Morgenrot launches bee-saving wine at M&B

By Gemma McKenna

Published: 03 April, 2014

Manchester-based importer Morgenrot has teamed up with Mitchells & Butlers to launch Planetbee, a South African Chenin Blanc, which is donating money from each sale to safeguard the bee population.

The wine has just launched at All Bar One and will be listed in more than 120 of M&B's Country Pub sites in May.

Every bottle sold will see 50 pence donated to the Friends of the Honey Bee national fundraising campaign, set up by the British Beekeepers Association. Using the slogan "Help the Bee, buy Planetbee", the brand will have an rrp of between £20-25. The packaging features a quote usually attributed to Albert Einstein: "Once the bees have left earth, man will have four years left on the planet."

Planetbee and the BBKA initiative is hoping to counter the declining bee population in the UK. Money raised will go towards funding research to combat the Varroa Mite which infests hives and destroys honey bee colonies. It will also be invested in projects aimed at increasing the number of pollen and nectar-rich pollinating flowers, plants and trees that bees need to thrive and prosper.

The brand is the brainchild of Blue Fruits, an import/export wine company based in the US, started in early 2013 by James Forbes, formerly of Stevens Garnier and Wines of Argentina, and Guillermo Moore.

Henry Boyes, wine buyer for Mitchell & Butlers said: "As soon as we were presented with the concept, tasted the wine and saw the packaging we were keen to get involved. We are delighted to be able to support this initiative and to be able to do so in a way that is fun, relevant, engaging and hopefully very enjoyable for our guests."

Morgenrot's commercial director, John Critchley, added: "The wine not only creates a buzz when it comes to taste profile but provides much needed funds to something which could quite literally play a part in saving the world."

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