was after the quick gains of a failed economy. And who continues today in the same drive despite the increasing difficulties.

Do you have a message for future entrepreneurs?

Although it is crucial for entrepreneurs today to put all their efforts into surviving the current economic crisis, my advice to them is to stay aspirational and think big.