Local Loan Recipients: Florida

Buzzn Bee

West Palm Beach, Florida

Beekeeper David Rukin has been selling to Whole Foods Market's Florida region for seven years. His company, Buzzn Bee, is dedicated to the production, packing, and distribution of quality honey and other products, including bee pollen and beeswax. When David's not delivering his products, you'll find him out in the field with the bees.

David is using the loan funds to purchase a freezer unit, which will allow him to produce crystallized (creamed) honey. He's very excited about the opportunity to increase his sales with a product that he feels has strong growth potential.

Watch a video of David Rukin on our blog as he talks about how he got into the business of selling honey and pollen products.

Gourmè Mist

Coral Springs, Florida

Simona Bunin and Sherene Costanzo founded Gourmè Mist in 2008 after noting the market for environmentally-friendly non-aerosol misting bottles for fine oils and vinegars. They are using their Local Producer Loan to purchase machinery for a product line extension: packets of oil and vinegar.

Check out Gourmè Mist on the Whole Story blog!