Most Verve readers are probably aware of how vital bees are to the survival of the planet, responsible for pollinating a third of the food we eat. But most are probably unaware of the profound intricacies of their hive communities, and so, the good folk at Comvita are more than happy to oblige by enlightening us. Via their first Wellness Lab (there will be more to follow in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and San Francisco), Comvita’s mission is advocacy, to “create a world where bees can thrive”.
The apothecary-inspired shopfront has beakers laden with honey that line shelves overlooking hand-blown glass globes, offering a selection of honey aromas.
Positioned at 139 Quay Street, the Comvita Wellness Lab is split between two state-of-the-art parts. The apothecary-inspired shopfront has beakers laden with honey that line shelves overlooking hand-blown glass globes, offering a selection of honey aromas. There are soaps, the faintest of hypnotic buzzing and a screen alive with bees. This space caters to all senses. Local artisans have supplied furnishings like kauri wood countertops and matai timber floors beneath a ceiling of repurposed plastic mesh that takes a honeycomb form, courtesy of Wellington-based Kaynemaile. Online, the 3D virtual store is complemented by an educational forest where visitors can explore Aotearoa’s native fauna and flora.
The hive theme continues in the rear space, where Verve is led by host Noelani Waters, a beekeeper and bee-breeder whose expertise and passion for her profession is as infectious as it is inspiring. The cylindrical room, with a 180-degree cinema, screen suggests a planetarium, but rather than a galaxy of stars, Comvita—in conjunction with esteemed gastrophysicist Professor Charles Spence, who’s previously collaborated with the likes of Heston Blumenthal —has built a bee’s-eye view of the world. From plush armchairs, guests journey through blades of grass and towering treetops before entering a beehive where “bouncer” bees make sure no stranger bees infiltrate, “nurse” bees tend to the sick (using their own antimicrobial honey), and “engineer” bees keep an optimum temperature by fanning their wings like organic air conditioners. Bees really are awesome.
Seating in the Comvita TheatreNoelani imparts plenty more fascinating facts throughout (“a bee will produce just one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime!”) while guiding guests through a vineyard-inspired honey-tasting session—just like wine, “honey is an expression of place”. Teardrop-shaped glass Goûte spoons are used to scoop out the sweet sticky nectar, like a lollipop, or a finger run around a bowl. Guests are also afforded the opportunity to sample Comvita’s Special Reserve UMF™ 25+ (MGO 1200+) Mānuka Honey, among the rarest in the world (another fun fact: though all honey has antibiotic compounds, mānuka harbours by far the most unique and complex ones).
David Banfield, Group CEO of Comvita, emphasises that the lab was launched to provide Kiwis with a world-class space where they can “gain a new-found appreciation for New Zealand honey and our amazing friends, the bees”.
Verve reckons they’ve certainly have done just that, it’s two thumbs up from us—we’re still buzzing!
Tasting sessions run daily at 12:30pm, and cost $20 per person with 100 percent of the ticket price going to support
For the Love of Bees (fortheloveofbees.co.nz) and Saving the Wild (savingthewild.com).
Sessions can host up to eight people at a time.
Book online at wellnesslab.comvita.co.nz/book and check out their immersive online store at wellnesslab.comvita.co.nz
