|

Vision ~ Background ~ The Honey ~ Social
Responsibility ~ Environmental
Responsibility
Vision
The vision of VOLCANO
ISLAND HONEY COMPANY, LLC is to share A Taste
of the Magic of Hawaii® by creating excellent products with
integrity while providing employees the opportunity for continuous
personal growth, in an environment of inspiration, creativity, responsibility
and collaborative decision making. The positive energy generated
in this environment will be infused in the products created by VIHC
and therefore be available in a subtle seed form to those who purchase
and use VIHC products.
VIHC is committed to:
implementing
meticulous standards of quality and integrity throughout the business
discovering
and employing procedures that are in harmony with nature
continuous
improvement in its beekeeping and production techniques
continuous
growth for those working at VIHC .
Background
VIHC is a small family owned and
operated honey business that has been producing this rare and unique
honey, Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey, from a single kiawe forest
on the Big Island of Hawaii for 27 years. The business was begun
as a hobby by Richard Spiegel in1975. Until 1981 the honey was
given away to family and friends.
National Geographic Traveler magazine calls VIHC a "food artisan"
company ... that puts "passion" and "heart"
into its products. In 1981 the first VIHC label was designed and
small quantities of kiawe honey were bottled to be sold. In 1982
Dietrich Varez, a well known artist from Volcano, recognizing the
quality of this honey, donated one of his original block prints
to be used on the VIHC label. His print Poi Ulu now appears on all
the labels and has become the VIHC logo.
The
Honey
VIHC is committed to producing the highest quality, most delectable
honey available. National Geographic Traveler Magazine calls Rare
Hawaiian Organic White Honey "...some of the best honey in
the entire world." Discovery Channel's national television
show Epicurious called the honey "a miracle."
Rare Hawaiian Organic White Honey is harvested from only one unique
forest of Kiawe trees at sea level on the dry side of the Big Island.
A combination of natural circumstances, desert trees with natural
subterranean irrigation, in the Puako Kiawe forest creates this
unique, world-class honey at an exceptional level of quality and
purity. No other known grove of Kiawe trees has the same characteristics
as the Puako grove.
Historically other beekeepers produced nearly a million pounds
of honey from the Puako forest per year. But none realized the world
class quality of the honey if meticulously and naturally handled
with sensitivity to the bees and the environment - until VIHC.
Social
Responsibility Commitment
VIHC is a good example of value-added, sustainable, diversified,
organic agriculture and employs community members in the economically
depressed area of Ahualoa in Hamakua district on the Big Island
to produce our products. VIHC is committed to managing business
activities with integrity while creating and implementing employment
procedures that encourage continuous personal growth and open, honest
communication.
School classes from all over the island are welcome and come for
inspiring, educational tours and a taste of our delicious honey.
Each child leaves with their own tiny jar of honey and a spoon.
As part of its commitment to the local community VIHC provides local
community members with the same very expensive, exclusive, gourmet
honey at affordable prices.
VIHC represents the state of Hawaii nationally and internationally
by producing and exporting a local, high quality, gourmet, organically
grown and produced agricultural product.
VIHC donates 0.5% of gross sales to socially and environmentally
responsible non profit organizations.
Environmental
Responsibility
VIHC is committed to continuous improvement in its beekeeping techniques
and uses nonviolent and non toxic methods to harvest honey and in
all aspects of the production of its products. VIHC harvests only
surplus honey stored by the bees leaving the bees enough honey for
their needs. VIHC never feeds sugar to our bee colonies. VIHC uses
no toxic materials at any point in the husbandry, harvest or production
process.
Honeybees have the lowest negative environmental impact of any
agricultural endeavor. Their footprint is small, less than an acre
for 100 or more colonies, while their positive effect is large -
pollination of flowers growing within 2-4 miles in every direction
from the colonies.
VIHC products, processes and facilities are third party certified
organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI) the largest organic
certifier in the country.
|