Beekeeper Partners With Brewery As Small Businesses Get Creative To Survive Pandemic

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - Businesses that stick together survive together. That's the valuable lesson an entrepreneur in Madison, Wisconsin, was reminded of during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wade Woods spent close to 20 years working in the beer industry. But then he decided to become a beekeeper and launched Honeybee Cannabis in January 2020.

"Right as I was trying to get started, that's when everything hit," he told CBS affiliate WISC. "I didn't really know what to do. I couldn't really go anywhere to sell products. Everything was shut down."

To keep his new business viable during the pandemic, Wade donated a bunch of his product to a handful of retailers and restaurants. And now he's partnered with Karben4 Brewing to make a limited edition honey-infused beer that could benefit both businesses.

"There's a lot of small local businesses that are surviving it but we have to do it together," says Karben4's taproom manager Katie Herrera.

The new beer will be sold on Earth Day at Karben4 Brewing. But Woods' desire to help other struggling businesses during the pandemic goes beyond this partnership.

Portions of the beer sales will go to the Henry Vilas Zoo and Clean Lakes Alliance.

"They're just two very near and dear to my heart non-profits here in Madison and with the pandemic, they need help too," he says.

"It takes the support from Honeybee, it takes the support from other vendors and when our opportunity comes to help them as well, and be supportive of their causes, we jump on that because it's about togetherness," said Henry Vilas Zoo's Deputy Director Joseph Darcangelo

"It's really a shining example of how businesses of any size can help contribute to the community that we all live, work and play in," said Adam Sodersten with Clean Lakes Alliance.

Woods said his goal the last year was to create an all-Wisconsin brand that helped other Wisconsin businesses make it through the pandemic together.

"The more I can build, the more I can help give back to the community," he said.