Hawaiian Rainbow Bees

What Hawaiian Rainbow Bees does

Hawaiian Rainbow Bees, LLC is a family-owned Hawaiian honey producer founded in 2011 by schoolteacher-turned-beekeeper Malcolm Yorkston, with operations on Oahu and the Big Island (facilities in Honolulu and near Hilo). The company runs approximately 2,500 hives across more than 35 apiaries placed in diverse forage environments including Ohia Lehua rainforest, macadamia nut groves, and organic farms cultivating cacao, coffee, banana, coconut, mango, lychee, and avocado. The core product line comprises four single-origin varietals — Rainbow Blossom (multi-floral), Macadamia Nut, Lehua (from the endemic Ohia Lehua tree), and Christmas Berry (Wilelaiki) — sold in a patented Tiki bottle vessel (US Design Patent D806448, granted 2017), in EZ Pouches, and in bulk gallon/case formats for foodservice.

The company's underlying production technology is minimal: honey is extracted, then passed through a single light-filtration step that removes wax and hive debris while preserving natural enzymes, propolis, wax, and pollen. No blending or thermal processing is used. Packaging technology centers on the patented Tiki design developed with cultural advisors (Bishop Museum, The Place of Refuge, and hula halau members), representing the Hawaiian god Ku, and an EZ Pouch format suited to on-the-go consumption.

Revenue is generated through three streams: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via the company's own Shopify storefront; wholesale distribution to natural food retailers including Whole Foods, Amazon, Foodland, Longs Drugs, ABC Store, and Kakaako; and bulk supply to restaurants, bakeries, and foodservice operators. Retail pricing spans $6.97–$25 per Tiki bottle across sizes, $14 per EZ Pouch, $90 per gallon jug, and $200–$345 per case. Geographic markets served include the US mainland, Hawaii, and Asian markets (notably Japan), where the product is positioned as both a premium daily-use honey and an authentic Hawaiian omiyage/souvenir. The company does not appear to have raised external funding and operates as a bootstrapped family business.

Name

Hawaiian Rainbow Bees

Legal name

Hawaiian Rainbow Bees LLC

Website

https://rainbowbees.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hawaiian Rainbow Bees is a family-owned Hawaiian honey producer that operates approximately 2,500 hives across more than 35 apiaries on Oahu and the Big Island, selling four single-origin varietals in patented Tiki bottles, EZ Pouches, and bulk gallons via DTC e-commerce, natural food retailers (Whole Foods, Amazon, Foodland, Longs, ABC Store), and foodservice customers in the US and Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Honey

NAICS

Apiculture (112910), Apiculture (11291)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Honey Production & Extraction (AFAEAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Honey & Apiculture Sweeteners (Honey, Honey Powders) (AFAJAAAL)

Keywords

• Raw Hawaiian honey
• Honey varietals
• Bulk restaurant honey
• Specialty food products
• Artisanal beekeeping

Headquarters

HQ city

Honolulu

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Retail sales of Hawaiian honey products directly to consumers through their website, offering various sizes and formats including Tiki bottles, honey pouches, and sampler sets.
2. Wholesale/Restaurant Supply: Bulk honey sales to restaurants, bakeries, and food service businesses in gallon jugs and multi-gallon cases. Also wholesale distribution to retail grocers.
3. Retail Store Distribution: Wholesale distribution to natural and organic food stores including Whole Foods, Amazon, Foodland, Longs, ABC Store, and Kakaako.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hawaiian Rainbow Bees produces and sells raw, unfiltered Hawaiian honey across four distinct varietals (Rainbow Blossom, Macadamia Nut, Lehua, and Christmas Berry) sourced from approximately 2,500 hives across 35+ apiaries on Oahu and the Big Island. The honey undergoes a single-step light filtration to preserve natural enzymes, propolis, wax, and pollen, and is packaged in patented Tiki bottles, EZ pouches, gallon jugs, and sampler sets for retail consumers and commercial food service operators.

Product overview

Hawaiian Rainbow Bees is a family-owned Hawaiian honey company offering a portfolio of raw, all-natural honey products sourced from Oahu and the Big Island. The core product line consists of four honey varietals—Rainbow Blossom (award-winning multi-floral), Macadamia Nut, Lehua, and Christmas Berry—available in distinctive Hawaiian-themed Tiki bottles (3oz, 9oz, 24oz) and convenient EZ pouches (8oz, 9oz). The company serves both retail consumers and commercial food service operators through bulk gallon jugs, cases, and sampler sets. The products are sold through their e-commerce platform, natural food retailers (Whole Foods, Amazon, Foodland), and restaurant supply channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rainbow Blossom Honey Signature multi-floral Hawaiian honey winner of the Best of Show Prize from the Big Island Beekeepers Association; rich amber with Hawaiian tropical flavor, sold in 3oz, 9oz, and 24oz Tiki bottles for retail consumers seeking premium gift and everyday honey.
• Macadamia Nut Honey Hawaiian honey from macadamia nut tree farms with a strong, nutty flavor reminiscent of brown sugar and molasses, sold in 3oz, 9oz, and 24oz Tiki bottles for retail and culinary use.
• Lehua Honey Hawaiian honey from the Ohia Lehua tree (native only to Hawaiian Islands' rainforest slopes), featuring a bright golden color and delicate, sugary-sweet traditional flavor, sold in 3oz, 9oz, and 24oz Tiki bottles.
• Christmas Berry Honey (Wilelaiki) Light, thinner honey from the Brazilian Pepper (Christmas Berry) tree with butterscotch or peppery flavor, sold in 3oz, 9oz, and 24oz Tiki bottles for drizzle and topping applications.
• Rainbow Blossom Honey EZ Pouch 8oz squeeze pouch with twist-on cap of Rainbow Blossom honey, designed for on-the-go consumption, hiking, and travel convenience.
• Macadamia Honey EZ Pouch 9oz squeeze pouch of macadamia honey with bold, nutty flavor and molasses notes, packaged for active lifestyle and on-the-go consumption.
• Bulk Honey - 1 Gallon Jug One-gallon jugs of Hawaiian honey available in Rainbow Blossom, Macadamia, Lehua, and Christmas Berry varietals, sold to restaurants and bakeries for bulk culinary use.
• Restaurant Supply Case - 1 Gallon (4 count) Case of 4 one-gallon jugs of Hawaiian honey for commercial food service operations, restaurants, bakeries, and bulk ingredient supply.
• Boxed Sampler Set - 3 x 3oz Tiki Bottles Gift sampler set containing three 3oz Tiki bottles of different Hawaiian honey varietals for tasting, discovery, and gift-giving.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Mana UpcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2018Mana Up is a business accelerator based in Honolulu founded in 2017 with the goal of building serious global businesses from local Hawaiian product companies. Hawaiian Rainbow Bees was accepted into Mana Up's first cohort in early 2018, participating in a twelve-week program to revamp their website, improve Amazon reach, and collaborate with other cohort businesses to benefit from lower shipping costs through consolidated overseas pallets.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Comvita:
• GloryBee:
• Nature Nate's:

Direct peers

• Bee Raw:
• Y.S. Eco Bee Farms:
• Big Island Bees:
• Wedderspoon:
• Savannah Bee Company:
• Manuka Health:

Emerging players

• Local Hive:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hawaiianrainbowbees
• Facebookfacebook.com/rainbowbees

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Hawaiian Rainbow Bees