Mom's Organic Market Buzzing With 'Bee-Commerce'

Maryland-based Mom's Organic Market is doing its part to boost the area's agricultural health with a program that offers customers a chance to order a queen bee and nucleus hive to their local store for pickup. Officials say the response has already been enormous. 

The retailer teamed up with Richland Honey Bees to create the BeeSA (Bee Supported Agriculture) program, which aims to rebuild local pollinator communities as part of the retailer's goal to "protect and restore the environment," according to Mom's founder and CEO Scott Nash.

Mom's Communications Director Christine Koetz told WGB the retailer started receiving questions about the program as soon as signs were posted about it, and it sold about 60% of the available hives within the first three days.

"In addition to the stores fielding phone calls, we received feedback on social media and several emails from interested customers—they expressed the same kind of enjoyment that we see with most of our environmental initiatives," said Koetz. "Some customers were curious about training in preparation for beekeeping, so we directed them to some online resources we put together on our website and let them know that they can buy beekeeping equipment at specific Mom's locations."

Koetz said Lynn White of the Richland Honey Bees family relayed that her phone has also been ringing off the hook since the program was announced.

"Our BeeSA program aims to raise awareness about the ecological damage from toxic chemicals like neonicotinoids used in the lawn care and farming industry," Koetz said. "By offering customers the tools to do backyard beekeeping, we can increase awareness of the threats to pollinators and rebuild their populations in our communities."

Mom's customers can order colonies for $185 and pick them up at Mom's stores in Alexandria and Herndon, Va., and Hampden and Rockville, Md., stores in late May. Beekeeping equipment such as bee suits, smokers, hives and more are also available at select locations.

"Pollinators are being wiped out by the toxic pesticides applied to farms and lawns everywhere," Nash said in a release. "We're excited to partner with this Virginia-based family of beekeepers. It's important to protect our pollinators and to bring awareness about how we can make a difference."