From Beekeeping to Sports Fuel: The HiveEnergy Story So Far
- Megan Meade
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
In 2020, what began as a simple hobby took a surprising turn into something much more. HiveEnergy wasn’t born in a boardroom or backed by a big investor—it started with a beekeeper’s suit, a few hives, and a spark of inspiration.
Stephen Beeby, a self-proclaimed hobbyist with a track record of entrepreneurship, decided to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and try his hand at beekeeping. At first, it was just a weekend passion. But if you know Stephen, you know he doesn’t do anything by halves. Before long, what started as a handful of hives turned into a full-scale honey operation, complete with a processing plant in Mill Park Storage, Mosgiel.
Around the same time, Stephen’s wife Kirsten—an avid sports nutrition enthusiast and mum to two competitive teenage swimmers and triathletes—was deep into her own research. On the hunt for clean, effective fuel for her kids’ training and races, she started comparing the benefits of natural products to conventional sports drinks and gels. Her findings were compelling: pure honey, in its most natural state, could deliver the same energy benefits, without the artificial ingredients. It was gut-friendly, fast-acting, and entirely natural.
That lightbulb moment brought everything together. HiveEnergy was born—a fusion of Stephen’s growing honey business and Kirsten’s passion for sports nutrition.
With a clear vision in place, the Honey House was expanded, and Stephen tapped into his overseas manufacturing contacts to source the specialized equipment needed to create New Zealand’s first natural sports gel based on pure honey. The result? A fuel source that’s not only clean and effective, but proudly local.
But of course, the story doesn’t end there.
Stephen’s entrepreneurial spirit never sleeps—especially on long-haul flights. Kirsten and Megan (business manager ) have learned to brace themselves every time he gets on a 10-hour plane ride. Too much thinking time usually means a new idea is brewing!
Right now, Stephen is overseas once again, investigating tools and technology for another exciting HiveEnergy product. What’s next? Even we’re not quite sure of the final product—but we know it’s be innovative, natural, and designed with performance in mind (slight hint in the pic).
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