I’m Derek Ladenburger, founder of Sedona Bee Co

 

Originally from Georgetown Kentucky, I’m a U.S. Army veteran and a commissioned Kentucky Colonel. My background is built on discipline, execution, and accountability, and that standard carries directly into how this company operates

 

Sedona Bee Co was not built to participate in the honey market
It was built to challenge it

 

My foundation in beekeeping came from my father in law, Joe St Denis. He taught me the hands on side of the craft, how to work the hives, how to respect the process, and how to understand what the bees are actually telling you. That knowledge shaped everything that followed

 

The majority of honey sold today is overheated, overfiltered, and blended for uniformity. It is designed for shelf stability, not integrity. I saw that early and made a decision to go the opposite direction

 

We produce raw, unfiltered honey and treat it as a product of origin, not a commodity

 

We source honey from across Arizona and throughout the country, working with environments that produce distinct profiles and character. We lean into those differences rather than blending them away, allowing each batch to reflect where it came from

 

From there, we expanded the category

 

We introduced barrel aged honey using applejack and bourbon barrels, applying techniques more commonly seen in craft spirits to a product that had largely been left untouched. This is not flavoring. This is process driven transformation that creates depth, structure, and a completely different experience

 

We also developed a line of creamed honeys built from real inputs and direct feedback, not trend chasing. Every product we release is intentional and controlled

 

Sedona Bee Co operates out of a registered FDA facility, allowing us to meet strict handling and safety standards while scaling into retail, wholesale, and broader distribution channels

 

This is a family driven operation that remains hands on at every level of production. We are not outsourcing quality. We are building it

 

My focus is not short term sales
It is long term positioning

 

Sedona Bee Co is being built as a brand that stands for quality, process, and accountability in a space that has largely moved away from all three

 

We are not here to follow the market
We are here to redefine it.