Redmond Hayes

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED?

by Burke Campbell 

Published in the Financial Post

 May 25, 2009

Redmond Hayes is president of Musée de l’Abeille (www.musee-abeille.com), a honey bee farm, located near Quebec City.  Redmond Hayes tells the Financial Post what motivated him to become an entrepreneur.

Biology calls: “Growing up, I studied biology and the environment. At the Quebec Agriculture College, I took courses requiring farm work. My wife also studied, working with beehives. In helping her, I began my romance with the honey bee.”

Opportunity: “Twenty years ago, to complement our work, along with two partners, we opened a ‘bee museum’ that illustrated the history of honey. Soon after, we joined Économusée, a network of artisans in Quebec. The network supports educational tourism, and the flow of visitors increased.”

Snow and honey: “People in northern climates eat the most honey. Our bodies use the sugar to generate energy and warmth.”

Golden nectar: “At Musée de l'Abeille we do about three million dollars in sales, both retail and export. The federal government conducts trade missions, introducing us to potential customers. Our markets include not only all North America but also Japan, one of our biggest honey buyers.”

Sweetness itself: “The light, sweet taste of Canadian honey is in demand. It’s inspiring to see such interest in our product. It’s also gratifying to see the good image our country enjoys around the world.”

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