A peninsula business creates simple, functional and beautiful alternatives to disposables, founded by one of the province’s best young entrepreneurs.
Katie Gamble founded beeswax packaging company Nature Bee in 2018 while completing her degree at Victoria University’s Gustafson Business School.
Born and raised in the area, Gamble grew up in Saanich and started producing beeswax packaging in her parents’ basement using locally sourced, eco-friendly materials.
“I always knew that wherever Nature Bee went, its key pillars of sustainability, impact, community and education would be at the core. I pitched the idea in class with my peers, making wrapping paper and Join the market, and today our products are sold in more than 300 retail stores,” Gamble said.
It is in full production at Veyaness Road in central Saanich.
Gamble was shortlisted in the Best Young Entrepreneur category of the BC Small Business Awards for leading sustainability initiatives.
“This is a time that really pains me every day and I couldn’t have done it without the support of our clients, my team and my family,” she said.
In addition to the positive impact of its products on the environment, the company also forms partnerships with sustainable development in mind.
Nature Bee partners with Mamas for Mamas, which helps families struggling with poverty-related issues, and eco-conscious groups like Surfrider Vancouver Island, which protect oceans and beaches through donations and beach cleanups.
Last year, Nature Bee partnered with organizations large and small to help them achieve their goals and donated more than $15,000.
“Our community has been looking for more sustainable alternatives, which has led to the growth of our product line, including products such as Swedish wipes and concentrated cleaning tablets. For us, product line growth directly translates into impact. What we can find The more sustainable alternatives we have, the more positive impact we can have on the planet. Refilling with our concentrated cleansing tablets will divert more than 50,000 single-use bottles from landfill in 2022 alone,” says Gamble.
Last year’s work on building Nature Bee as a brand won Small Business BC’s Business Impact Award, BC’s Rising Female Star of the Year, Douglas Magazine’s 10 People to Watch, and Eco-Entrepreneur of the Year. Synergy Foundation.
“It gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you have accomplished as a business and what you hope to achieve in the future,” she said of the honors.
This is the 20th Annual BC Small Business Awards, with 613 nominations from 84 communities. More than 74,000 ballots were cast to select the finalists in each category before a panel of business experts narrowed down the nominees to 18.
Winners will be announced at the awards gala on June 2, and winners in each category will receive $10,000 in prize money.
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BusinessSaanich Peninsula
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