Just Bee Honey Featured in 9am Business

I recently had the opportunity to speak with 9am Business about the growth of our brand Just Bee Honey, and one of the questions I get asked more than almost any other: why we turned down an offer from Peter Jones after appearing on Dragons' Den.

It's funny how certain moments stay with you. Our appearance on Dragons' Den was nearly a decade ago, but it's still something people regularly bring up when they hear our story.

At the time, we were building a completely different business. Just Bee started with honey-infused drinks, and we were focused on creating healthier alternatives to traditional soft drinks. The business was growing, we'd secured listings with major retailers, and we were looking at ways to accelerate that growth.

Appearing on Dragons' Den felt like an incredible opportunity. Walking into the Den is every bit as intense as it looks on television, and standing in front of entrepreneurs you admire while pitching your business is something I'll never forget.

What many people don't realise is that our biggest challenge came after Dragons' Den.

Like many businesses, we faced huge uncertainty during the pandemic. Consumer behaviour changed almost overnight and we had to rethink our future. Rather than standing still, we adapted, pivoted and focused on a completely new opportunity.

That decision led to the launch of Just Bee Honey as people know it today.

Since then, we've been on a mission to make wellness simpler by combining natural honey with vitamins and botanicals. We've launched a range of products designed to support everyday health while staying true to our roots as a family business with a passion for saving the bees.

In the interview I talk about the realities of building a brand, the challenges of entrepreneurship, lessons learned along the way, and what it takes to keep moving forward when things don't go to plan.

If you're interested in business, entrepreneurship, Dragon's Den or the story behind Just Bee Honey, I'd encourage you to give it a read.

You can read the full interview here.

A huge thank you to the team at 9am Business for taking the time to share our story.

By Joe, Co-Founder of Just Bee