Our History

With our beginnings as a dream from an 8-year-old Beekeeper,
The House of Honey has been a lifetime project in the making. Combining 50 years of global beekeeping experience, and a lifelong passion to sustainably produce and showcase the finest pure WA honey products, Head Beekeeper Ru and his wife, Kim officially established their family-owned Swan Valley shop in 2010.

The history of our beekeeper

A Dream Come True

Rupert’s interest in bees started at the age of eight when he had been keeping an eye on a colony of bees in a tree at his family’s farm in Winterskloof, South Africa.

Rupert’s father, encouraged by his son’s enthusiasm for bees, took Rupert to see a seasoned beekeeper, Vernon, who lived nearby. Vernon began teaching Rupert the intricacies of beekeeping, and it wasn’t long before Rupert had his first beehive and bee veil. It wasn’t long before his honey earned first, second, and third places at local agricultural shows!

After moving to Australia in 1982, beekeeping became a lifestyle for Rupert — and eventually, also for his wife, Kim — and their passion for bees only grew. With a dream of developing a dedicated honey shop and café for people to taste and learn about bees, the House of Honey finally became a reality in 2010.

Partners in life and work

Rupert and Kim Phillips

Founded by husband and wife team, Rupert and Kim, The House of Honey opened its doors in 2010 as a revolutionary honey showroom. With bees under threat globally, the objective was to not only create amazing food experiences, but to create a bee sanctuary where bees are safe and hives are sustainably farmed. We also opened with a goal to educate and raise awareness on why bees are so integral to ecosystems around the world. Today, The House of Honey has expanded to 28 staff, 500 hives, and 50 million bees. We proudly showcase all things honey and bee-related from pollen, royal jelly and handmade beeswax candles to beauty products and giftware. We also run exciting, educational experiences and tourism adventures through tours, workshops, events, and more. 

humble beginnings

See How The Shop Has Changed

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Artisans of Honey

We're honoured to be famous around the world for our pure honey varietals, lovingly crafted right here in WA. Every single one of our bottles is hand poured and hand labelled in house, bursting with dynamic and complex flavours. Our Jarrah honey, dubbed the 'beekeeper's delight' is a unique WA varietal not to be missed.

Contact Us Shop Our Honey

Meet the colony

The Bee Team

Which really is the A Team. We have a bustling, friendly team of over 30 people. Everyone is trained in all areas of honey and bees, allowing us to pass on accurate information about Australia’s beekeeping industry (and beyond), our products, and the journey from ‘bush-to-bowl’. We have dedicated teams in our café, Meadery, shop, out in the field and behind-the-scenes making mouthwatering honey and other bee products.

We love a challenge, so don’t hesitate to ask us a question about bees and honey.

Our Cafè Our Meadery
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