Mitchem Bee Company in Leesburg is building on a family legacy of ethical beekeeping and sharing some of the finest raw honey Central Florida has to offer.

The company was founded in 2023 when Jake Mitchem, a lifelong Floridian with a deep love for the outdoors, took over Riverview Apiaries from his uncle and mentor, Scott Irving.

“With Scott’s 30 years of beekeeping expertise, I was instilled with the importance of ethical practices and a deep respect for both our bees and our customers,” Jake says.

From the beginning, Mitchem Bee Company aimed to stand apart from mass-market honey brands.

“We are relentlessly picky about our products,” Jake says. “Each of our varietals is 100% single-origin, pure, raw, and sourced from a specific nectar in a particular region. Our honey is gently strained, not finely filtered, to preserve the natural pollen, enzymes, and antioxidants that give our raw honey its rich flavor and potential health benefits.”

The company offers a wide array of varietals with unique characteristics. Wildflower honey reflects the bees’ journeys across Central Florida fields. Orange Blossom honey comes from groves in Southern Florida. Tupelo honey is a rare variety with naturally lower sugar content, while Sourwood honey from North Carolina is considered among the most desired in the world. Saw Palmetto honey, Jake noted, is often called the “honey for men” because many customers report health benefits. Cold-infused honeys, like Hibiscus, offer additional flavors that customers say they enjoy for both taste and wellness.

For Jake, who graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in Food & Resource Economics focused on Agricultural Business, the work is about more than just honey.

“Mitchem Bee Company allows me to combine my passion for nature with a commitment to providing pure, delicious honey for our customers,” he says.

It’s also about conservation and community education.

“We believe in a deep and honest commitment to the health and welfare of our bees,” Jake says. The business has committed to bee habitat conservation, hive rescues, and educating homeowners about the dangers of monoculture lawns and heavy lawn spraying.

The small, family-run business is also deeply personal. Jake ensures quality in every batch, his wife, Megan, carefully packs each order, and their young son Gator provides the daily joy.

“We’re genuinely grateful for every order you place, as you are not just supporting a business, but helping our little family’s dream come to life while also helping us care for our beloved bees and continue our mission of promoting healthy pollinator populations,” Jake says.“Your support is a direct way to help us promote healthy pollinators. With their habitats diminishing every year, your help in keeping them thriving means the world to us.”

Mitchem Bee Company invites the community to visit its bottling facility at 761 Carpenter Ave. in Leesburg, open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., where guests can meet the team, learn about the process, and purchase freshly poured honey straight from the hive. They are also at the Brownwood farmers market every Saturday from 9am – 1pm. Visit mitchembeecompany.com for more information.