Marketing tips Two active and successful marketers of bee products shared some valuable ideas about how to compete in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Alan Bougen of Comvita New Zealand, a company marketing a range of 60 apitherapy products worldwide, spoke on niche marketing of bee products. A key point in successful marketing is developing a unique selling proposition. Comvita have supported scientific research to give products such as honey and propolis valid claims to uniqueness. Alan pointed out that unsubstantiated health and efficacy claims have for too long given apitherapy products a bad name.
Live bees create problems all of their own when it comes to international trade.
Gus Rouse of Kona Queens, Hawaii, brought home some of the difficulties of this business. But the trade has special opportunities too, if the producer is alert and adaptable. No doubt many beekeepers haven't heard of the International Trade Centre in Geneva, but this body has done quite a lot to help trade in bee products, especially from developing countries. The ITC is part of the United Nations system, and Rudy Kortbech-Olesen, a senior market development adviser, gave a picture of the way it operates. Some of the ITC's publications are valuable surveys of the markets for bee products in Europe, the USA and the whole world.