“I would’ve done a cartwheel if I was 20 years younger,” Karin Hampson said of the first time she spotted 13 years of hard work displayed on the shelves of her local supermarket.
Jimboomba’s Karin and husband Carl have struck a deal with Woolworths to stock one of their products, Hampson Honey, in all Queensland and northern New South Wales stores.
But Hampson Honey was an unexpected venture for Karin who is allergic to bees and never quite fancied the taste of honey.
Carl was fascinated by bees and wanted to pursue beekeeping.
Although reluctant, Karin agreed to Carl buying a beehive online. But without proper gear and transportation, the bees became aggressive which led to a painful welcome.
“By the time we got home, the whole boot was full of bees. They were all super angry and aggressive because they didn’t like being moved at night,” Ms Hampson said.
“We really did not know what we were doing at all, but over time, he got a few more hives and had commercial beekeepers teach him and show him the ropes. They were like mentors to him.”
Mr Hampson quickly learned the tricks of the trade and the Jimboomba couple started selling honey to family and friends from their car boot.
With Mr Hampson’s entrepreneurial eagerness and Ms Hampson’s marketing background, they were the perfect team. They bought out a beekeeping business in 2012 from the same beekeeper that inspired Carl.
“We just kept investing all of our money and time into it. I think we just put our heads down and kept working with a goal of making it our full-time career,” Ms Hampson said.
From having to manage a mite infestation threat to balancing work and family, the family-run business has been on a rollercoaster ride.
In 2019, Australia faced its most severe case of drought and bushfires which altered many lives, including Hampson Honey’s.
As a result of the forests being burnt, there were no flowers or food for the bees to pollinate and many beehives were left stranded.
“We got permission from the NSW fire department to retrieve our bees and save them but the fire was only a kilometre away,” Ms Hampson said.
“When Carl got to the site, it was dry grass everywhere with embers on the ground. It was a miracle that the embers didn’t catch fire so he managed to retrieve the bees and the next day that site was burnt down.
“I don’t know how we survived that time, we were solely relying on our packing side. A lot of farmers had a really tough time and I think a lot of them retired early.”
Being able to weather the storm set Hampson Honey towards a path of success, and with it an overwhelming support from the community.
Ms Hampson, who was not a fan of honey until she tried her own straight from the hives, has had consumers telling her that Hampson Honey reminds them of their childhood.
“We are just a small family business, we can get trampled by the big guys tomorrow. We’re trying to give consumers the best they can get,” she said.
“I think people need to put the environment above profits. That’s just the way we run our business, we’d rather lose in the short term, to have healthy happy bees in the long term.
“If you have any dream, just go for it. I mean we’re basically nobody, the only difference between us and the average joe is a lot of hard work. So anyone can do it really.”
