Chris

Chris Nicklin’s journey with bees began in the late 1970s when, as a schoolboy in Cape Town, he ventured into beekeeping. As a junior member of the Western Province Beekeepers’ Association, Chris demonstrated his dedication early on by securing his first pollination contract while still in school, supplying 100 hives to an apple farmer in Elgin. Although he readily admitted that his studies often took a backseat to his passion for bees, Chris graduated from the University of Cape Town and built a career in another of his great interests: broadcast journalism, which included a decade with the BBC in London.

Upon returning to South Africa, Chris played a key role in launchinge.tv, but the allure of beekeeping proved irresistible. Today, he operates his bee business from farms in Napier and Tulbagh. As chairman of what is now the Western Cape Bee Industry Association, Chris is committed to addressing challenges such as dwindling forage, honey adulteration, and hive theft. He is also an enthusiastic participant in honey competitions, believing that these events set a standard for excellence and showcase the impressive variety of single varietal honeys produced in the Western Cape.

While maintaining some of his media interests as a radio station director in Cape Town and a documentary consultant, Chris’s enduring enthusiasm for bees remains a central aspect of his life. As a dedicated advocate for these industrious creatures, he seizes every opportunity to highlight their vital role in our ecosystems. From pollinating crops to producing honey, Chris celebrates the indispensable partnership between humans and honey bees.