BeautyTalks with Asli Samanci, CEO and Founder of BEE&YOU

How did BEE&YOU come to be?

BEE&YOU's story began when Mrs. Asli Samanci, a mother, scientist, and entrepreneur, started struggling with the health problem of her 5-year-old son. Her son was getting sick frequently and was often treated with antibiotics, and he eventually developed an autoimmune disease due to his weakened immune system. The doctor advised Asli to supplement her son's diet with propolis and royal jelly to support his immune system. Knowing that many propolis products on the market were of low quality or, worse, adulterated, Asli went herself and got real raw propolis from a beekeeper and devised a pioneering (later to be patented) way to extract propolis in the lab. After Asli gave this to her son for about six months, she observed a miraculous improvement in his health and eventually cured his autoimmune disease. Due to the incredible results experienced by her son, in 2013, Asli decided to become an entrepreneur and founded BEE&YOU to start propolis production as a natural immune enhancer for all the children, mothers, and families in the world who experience similar problems.

What inspired the name BEE&YOU?

The word "Bee" in the name directly refers to the brand's products' primary source and connection to nature. The "&You" part suggests a personal touch and inclusiveness, emphasizing that the products are made for individuals, highlighting the brand's commitment to the well-being and health of its customers.

Tell us more about Dr. Asli Samanci, the CEO&Founder of BEE&YOU!

Dr. Asli Samanci is a renowned, award-winning food scientist committed to creating natural and healthy products. Dr. Samanci graduated from the Department of Food Engineering at Istanbul Technical University in 1996 and received her Master of Science degree from the same university in 2006. Her thesis involved research on the determination of honey origin. In 2013, she established her own company after solving her 5-year-old son's immune system problem with her developed propolis extract. She founded the company at the Istanbul Technical University Technology Development Area with her husband, Mr. Taylan Samanci, an agricultural engineer, and Prof. Dr. Dilek Boyacioglu, her advisor at the Food Engineering Department of I.T.U.

Consequently, she started producing propolis and other bee products for the first time through a Contracted Beekeeping Business Model. Dr. Asli Samanci has over 20 years of experience in bee products and an M.B.A. degree focusing on international marketing strategies. Mrs. Samanci earned her Ph.D. degree in Biology in 2021 with a dissertation on skin cream development using bee venom and other bee products. Dr. Asli Samanci continues to contribute passionately to the world of science with over 30 clinical studies, more than 50 national and international oral and poster presentations, and numerous books she has written. She currently serves as General Manager and Co-Founder of S.B.S. Scientific Bio Solutions and sells her unique products worldwide under the brand BEE&YOU.

How important is being sustainable for BEE&YOU?

Bees contribute to 80% of pollination, playing a significant role in agriculture and the natural cycle. A bee can visit up to 100 flowers per hour on its exploratory flight. Imagine that with 20,000 bees leaving the hive a few times a day, more than 20 million flowers are pollinated. Bees contribute to both increased production and the healthy continuation of the environment.

Sustainable beekeeping is a practice based on the principle of using natural resources effectively and maintaining environmental balance while preserving the natural life cycle and populations of bees. This approach aims to ensure the continuity of bee populations while protecting the sustainability of ecosystems and biodiversity.

Sustainable beekeeping can be promoted by avoiding harmful pesticides that improve the living conditions of bees and reducing the use of chemicals and pesticides. Effective management of land and water resources used for beekeeping, preservation of plant cover and diversity, and ensuring bees' access to natural food sources and pollination activities are crucial. Raising awareness about the importance of bees and beekeeping activities for the ecosystem and the benefits of sustainable beekeeping for sustainable agriculture also contributes to understanding the value of sustainable beekeeping.

The quality of BEE&YOU's bee products is guaranteed through a unique business model called "Contracted Beekeeping," where production contracts are made directly with beekeepers. A sustainable supply of high-quality bee products is secured while working with exclusively contracted beekeepers who only produce for BEE&YOU with good beekeeping practices targeted from the hive. With 550,000 contracted beehives and 5,000 contracted beekeepers, this model allows the brand to care for the society of its beekeepers and their families and trace the quality and origin of its products from the hive to the table while helping to keep the planet green. Additionally, the naturalness and food safety compliance of BEE&YOU products are verified through analysis, and their biological activities are maintained before they reach consumers.

Thanks to our Contracted Beekeeping Model, we offer our products to consumers 100% natural and pure by controlling them at every stage. In addition to providing equipment support to our beekeepers, we guarantee their payments. We protect their rights as if they were our own. We make our beekeepers part of the BEE&YOU family. With this model, we eliminate intermediaries and realize "fair trade" by ensuring beekeepers earn income directly.

The contracted Beekeeping Model is not only a business model but also a social responsibility project aimed at preventing the extinction of bees. Furthermore, as part of the social responsibility project carried out by BEE&YOU, 1% of the income from each product sold is collected in a fund to provide beekeepers with more modern equipment to contribute to the sustainability of beekeeping. This money accumulated in the fund is returned to beekeepers to renew their equipment, such as honey extraction machines, modern beehives, honey settling tanks, pollen traps, etc. Thus, the development and sustainability of beekeeping in our country are supported.

“The quality of BEE&YOU's bee products is guaranteed through a unique business model called "ContractedBeekeeping,"where production contracts are made directly with beekeepers.”

What is your staple BEE&YOU product? 

Propolis immüne support shot drinks and sprays take first place among our most preferred products because we bring pure Anatolian propolis, which has high quality and nutritional value, to the consumers. The effect of our patented pure Anatolian propolis has been proven by clinical studies. Those who experience this healing once understand the difference and quality of our products.

In addition to propolis drops, our food supplements, such as raw honey spray with propolis, tablets, and natural nasal sprays with propolis, are among our most preferred products.

In cosmetics, the most preferred products include hand, foot, and body creams that provide:

• Intensive moisture care.
• Anti-aging skincare sets.
• S.O.S. intensive care cream.
• Lip balms.
• Sun care products.

Our new products, such as anti-acne serum and vitamin C facial serum, have also gained popularity quickly.

Run us through your night-time routine!

As my work involves busy and long days, including traveling and spending time in front of the laptop screen, the night is the perfect time for a good skincare routine, elevating my general mood.

I start with removing makeup; that is a must! No matter how tired I am, I do not skip removing my makeup before bed. Whether I wear makeup or not, the first step is to clean my face. Cleansing away the day's skin surface pollution is essential for healthy skin.

Next, it's treatment time; I apply BEE&YOU APIBEAUTY Anti-aging Face Serum with Bee Venom, which improves my skin's texture and radiance and reduces fine lines and wrinkles in my routine. I pair BEE&YOU APIBEAUTY Anti-aging Eye Contour Serum with Bee Venom with face serum. As another option, instead of Anti-Aging serum, I apply BEE&YOU APIBEAUTY Vitamin C Facial Serum for brighter, fresher skin. This serum is formulated with Hyaluronic acid to help improve skin texture, hydration and reduce the appearance of wrinkles and age lines.

Moisturizing is the final step for the face to lock it all in and ensure the skin stays hydrated overnight. For this process, BEE&YOU APIBEAUTY Anti-aging Face Cream with Bee Venom perfectly matches Eye Serum and Face Serum.

Tip: Applying Lip Balm before sleep is a method that will let you wake up with moisturized and smooth-looking lips in the morning. BEE&YOU SKINCARE Moisturizing Lip Balm with propolis is the best choice for that! 

To have all-over body care, I use BEE&YOU SKINCARE Ultra Hydrating Hand Cream, BEE&YOU SKINCARE Ultra Hydrating Foot Cream, and BEE&YOU SKINCARE Ultra Hydrating Body Cream before going to bed.

Using natural and clean formulas that support and enhance my night-time routine is helpful.

Tell us more about Propolis and Anatolia!

Propolis is a natural product produced by honeybees from plants' leaves, stems, and buds. Bees use propolis to kill microorganisms and sterilize their hive by covering the comb cells. Then the queen bee lays eggs on those cells, helping their healthy development. Furthermore, honey, bee pollen, and royal jelly are encapsulated in the hive under a layer of propolis, which helps preserve the products stored in the comb. Propolis has many beneficial effects due to its natural phenolic and flavonoid composition. However, the bioavailability of raw propolis is low, so raw propolis needs to be extracted. Propolis extract is a processed form of raw propolis by extracting with the help of solvents such as ethanol, glycol, and glycerol. Experienced food scientists must do the extraction process using the appropriate solvents under controlled conditions. Propolis extract has x99 higher bioavailability in human cells than raw propolis. 

Anatolian Propolis Extract is sourced from pristine Anatolian mountains, home to 12,000 different plant species, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, and extracted with patented technology. Bee products obtained from this region have higher quality and nutritional content. Patented pure Anatolian Propolis Extract (A.P.E.)® contains at least 15 phenolic and flavonoid compounds with antioxidant activity. These are caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), caffeic acid, coumaric acid, quercetin, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, rhamnetin, pinocembrin, resveratrol, apigenin, chrysin, luteolin, hesperidin, hydroxybenzoic acid, and epicatechin. 

Anatolian Propolis Extract has x100 more antioxidants than Manuka Honey and x3 more than other propolis extracts!

“Propolis has many beneficial effects due to its natural phenolic and flavonoid composition. However, the bioavailability of raw propolis is low, so raw propolis needs to be extracted. Propolis extract is a processed form of raw propolis by extracting with the help of solvents such as ethanol, glycol, and glycerol.”

How has Bee&You evolved throughout the years?

BEE&YOU is taking confident steps towards making Anatolian propolis a global brand by exporting its products to 30 different countries, including the United States, Korea, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Austria, Qatar, France, and Dubai. BEE&YOU started this journey with only ten beekeepers, and today has continued with 5,000 contracted beekeepers and 550,000 beehives and also boasts a 115,000-square-meter facility, making it the only patented and award-winning propolis producer in the United States and the largest propolis production and R&D center in Europe. 

BEE&YOU is available at CVS Pharmacy, Trader Joe's, Walmart, and over 2,000 stores nationwide in the U.S.A. market. Today, BEE&YOU has been granted up to 70 awards internationally for its innovative, award-winning, and patented extraction method and female entrepreneurship.

What is your most memorable moment with Bee&You?

I want to talk about a precious memory we had while exporting Anatolian propolis to Germany for the first time. We also applied to the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture within the scope of export activities. However, there were questions about whether propolis is a plant or animal product. I went and talked to the manager. Ultimately, it was decided to be an animal product since propolis cannot be obtained without bees. This decision process took almost six months. Afterward, reviewing our products by the pharmaceutical company in Germany continued for another six months. Finally, we overcame all bureaucratic and technical obstacles and exported Anatolian propolis to Germany.

How do you like to spend your free time? 

I enjoy spending my free time in nature with my loved ones, like hiking. Taking time for self-care is also essential for me. I enjoy meditating, skin care, practicing yoga, or enjoying a good book. I have always enjoyed reading, researching, and acquiring knowledge. In my free time, I also follow scientific literature to stay informed about the latest advancements in my field.

What's next for Bee&You?

In our 115,000-square-meter production facility, we have expanded our product portfolio by adding the cosmetics range to our existing line of food supplements, which we produce under our brand and sell primarily in the United States and the Netherlands. Last year, we made a 5 million $ investment for production and currently have a variety of natural-based dermo-cosmetic products, including sun care products, roll-ons, lip balms, hand-body creams, anti-aging creams and serums, diaper creams, and intensive care creams.

In the first quarter of 2023, we accelerated our overseas investments in response to the increasing interest in natural-based dermo-cosmetic products and food supplements. With our BEE&YOU brand, we established a company and warehouse in the United Kingdom, following our presence in America and Europe. In this way, we aim to penetrate the global market more effectively in the fields of bee products, natural food supplements, and natural-based dermo-cosmetics while continuing our investments in e-commerce.

Among the products we completed/plan to release to the market in 2023 after the R&D and innovation processes are throat spray for kids, anti-acne serum, vitamin C facial serum, massage cream, anti-aging eye cream, and cellulite gel.