The start of the journey
Meet The Honey Man
I’m Riath, better known as the “Honey Man”—a title earned through my unwavering passion for raw, unadulterated honey. With Yemeni roots and born in South Yorkshire, I grew up savouring the rich, golden nectar my parents brought back from their homeland—a taste so pure, it became a lifelong obsession. But when I searched for the same authenticity in the market, I found only disappointment. That frustration sparked a mission: to bring the world’s finest raw honey to those who crave the real thing. And so, Balqees was born—a journey to champion purity, tradition, and the incredible flavours of raw honey, straight from the source.
The story behind the name
Balqees Honey
The name Balqees comes from a beloved Queen of the Arabian Felix in the territory known as present day Yemen. Queen Balqees was also famously known as the Queen of Sheba who reigned in the 9th century BC. Legend has it she was also a big fan of honey!
The Signature Honey
Yemeni Sidr
This honey was the one i grew up on. Savouring that rich butterscotch taste for the first time in my life was a transformative experience which would later inspire me to search for it once more. Many types of raw honey have health and medicinal qualities, but Sidr Honey in particular has an abundance of minerals, vitamins and other nutrients which makes it even more potent.
The first kiosk
Dubai Mall
We opened our first permanent kiosk in the famous Dubai Mall in 2011 introducing our taste and pour concept to the masses.
On the hunt for honey
Meet the Beekeepers
I set out to travel the world, exploring remote regions and discovering some of the most unique varieties of honey nature has to offer. From this we've been able to partner with passionate beekeepers across the globe, from New Zealand to Greece, to Kyrgyzstan and more!
Read about these stories on our blog below.
Beekeeper Stories
A little refresh
New Brand Identity
Back to our roots!
First UK Store
We opened our first location in the UK at Sheffield's historic botanical gardens.
Find Us
The Journey Continues...
We're dedicated to continue providing you the purest and most natural raw honey on the planet! Our attention to detail extends to all our ingredients, including the fruits and spices we use in our raw honey fusions.
