Environmentally Friendly Clearwater Company Unveils On-Site Apiary

CLEARWATER, FL — There's a lot of buzz around the Clearwater headquarters of national gourmet flavor enhancement company Monin Americas. But it has nothing to do with gossip around the water fountain.

The French-based award-winning company has announced a partnership with Bee Downtown, which has set up three colorful, hand-painted bee hives in a fenced-in apiary behind Monin’s Clearwater facility at 2100 Range Road.

Bee Downtown installs and maintains beehives on corporate campuses across the Southeast.

The Bee Downtown Corporate Hive Program allows employees to learn the art of beekeeping while furthering Monin's 14-year mission to preserve honeybees, which play a vital role as pollinators in the environment and agriculture industry.

The honey produced by bees is also integral to creating Monin's natural, premium plant-based products free from artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and sweeteners while furthering the company's commitment to responsible sourcing and protecting the environment.

Since 2008, Monin has sponsored a Syrup-to-Bees initiative to support beekeepers and their bee colonies around the United States by donating syrup to help feed bees during shortages of nectar-
producing flowers.

Now, the new on-site Monin apiary will pollinate a 3-mile radius from the Clearwater facility, impacting 18,000 acres of surrounding land.

“Our goal is to consistently build up and inspire a sustainable world of flavor, and understanding our pollinators is essential to that achievement and to the preservation of our environment,” said Stasha Johnston, senior vice president of marketing. “We are thrilled to have an even deeper involvement in the protection of bees by educating our team and taking action to incite a local and national impact.”

Monin Gourmet Flavorings was founded in Bourges, France, in 1912 by Georges Monin, a self-proclaimed flavor enthusiast and avid cook.

After years of trial and error, Monin developed a spectrum of bottled flavors and syrups. Three generations later, the family-owned company offers premium flavors in 140 companies.

In 1993, Monin's grandson, Olivier Monin, became president of the company and launched an ambitious plan to develop an international presence for the company, starting in Clearwater where Monin employs more than 150 people who oversee sales and operations throughout North America, South America and the Caribbean.

The Clearwater facility distributes its all-natural syrups and flavorings to restaurants, such as Outback Steakhouse, Au Bon Pain Cafe Bakery, The Melting Pot, Ruby Tuesday and Cheers, as well as beverage manufacturers.

The favors are used in coffee, flavored water, bubble teas, cocktails, frappes, smoothies, shakes, sangrias, sodas, rubs, sauces, dressings and dips.