One type of bee product that may be rarely heard of is stingless bee honey. Meliponin honey or stingless bee honey comes from the Trigona itama bee species. This type of honey has great potential to be developed for modern medical purposes.
Many beauty influencers and social media users promote the use of honey as part of their skincare routine. This helps increase the popularity of honey as a natural ingredient in skincare.
Free radicals not only affect the body by causing various long-lasting diseases, but also cause skin aging, which will definitely interfere with a person’s appearance, especially the face. Stingless bee honey, which is a source of natural antioxidants, can help prevent skin aging by protecting the skin from free radicals. Therefore, the skin will look younger and more durable.[1]
Currently, honey face masks are a trend in natural skincare masks. Many people are turning to natural and organic products for their skincare, and honey is one of the safe and effective choices for natural face masks.
Honey has many benefits, so it’s no wonder that many teenagers and adults choose it for their skincare. The trend is likely to continue to increase along with greater awareness of the importance of natural ingredients in skincare.
KPSHK through the integrated management program of peat forest ecosystems in Kahayan Hilir District, has supported business development by the Social Forestry Business Group (KUPS). This group is spread across the villages of Gohong, Mantaren I, Kalawa, and Buntoi. One of them is support for the development of the Kelulut Honey KUPS business.
“The Kelulut Honey KUPS support is in the form of capacity building activities and economic empowerment such as honey marketing, packaging assistance and packaging equipment and honey stuff equipment,” said Onasis as the KPSHK KUPS Manager. The Kelulut Honey Social Forestry Business Group (KUPS) has a great opportunity to improve the welfare of its members through the marketing of kelulut honey. However, the main challenge is the limited knowledge and skills in marketing the product. Therefore, marketing training is very important to help the Kelulut Honey KUPS optimize the potential of kelulut honey.
The beehive or beehive is made to facilitate the harvesting of bee products and make the bees feel safe and comfortable in the beehive. The materials used are odorless boards, free of chemicals, have good strength, durability, and thickness. The size is 25 x 30 cm or there is also 34 x 40 cm for a height of 8 – 9 cm. During the Trigona spp bee cultivation process, beehive maintenance activities must be carried out routinely at least 4 times in 1 month, by paying attention to the bee entry funnel to see if the funnel is still wet then the honey production is still good and productive. In contrast, if the funnel is dry, then the honey has started to be unproductive or the colony is weakening. Cleaning the beehive and its surroundings from dirt to avoid bee pests coming, spraying insecticide to protect Trigona spp honey bees from other insect disturbances such as ants, spiders and others. Colony maintenance can be done by avoiding direct contact with hands. Then stored in a shaded place, and the cover must be replaced at least once a year.
Kelulut honey produced by KUPS Madu Desa Buntoi is harvested at least once a month with the harvest depending on the weather and through 3 stages, namely honey harvesting, reducing the water content in the honey, and packaging with new bottles. “The stages of harvesting kelulut honey in Buntoi Village are slightly different from other places. One of the stages carried out in honey cultivation activities at KUPS Madu is the stage of reducing the water content in the honey. Before being put into the bottles, a stage of reducing the water content will be carried out after the honey is harvested with a special tool. This stage requires a process of around 3-5 days so that it can produce honey with a thicker texture. Therefore, the price determined will be slightly more expensive than other honey. We also always ensure that the use of new bottles. “said Yulius Triawan as the Head of KUPS Madu Desa Buntoi
The area of land used for this activity is approximately 1 hectare. The usual harvest obtained is around 26 hives/boxes of honey with each hive measuring 0.5-1 liter. In its production, KUPS Madu Kelulut Buntoi always uses new packaging bottles to produce better quality honey.
Marketing training for KUPS Madu Kelulut Buntoi is a strategic step to optimize the economic potential of kelulut honey within the framework of social forestry.
Kelulut honey is known for its high nutritional content and its benefits in improving the immune system, so it has a potential market both locally and internationally.
“Increasing the popularity of kelulut honey requires a branding strategy and promotion of kelulut honey products, with offline and online promotion techniques,” said Syaifudin, Owner of Madu Zahra Banjarmasin who is a practitioner to train kelulut honey marketing. Offline kelulut honey product promotion techniques can be done by participating in exhibitions and events, conducting product demonstrations, and opening sales outlets. Meanwhile, the technique for promoting Kelulut honey products online is by utilizing E-Commerce, interesting digital content, collaboration with influencers, and personalized digital advertising.
According to Syaifudin, in the current digital era, the use of social media is very important for product marketing. Social media allows direct interaction with customers, builds brand awareness, and increases sales effectively and efficiently.
An effective kelulut honey product branding strategy consists of three main components. First, build a strong brand identity through a logo, packaging, and visual style that reflects the uniqueness of kelulut honey. Second, develop an inspiring brand story and build an emotional connection with customers. Third, effectively communicate the uniqueness and superiority of kelulut honey products compared to other similar products.
Adequate marketing knowledge and skills enable KUPS Madu Kelulut to improve the health of its members, produce high-quality products, and expand the market. This initiative not only generates financial benefits, but also helps conserve forests and improve the social welfare of communities living around the forest.
Author: Alma Tiara
Editor: Joko W
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