Ukrainian mother launches honey business in Moretonhampstead

A Ukrainian mother who moved to Mortonhampstead to provide a better life for her children and escape the war has started her own honey business, offering traditional Ukrainian honey to the UK and Devon.

Maryna Heorhiieva, 44, originally from Kyiv, relocated to Mortonhampstead to escape the conflict and ensure a better future for her children. 

She lived with a host family, Russell and Fiona, on their farm in the market town.

Maryna left her husband and family behind in Ukraine. 

ABOVE: The family enjoys their summer holidays with their Dad in Ukraine in 2024. Credit: Maryna Heorhiieva

After gaining independence by renting her own place and purchasing a car at auction, she is now building a life for herself and her children through her own business, Honeyland.

She told The Moorlander: “After the war... It’s the biggest stress I think a person could ever experience, yeah, but also our values have changed... I started to value literally each moment of my life because I understand that our lives are so fragile and can be lost at any minute.”

Honeyland was launched in December 2024 and imports genuine Ukrainian honey. 

Maryna believes her products are a healthier alternative to others on the market due to the purity of their ingredients.

Currently, she sells her honey online and in local shops around Mortonhampstead, with plans to expand and offer her products nationwide.

Speaking about the name of her business, she explained: “Ukraine is a real honey land... Not many people know about it.”

Maryna also highlighted the biodiversity of Ukraine, with 60 per cent of the country’s land covered by fertile black soil. 

This includes primal mountains, raw forests, and wild meadows. Ukraine is also home to 700 native bee species.

According to Maryna, 95 per cent of Ukrainian honey is produced in small, family-owned apiaries.

She also explained that Ukraine is Europe’s leading honey producer and the world’s third-largest honey exporter.

Honey is deeply ingrained in Ukrainian culture, which is why Maryna chose to name her business Honeyland.

She shared that when she first arrived in the UK to meet her host family, she wanted to offer them a traditional gift from Ukraine. 

It was then that she and her husband decided to gift honey as a token of thanks for hosting them.

Maryna, alongside her husband, both with marketing backgrounds, created personalised labels for the honey to make it a memorable souvenir. 

After receiving praise for the honey, they decided to explore the idea of selling it locally, which led to the creation of Honeyland.

However, for Maryna, it’s not just about the business.

She said: “It’s not just about business. It’s much more than that, and it keeps me busy.”

Honeyland’s honey comes in a traditional flavour, but also offers unique variations, including Buckwheat Honey and Honey with Hazelnut and Cocoa, a three-ingredient recipe that Maryna says is a much healthier alternative to conventional chocolate spreads.

Maryna also explained the creaming process they use to give their honey a smoother texture and prevent crystallisation: “We go a bit further, offering people honey in a more modern way. We cream our honey to avoid crystallisation. So, creaming is a mechanical process. It’s a big mixture, and it’s very slow. It takes up to 36 hours for the crystals to reach a creamy texture.”

Maryna’s dedication to authenticity has not gone unnoticed. 

She is now setting her sights on prestigious industry accolades, saying: “We are thinking about applying for the Great Taste Awards and the London International Honey Awards.”

As for returning to Ukraine, she said: “We all have that hope [to return to Ukraine] now... I’ve learned, and not just me, I think most Ukrainians have learned how to live here and now, and not plan for [the long-term]. We can’t plan for long.”