Co-founder and Managing Director of Honey Products Limited (HPL) Mathews Dungs has proved that bee keeping in Malawi can not only produce honey but also transform lives, empower youth and protect forests.
Speaking from HPL’s base at Bowler Beverage Compound in Kanengo, Lilongwe, Dunga says his passion for sustainable development was born out of university projects in rural communities.
With academic roots in Natural Resource Management and Business Administration, he envisioned a model that tackled poverty and environmental degradation simultaneously.
“I saw how deforestation was affecting rural communities, largely because of poverty and a lack of sustainable income sources and at the same time, there was a massive gap in Malawi’s honey market, the demand was around 200 metric tons per year, but supply was only about 60 to 90 tons. He shared with ProjectM.
This gap inspired Dunga and his co-founders to launch HPL, a social enterprise that trains rural Malawians especially forest-dependent communities and out-of-school youth in commercial beekeeping. The company then purchases, processes, and sells honey and beeswax under the brand Miombo Blossoms Honey.
So far, over 3,000 beekeepers have been trained across the country, and 10,000 beekeeping equipment units have been distributed.
“HPL also runs a youth micro-franchise model where 26 young entrepreneurs help aggregate honey and distribute equipment in districts such as Nkhatabay, Rumphi and Lilongwe”, he explained.
He said: “Bee farming is low-cost, scalable, and replicable. It’s a win-win: communities earn income, and our forests stay intact.”
Beyond honey, the company sells a range of bee-keeping equipment including Langstroth and Top-bar hives, protective suits, harvesting tools
and processing machinery and offers professional services like apiary assessments, management support and technical training.
HPL’s commitment to social impact has drawn global attention. Dunga is a 2025 Global Good Fellow selected among 2400 applicants globally, a 2021 Mandela Washington Fellow and a winner of several enterpreneurship competitions, including the Growth Accelerator Malawi and the Fledge Global Accelerator where he was chosen among 854 applicants.
“We don’t just sell honey, we sell impact. Our work benefits people, profits and the planet,” he explained.
The company runs with a dedicated team of 10 full-time employees, 2 part-time staff and 5 seasonal workers, supported by their youth franchisees and strong ties to community associations and cooperatives.
Looking ahead, HPL plans to expand its product range, tap into regional export markets and deepen its role in value-added processing.
Meanwhile, Dunga advised young people, saying: “Start small, start now. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Focus on solving real problems, stay consistent, and surround yourself with people who believe in your vision.”
