Our buzz is building and the future is looking bee-utiful and bright! Watch the story of Me & the Bees:
ONCE UPON A TIME...
2009
2011
2014
2015
2016
2020
2024
In the beginning...
When Mikaila Ulmer was just four years old, she was stung by a bee...twice in one week!
Great-Granny’s Helen’s recipe
Mikaila made her first lemonade, inspired from her great-granny’s 1940 cookbook, with flaxseed from the recipe, but with honey for a bee-utiful twist on the classic drink.
First lemonade stand
Mikaila had her first lemonade stand at the Austin Lemonade Day and Acton Children’s Business Fair in Austin, Texas.
Pizza parlor challenge
With so much positive feedback and a challenge from our beloved pizza parlor, we would figure out how to bottle up the goodness and got our first order as BeeSweet Lemonade.
Into the major retailers
Soon after we got our first order, we got a deal from Whole Foods Market, then grew into many more stores nationwide, including World Market, Target, The Fresh Market and H-E-B.
It’s a deal!
Things really took off after we had the opportunity to pitch our product and plan of “attack” on Shark Tank, making a deal with Daymond John.
Healthy Hive Foundation
From our humble beginnings, we shared our profits with organizations helping to save the bees, and in 2016, we started our very own non-profit foundation.
New name, new brand
Because another company had our original name before us, we needed to change it. We embraced our mission, renaming and relaunching our company as Me & the Bees Lemonade.
When opportunity knocks
Part of growing a company is showing up for others (aka the fun stuff). Mikaila has done it all from introducing President Obama to teaching many classrooms of kids about saving the bees.
Still “Dreaming Like a Kid”
In 2020, Mikaila wrote a book so she could share our story even further, with the hope of inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs and changemakers.
Happy Anniversary to us :)
We’re excited that for 15 years our award-winning lemonade company is still going strong. It’s been an incredible experience and we’re grateful to our “bee-lievers” who have supported us all these years.
New sustainable packaging
We’ve always taken pride in quality ingredients and flavors, but we’re also on a quest to be sustainable, improving our entire supply chain so we’re not only focusing on bees, but doing our part for the planet.
OUR LEMONADE
Me & the Bees makes all-natural, honey-sweetened lemonade crafted with real ingredients you can trust. Our award-winning lemonades come in five refreshing flavors and are available nationwide — or you can buy lemonade online directly from us and select retail partners.
We follow Great-Granny Helen’s original recipe, made with real lemon juice, flaxseed with omega-3s, and natural sweeteners. Our lemonades are lower in sugar, made without high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, or artificial flavors — a better choice for families and health-conscious lemonade lovers.
As a mission-driven, sustainable beverage brand, we believe lemonade should do more than refresh. Every sip reflects our commitment to quality, responsible sourcing, and supporting bee conservation.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Whole Foods Magazine: Me & the Bees Celebrates with New Packaging
Sustainable beverage producer and advocate for pollinators, Me & the Bees Lemonade, is celebrating its 15th anniversary with an upgrade to 100% recyclable aluminum cans packaging. The company will be changing over from glass bottles to new on-the go sustainable...
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INC. Magazine: Why Are So Many Brands Losing Shelf Space?
Inc. Magazine features Me & the Bees and their story over the past few years and how they have managed the changing dynamics with supermarkets. Read the full story here!
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The Canmaker: Me & the Bees Lemonade Switches to Aluminum Cans
U.S. drinks brand Me & the Bees Lemonade is celebrating its 15th anniversary by switching from glass bottles to aluminum cans. Read more here.
OUR PURPOSE
As a sustainable beverage brand, we continuously work to improve our supply chain and reduce our environmental impact. Our mission goes beyond making natural lemonade — it’s about supporting bees, protecting nature, and building a more responsible future, one sip at a time.
Our Founder & Hive
Mikaila Ulmer, Founder
Mikaila Ulmer founded Me & the Bees at just four years old, turning a childhood lemonade stand in Austin, Texas into a mission-driven lemonade brand rooted in purpose. Today, her all-natural, honey-sweetened lemonade is available in all 50 states, with one clear goal: make great lemonade while helping protect the bees.
Driven by her passion for social entrepreneurship, Mikaila shares her story worldwide through speaking engagements, workshops, and panels focused on bee conservation and sustainable business. She is also the author of the bestselling book Bee Fearless: Dream Like a Kid, inspiring young people to follow their ideas and make an impact.
What started as a family-run business has grown thanks to the support of the Bee-lievers — a community that believes in real ingredients, natural lemonade, and a purpose bigger than the bottle. For that support, Mikaila, the team, and the bees are deeply grateful.