PURDUE UNIVERSITY, Ind. (WLFI)—It's called the Purdue Honey Project.
"It all started over the summer,” said Purdue University Sophomore, Alyson McGovern. “I work here in the pilot lab. And my boss Eric Kurdelak came to me and said I have this idea."
The idea to create local honey, call it Boiler Bee Honey and sell it.
"The Entomology department here has always had an apiary where they keep bees and they make their own honey,” said McGovern.
Many students in entomology and food science helped create the product.
"I was very honored and surprised that I was chosen,” said McGovern. “I really am grateful for the opportunity. I just come and I work really hard and I am dedicated."
It's a pretty strenuous process. Starting with the extraction of the honey, then pouring it into a filler where they then fill twenty bottles of honey.
"We plan on doing this forever,” said McGovern. “I'll be in charge of it until I graduate and then I'll pass it down to another sophomore."
The team has already distributed several cases of honey throughout the area such as Round Barn Creamery, Crasian Brewery in Brookston, and the Butcher Block on Purdue's campus. McGovern says this is great for the community.
"Anything local is really great because you're supporting local businesses,” said McGovern. “People who put the time and effort into what their passion is into these products."
She goes on to say there are many things she'll take away from this experience.
"I do know that I want to go into the industry when I graduate,” said McGovern. “I feel like having this background of honey, if someone comes to me saying we want to make a honey product, I can immediately know how to help them."
The Round Barn Creamery plans to make a honey-flavored ice-cream. Crasian Brewing in Brookston plans to make a honey beer with the product.
If you'd like to purchase a bottle of boiler bee honey you can at the Butcher Block on Purdue's campus.
