Black Excellence 2026

Six people. Six stories. Six infusions.

Black Excellence 2026 brings together heritage, creativity, courage and the power of community. Through six distinctive honey infusions, BEEyond Honey™ invites you to discover the people behind the names, explore their contributions and carry their stories into your everyday moments.

The story of the hive

A bee carries its own purpose, but a bee does not build alone. Our hive represents what becomes possible when individual talent meets collective strength. The honey represents what we create and share together: knowledge, courage, creativity, achievement and legacy.

These six lives span journalism, film, acting, beauty, food and law. Their journeys remind us that excellence has many expressions, and that learning from one another helps the whole hive grow.

Excellence grows when we build together.

Meet the six inspirations

GENESIS — Claudia Jones

Claudia Jones was a journalist and campaigner for racial justice. She founded the West Indian Gazette in 1958 and helped bring Caribbean carnival to London with an indoor celebration in January 1959. GENESIS honours the beginnings that create possibilities for those who follow.

Explore Claudia Jones’s story with English Heritage.

VISION — Ryan Coogler

Filmmaker Ryan Coogler co-founded Proximity Media with Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian. Its mission centres on bringing audiences together through stories involving often-overlooked subjects. VISION celebrates imagination: seeing a possibility, shaping a story and helping others see beyond what already exists.

Explore Proximity Media’s storytelling mission.

EQUAL — Daniel Kaluuya

Daniel Kaluuya won the 2021 Academy Award for Actor in a Supporting Role for Judas and the Black Messiah. EQUAL celebrates the importance of representation and the space for different voices to be seen, heard and valued.

Explore Daniel Kaluuya’s Academy Award achievement.

UNBOUND — Dame Pat McGrath

Make-up artist and founder of Pat McGrath Labs, Dame Pat McGrath is celebrated for her influential work across fashion and beauty. Her creative practice explores colour, texture and transformation. UNBOUND honours the freedom to create beyond narrow definitions and to express beauty on your own terms.

Explore Pat McGrath’s creative journey.

ROOTED — Adejoké “Joké” Bakare

Nigerian-born chef Joké Bakare grew Chishuru from a Brixton residency into a restaurant in Fitzrovia. In February 2024 it received a Michelin star, making her the UK’s first Black female Michelin-starred chef. ROOTED honours the power of heritage as a foundation for creating something new.

Explore Joké Bakare’s story at Chishuru.

LEGACY — Professor P.L.O. Lumumba

Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba is a Kenyan lawyer, educator and public thinker who has served as Director and Chief Executive of the Kenya School of Law. LEGACY invites us to consider responsibility: what we receive, what we build and what we carry forward for the next generation.

Explore his words on legal education at the Kenya School of Law.

A taste of BEEyond Honey

Join Queen Bee Adowa Koren for a real food-and-honey tasting moment.

Discover through flavour

Each infusion has its own character. Explore the ingredients and food pairings on the individual product pages, then try a spoonful with breakfast, cheese, fruit, tea or a favourite dish. You do not need a complicated recipe to begin discovering a new flavour.

Stir each jar thoroughly before enjoying. Botanicals can naturally settle or gather at the surface, and honey may crystallise over time. Store upright in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, with the lid securely closed. Honey is not suitable for children under 12 months.

Choose your collection

Individual 275g jar: £18. Choose any two for £34, or any three for £48 — the best qualifying discount applies automatically in your cart. The complete six-jar collection, with one of each infusion, is £90.

Free UK standard delivery on orders over £40 until 31 October 2026. Applies automatically at checkout across our shop, after discounts. Express and international delivery are excluded.

This collection is an independent BEEyond Honey™ tribute. The infusion names and creative interpretations are our own; no endorsement or affiliation is implied.