Best for Bees

Name

Best for Bees

Legal name

Best for Bees, Ltd.

Website

https://bestforbees.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beekeeping Equipment

NAICS

Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532)

akta.pro primary industry

Beekeeping Equipment Manufacturing & Supply (Hives, Frames, Tools, PPE) (AFAEAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bee Health Management & Treatments (Mite/Disease Control Products & Services) (AFAEAHAK), Value-Added Bee Products Manufacturing (Candles, Cosmetics, Supplements, Mead Ingredients) (AFAEAHAM)

Keywords

• Beekeeping equipment
• Hive accessories
• Bee health products
• Pollinator supplies
• Apiary management tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitchener

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Hardware Product Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling ProtectaBEE hive entrance systems, accessory inserts, and bundles. Products sold directly through e-commerce and through retail partner stores in North America. One-time hardware purchases with modular accessory add-ons.
2. Consumables and Supplements: Recurring revenue from SuperDFM-Honeybee Probiotics (7-strain probiotic blend) sold in various dose quantities (single, 10, 50, 100, 1000, 2000). Also includes EZ-Dribbler oxalic acid treatment tools and Bee Bites products.
3. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in $10, $25, $50, and $100 denominations allowing recipients to purchase from the full product range.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Best for Bees designs, manufactures, and sells the ProtectaBEE® all-in-one adjustable hive entrance system and related modular accessories and consumables for hobby and commercial beekeepers. The patent-pending ProtectaBEE combines 12+ hive management functions (pest protection, temperature regulation, bee vectoring, swarm management, hive closure) into a single 3D-printed device, sold directly via Shopify and through independent beekeeping-supply retailers in North America. The company also conducts applied research on bee vectoring and bee health products in collaboration with the University of Guelph.

Product overview

Best for Bees is a research and development company for beekeepers founded in 2010 by Erica Shelley, PhD. The company offers the ProtectaBEE® System, an all-in-one adjustable hive entrance with 12+ functions for improving bee survival and simplifying beekeeping. The core product line consists of the ProtectaBEE® All-In-One Adjustable Hive Entrance and the ProtectaBEE® Deluxe Bundle, complemented by modular accessories including Vented Cone Inserts, Swarm Stopper Inserts, Vented Inserts, and The Beendle accessory pack. Supporting products include SuperDFM-Honeybee Probiotics for gut health and the Oxalic Acid EZ-Dribbler for mite treatments, all designed to work with the bee vectoring system. The ProtectaBEE system enables bees to carry fungal powders and probiotics into the hive for pest management and health improvement without disturbing the colony.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ProtectaBEE® All-In-One Adjustable Hive Entrance Flagship patent-pending all-in-one adjustable hive entrance system that combines 12+ hive management functions in a single device, including pest protection from wasps/hornets, robbing prevention, temperature regulation, swarm management, hive closure for moving or oxalic acid treatments, and bee vectoring for delivering probiotics and treatments without opening the hive. Available in 10-frame ($69.99 USD) and 8-frame ($74.99 USD) sizes for standard Langstroth hives.
• ProtectaBEE® Deluxe Bundle Comprehensive bundle pairing the ProtectaBEE base unit with the full set of inserts (solid inserts, vented inserts, vented cones, SwarmStopper), the bee vectoring block, and the feeding tray, sold at $84.00 for both 10-frame and 8-frame Langstroth hives. Awarded the 2023 World Silver Medalist in Beekeeping Innovation at Apimondia.
• The Beendle — Vents, Vented Cones & SwarmStopper Accessory Pack Accessory pack containing 2 Vented Cone Inserts, 2 SwarmStoppers, and 2 Vented Inserts designed to be swapped into a ProtectaBEE base unit, 3D-printed in Canada from corn-based PLA plastic. Sold as single ($29.00, reg. $36.00), 2-pack ($58.00), 4-pack ($116.00), and 8-pack ($232.00), for both 10-frame and 8-frame Langstroth hives.
• ProtectaBEE® Vented Cone Insert (2-pack) Vented cone inserts that allow bees to cool the hive while protecting from predators, packaged as a 2-pack priced at $12.00 per pair, available in 10-frame and 8-frame sizes for use with the ProtectaBEE system.
• ProtectaBEE® Swarm Stopper Insert (2-pack) Insert that temporarily prevents swarming by allowing worker bees to leave and enter while blocking the queen from leaving the hive, useful when catching swarms or managing queen cells. Sold as a 2-pack priced from $12.00, in 10-frame and 8-frame versions.
• ProtectaBEE® Vented Insert (2-pack) Vented inserts that allow airflow into the hive while preventing bees from leaving when used in pairs, designed for safe hive relocation or additional ventilation. Sold as a 2-pack at $12.00 per pair in 10-frame and 8-frame sizes.
• SuperDFM-Honeybee Probiotics Blend of 7 strains of probiotic bacteria that promotes gut health and strong immunity in honeybees and supports recovery from pesticide exposure. Sold in single dose ($4.95), 10 ($24.99), 50 ($74.99), 100 ($124.99), 1000 ($74.99 bulk), and 2000 ($119.99) application sizes, and can be applied via ProtectaBEE bee vectoring or directly over brood frames.
• Oxalic Acid EZ-Dribbler for Mite Treatments 16 oz plastic dispensing bottle with an integrated 1 oz measuring chamber and 5mL graduation marks for accurate oxalic acid dribble applications to control varroa mites. Sold standalone for $15.00 or bundled with Oxalic Acid Health Cards for $18.00.
• Bee Vectoring Block (Replacement) Replacement bee vectoring block for the ProtectaBEE system. Snaps into the drawer and is used when vectoring powders (e.g., probiotics) into the hive, sized to fit both 10-frame and 8-frame units at $6.00 per block.
• Bee Bites Bee supplement/snack product intended for honeybee nutrition.
• Best for Bees Gift Card Digital gift cards redeemable across the Best for Bees product range, available in $10, $25, $50, and $100 denominations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Tested over two years with less bearding (bee clustering outside) on hives with ProtectaBEE than without, indicating better temperature regulation.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• University of GuelphcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020In 2020, Best for Bees collaborated with the University of Guelph on a joint research project to develop the ProtectaBEE system. Dr. Peter Kevan at the university originally conceived the bee vectoring idea over 20 years ago. Dr. Erica Shelley, founder of Best for Bees, worked with the university to solve the challenge of getting bees to carry powders INTO the hive rather than out. The collaboration has produced research on using Metarhizium brunneum fungus for varroa mite management and oxytetracycline delivery for foulbrood protection.
• Better Bee and David PeckminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Better Bee and David Peck for developing Oxalic Acid Health Cards as part of the Bee Health Plan. The cards were developed to work with the ProtectaBEE system for varroa mite treatment.
• Dr. Peter Kevan (University of Guelph)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Peter Kevan at the University of Guelph originated the concept of bees carrying fungal powders out to plants to fight pests and diseases over 20 years ago. He hypothesized that bee vectoring could fight pests and diseases inside a beehive and reached out to Dr. Erica Shelley to solve the implementation challenge.
• Bee Culture MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBee Culture Magazine published articles about bee vectoring with the ProtectaBEE system in February 2022, featuring the technology to beekeeping audiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brushy Mountain Bee Farm: Established US specialty retailer of beekeeping equipment, hive components, and treatments. Directly comparable product catalog and customer base.
• GloryBee: Pacific Northwest beekeeping supplier and honey producer offering equipment, hive kits, and Pro Health and probiotic bee health products. Comparable as a multi-line beekeeping supplier with overlapping consumables.
• Kelley Beekeeping: Long-running US beekeeping equipment manufacturer and supplier with full hive hardware and accessory lines. Competitor in the same North American hobbyist beekeeper market.
• Mann Lake: Largest North American beekeeping equipment and supply distributor with a full product catalog (hives, tools, treatments, apparel). Directly comparable because they sell into the same hobby and commercial beekeeper base that Best for Bees targets, though across many more SKUs.
• Dadant & Sons: One of the oldest US beekeeping equipment suppliers, manufacturing hives, tools, and treatments. Comparable as a long-established competitor in the same beekeeper equipment vertical.

Direct peers

• Bee Vectoring Technologies: Public company commercializing the original bee vectoring IP out of the University of Guelph that Best for Bees' founder adapted for in-hive delivery. Highly relevant as the upstream technology developer in the same scientific lineage.
• Better Bee: New York-based beekeeping supply retailer that already partners with Best for Bees on Oxalic Acid Health Cards. Sells hives, tools, and treatments to hobby beekeepers in the same customer segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4ymIXUsOvl7xzWR8APgoFg
• Facebookfacebook.com/BestForBees
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bestforbees
• Instagraminstagram.com/best_for_bees

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Best for Bees