What problem does BEE & YOU solve?
Propolis is an utterly natural bee product with potent antioxidant and antimicrobial effects that bees collect from the leaves, stems, and buds of plants. Bees use it to destroy microbes in the hive and ensure sterilization. Bees first cover their cells with propolis, and then the queen lays her eggs in the cells. In this way, the eggs are developed healthily. In addition, bees put honey, pollen, and royal jelly in the honeycomb eyes coated with propolis. Thus, the products of the bees are kept intact in the hive.
In addition to its antioxidant and antibacterial activities, propolis has antifungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor activities.
- Respiratory tract diseases, infections,
- Asthma, bronchitis, bronchiolitis,
- Gastrointestinal disorders, infections,
- Oral aphthae, sores, oral herpes,
- Diabetes and blood sugar stabilizer,
- Cancer,
- Urinary system infections,
- Toothache and tooth infections,
- Heart diseases,
- Cholesterol-lowering effect,
- Pain and antipyretic effects,
- Anti-aging,
- Effect against sunburns and wound healing,
- Scientific studies show positive effects when used to support treatment in many different diseases, including allergic reactions.
Tell us about the founder. What is their background? How did they come up with the idea?
Dr. Aslı Elif Tanuğur Samancı is one of the founders of BEE&YOU, Turkey’s first and only innovation award-winning propolis producer. She graduated from the Department of Food Engineering of Istanbul Technical University in 1996 and earned her M.Sc. degree in Food Engineering at Istanbul Technical University. Department in 2002. In the meantime, she studied for an MBA at the same university. Years later, she was granted a Ph.D. degree in biology from Düzce University, Turkey. Dr. Tanuğur Samancı became aware of the healing power of propolis and royal jelly while searching for a solution for her son’s immune problem. After learning that these products were primarily imported from China, she decided to produce them for her son. Then she initiated a business to make these precious products available for every mother looking for natural remedies for their children.
BEE&YOU was founded in 2013 at the Technology Development Area of Istanbul Technical University by Dr. Aslı Elif Tanuğur Samancı, Agricultural Engineer and Beekeeping Specialist Taylan Samancı, and her academic advisor Prof. Dr. Dilek Boyacıoğlu to start production of propolis in Turkey, developing value-added natural supplements out of bee products. BEE&YOU introduced a unique business model called “Contracted Beekeeping” to secure a sustainable supply of high-quality bee products while working with exclusively contracted beekeepers who only produce for BEE&YOU with good beekeeping practices.
Now it is Turkey’s largest producer of Anatolian propolis, royal jelly, pollen, bee bread, and raw honey. She produces 100% natural, value-added bee products in Turkey and exports them to many countries. She makes steps towards making Anatolian propolis known as a world brand. Until today, her brand was deemed worthy of 43 different awards, 15 of which were international, in the fields of R&D, innovation, woman entrepreneurship, and the quality of the products.
How can this transform the world or our day-to-day lives?
As you know, due to global warming and increasing industrial environmental pollution, the biodiversity in the ecosystem is getting more and more dangerous day by day. These dangers and risks also affect the sustainability of agriculture. For this reason, the continuity of beekeeping and bee products and the continuity of biodiversity in the ecosystem are closely related to each other. While the existence of sustainable beekeeping and bee products positively contributes to agriculture and nutrition, the valuable compounds in natural bee products benefit human health. In this way, while the life of bees is guaranteed, the ecosystem’s continuity and supply of viable species are ensured. Because if there are bees, there is life.
What do customers love most about the product?
All our products are 100% natural. It does not contain added preservatives, additives, sugar, sweetener, or oil/fat. After being harvested from the hive, all analyzes are performed by expert food engineers and delivered to our customers. Our customers are thrilled that they can safely add these additive-free and natural products to their daily diets. Because when we look at the labels of many products on the market, we notice the presence of additives that are harmful to health. Bee products are entirely natural and have many benefits for human health. Innovative value-added products developed from bee products are safe to use as mixtures, syrups, throat sprays, and skin care products.
Where can people get this product?
Products in the USA are available through our e-commerce site (www.beeandyou.com), Amazon, Trader Joe’s, CVS Pharmacy chains, and 3500 retail outlets in several states. BEE&YOU products are exported to many countries such as Cyprus, China, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Qatar, France, Germany, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, England, Denmark, and United Arab Emirates.
*Available for purchase at www.beeandyou.com, Trader Joe’s & Amazon*
