A local, minority owned business has been making an impact to the Chicagoland farm-to-table food movement by providing local and infused honey at area restaurants and over 200 stores. Founder Abdullah Motiwala created Bensenville-based Heaven’s Honey, localizing the condiment in an effort to revive the dying bee population and to fund local farmers. In business since 2015, Heaven’s Honey is now featured in dishes at many restaurants in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, and is available at several area grocery store chains.
“The local food movement has been booming for years. People have already been buying local produce and local meats- but there are even more benefits to buying honey locally,” Motiwala said. He added that these benefits include not only buying a superior product, but also positive environmental and health benefits.
Heaven’s Honey has established a farmer co-op network, working closely with farmers in Illinois to harvest local, raw, unfiltered and unpasteurized honey while avoiding any pesticides in the flowers and blooms. Heaven’s Honey also supports local agriculture by partnering with farmers in Wisconsin to provide a signature line of Grade A Wisconsin Maple Syrup.
According to the National Honey Board, over 75 percent of the world’s food crops rely on pollinators like bees, birds and other insects. Heaven’s Honey is committed to re-investing in the local bee population to support bee preservation. For many farmers earning a “livable income through honey is extremely difficult, many farmers are selling at farmers markets just to make ends meet and when I saw them struggling I knew had to create a way to provide a sustainable living for farmers” said Motiwala.
According to the National Honey Board, sugar and other sweeteners are the second most common condiment. Heaven’s Honey is 100 percent honey and contains no preservatives and no additives, unlike commercial honeys, which can come from multiple geographical areas and are likely to be lower grade. Heaven’s Honey customers increasingly purchase local honey to remedy allergies, and infuse flavors, including lemon, cinnamon, hickory smoked and hot habanero.
“As a former Executive Chef, honey has so many different applications and uses. Check out our Instagram- or look at the amount of Chicago chefs that have come up with amazing dishes inspired by our honey. Everyone should have a jar of honey in their cabinets to take their own cooking to another level,” said Heaven's Honey, VP of Business Development, Aaron Andrews.
Heaven's Honey works with Chicago culinary groups such as Alinea Group by Grant Achatz, and 200 other restaurants such as DineAmic Group helmed by Fabio Viviani, Boka Group, Gibsons Restaurant Group, Lettuce Entertain You and Fry The Coop. Along with Albertson's and Kroger supporting their mission, they are able to continue their efforts to revive the threatened bee population.
A local, minority owned business has been making an impact to the Chicagoland farm-to-table food movement by providing local and infused honey at area restaurants and over 200 stores. Founder Abdullah Motiwala created Bensenville-based Heaven’s Honey, localizing the condiment in an effort to revive the dying bee population and to fund local farmers. In business since 2015, Heaven’s Honey is now featured in dishes at many restaurants in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, and is available at several area grocery store chains.
“The local food movement has been booming for years. People have already been buying local produce and local meats- but there are even more benefits to buying honey locally,” Motiwala said. He added that these benefits include not only buying a superior product, but also positive environmental and health benefits.
Heaven’s Honey has established a farmer co-op network, working closely with farmers in Illinois to harvest local, raw, unfiltered and unpasteurized honey while avoiding any pesticides in the flowers and blooms. Heaven’s Honey also supports local agriculture by partnering with farmers in Wisconsin to provide a signature line of Grade A Wisconsin Maple Syrup.
According to the National Honey Board, over 75 percent of the world’s food crops rely on pollinators like bees, birds and other insects. Heaven’s Honey is committed to re-investing in the local bee population to support bee preservation. For many farmers earning a “livable income through honey is extremely difficult, many farmers are selling at farmers markets just to make ends meet and when I saw them struggling I knew had to create a way to provide a sustainable living for farmers” said Motiwala.
According to the National Honey Board, sugar and other sweeteners are the second most common condiment. Heaven’s Honey is 100 percent honey and contains no preservatives and no additives, unlike commercial honeys, which can come from multiple geographical areas and are likely to be lower grade. Heaven’s Honey customers increasingly purchase local honey to remedy allergies, and infuse flavors, including lemon, cinnamon, hickory smoked and hot habanero.
“As a former Executive Chef, honey has so many different applications and uses. Check out our Instagram- or look at the amount of Chicago chefs that have come up with amazing dishes inspired by our honey. Everyone should have a jar of honey in their cabinets to take their own cooking to another level,” said Heaven's Honey, VP of Business Development, Aaron Andrews.
Heaven's Honey works with Chicago culinary groups such as Alinea Group by Grant Achatz, and 200 other restaurants such as DineAmic Group helmed by Fabio Viviani, Boka Group, Gibsons Restaurant Group, Lettuce Entertain You and Fry The Coop. Along with Albertson's and Kroger supporting their mission, they are able to continue their efforts to revive the threatened bee population.
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