Community Partnership Bee-hind Best Buy’s First Beehive
- by Guest
There’s nothing sweeter than local honey — unless its honey from your very own hives.
Pastry Chef Deb Thibodo’s house-made granola bars made with the harvested honey
The Bon Appétit team at Best Buy in Richfield, MN, has set up an unusual partnership to produce this golden liquid, from hives located on the Minnesota Independent Community College campus (MICC). Bon Appétit partners with MICC to hire graduates of its life-skills program to work at the café at the electronic retailer’s headquarters.
To help combat the decline of local bees, Best Buy’s Net Impact Chapter sponsored a hive at MICC, which is cared for by local experts from the University of Minnesota Bee Squad. Turns out the Best Buy bees are overachievers! The hive had an exceptional first year. They produced an excess of honey right off the bat. The culinary team has used the honey to help educate guests about the importance of bees for everyday ingredients. Pastry Chef Deb Thibodo used it to prepare house-made granola bars, which were offered along with celebratory “happy bee” cookies in the café — with a portion of the proceeds reserved to give back to the school.
Submitted by Susan Davis, General Manager