Rondinella Franco beekeeping was born in 1999, the result of years of dedication, experience and passion handed down from father to son.
The company is located in the small municipality of Ripacandida on the slopes of Monte Vulture in the Province of Potenza, which boasts of being the first Honey City in Basilicata.
The family-run business is made up of Franco, Maria Assunta, their children Giuseppe, Francesca and Emma, and their granddaughters Ludovica and Nicole.
In 2005 the new 300mt laboratory was built, equipped with technological and innovative systems to safeguard the wholesomeness of the products, the typicality, and the conservation of the methods of the ancient Lucana tradition.
The company markets its products under the MIELE LUCANO - L'ORO DEI FIORI brand.
The company owns about 400 beehives located in various uncontaminated areas of the Basilicata region, made up of pastures with precious blooms that follow one another, and in which it manages to produce about 200 quintals of honey of different types per year.
The company is also structured and organized for the transformation of honey, there are numerous products it produces such as: Honey with dried fruit, gianduja cream and chocolate, candies, jellies, fruit jams (in season from organic farming), soft nougats, scented wax candles, pollen, royal jelly, propolis etc.
In 2009, the company became an educational farm, creating educational workshops also for families, pupils and kindergarten children.
Since 2018, with the initiative that distinguishes the company, always aimed at experimentation and innovation, it has created the first SPA in Europe that operates treatments with honey and beehive products.
Treatments are carried out inside the Center such as: massages, sauna, Turkish bath, whirlpools, healthy paths, wellness and company Team Building, all with own-produced honey also in nebulized form, there is also an Apiary for Apitherapy , (a room where in complete relaxation and safety it is possible to benefit from psycho-physical relaxation, through a glass window you can observe the bees intended to carry out their role of pollination and production of the renowned Ripacandida honey.
The air produced by the bees, rich in healthy components, enters the room through openings directly from the hive, being silent you can appreciate the buzzing of the bees, obtaining benefits against stress).
Apicoltura Rondinella has received numerous awards on the quality of its honey, the most important - 1st prize, 3 drops of gold on Millefiori honey at the national competition of Castel San Pietro Terme (BO).
The entire production process takes place in the laboratory and is organized as follows:
HONEY EXTRACTION AREA: in this room the cold extraction of the honey from the combs takes place through the uncapping machine and the radial honey extractor, by means of a pump the honey is transferred to the maturation area.
MATURATION and POTTING AREA: in this room where various maturators (stainless steel containers) are located, the honey is filtered by means of special filters, separating it from the wax particles.
The honey remains inside the maturators to decant for about 20 days, so that the air absorbed during the extraction process rises to the surface forming a kind of cream, which is subsequently removed.
The process ends with placing into jars and labelling.
PACKAGING AREA: in this room the jars of honey are placed in cardboard boxes and ready for sale.
WAX PROCESSING AREA: The company is also equipped with a machine (Blaster) for processing raw wax, transforming it into wax sheets.
ANALYSIS LABORATORY: In this room, all products are analyzed and controlled using suitable instruments.
TASTING ROOM: the company has a welcoming tasting room where guests are received, panel tests on honey are organised, courses for tasters, workshops for school children, guided tastings, etc.
Our products:
12 and more varieties of honey in packages ranging from 25g, 50g, 100g, 300g, 500g and 1kg, (honey from acacia, orange, chestnut, eucalyptus, spring and summer wildflowers, honeydew, sulla, linden, clover, cherry, sunflower , coriander etc.),
Gianduia cream with milk, dark and white chocolate with natural ingredients (honey, hazelnuts, whole milk and chocolate) without preservatives or colourings.
7 types of candies,
4 types of soft jellies with different types of honey,
Honey and dried fruit (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios from Stigliano,
Fruit jams and honey,Soft nougats with almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.
