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Our history and commitment
The Story of Miels d’Anicet
Bees have been part of our family since 1978, when Marie-Claude Dupuis and Claude Desrochers, Anicet’s parents, acquired their first beehive in Ferme-Neuve, in the Hautes-Laurentides region of Quebec. Over the years, they inspired us to carry on the family beekeeping tradition and establish Miels d’Anicet at the turn of the millennium. That was the beginning of our adventure.
The Artisans
Who are we? Passionate honey enthusiasts, dedicated craftspeople of the land, epicureans, and curious minds who see beekeeping as the perfect blend of entomology, biology, and botany. Above all, we are partners and lifelong friends who love our work, our bees, and the simple pleasure of sharing a good life with good company.
Miels d’Anicet Welcomes a New Generation
The two young adults we were 25 years ago have grown alongside our dream, and our small honey house on Gravel Road has become a thriving beekeeping business—one we are immensely proud of.
Our love for bees and for the untamed beauty of the Hautes-Laurentides was passed down to us by Anicet’s parents, Claude and Marie-Claude. Their greatest gift was inspiring us to do things differently, while always remaining true to our values and authentic in everything we do.
Looking back, we’ve accomplished so much over the years—with love, curiosity, countless hours of work, plenty of bee stings, teamwork, and, of course, the unwavering support of our incredible community: our customers, suppliers, friends, family, and many others.
Anicet has always been the guardian of our bees, the honey hunter, and the source of our deep knowledge of bee biology and entomology. As for me, I’ve devoted my heart to growing the honey house, developing honey-based products, leading our team with care, nurturing relationships with our customers, and sharing the rich culture of honey with our community.
Today, our core values inspire us to ensure that Miels d’Anicet, its vibrant world of bees, and everything we’ve built will continue to thrive for generations to come. For us—and for the remarkable team that has contributed so much to this journey—it is essential to prepare the next generation.
Passing on a family farm is both a complex and deeply emotional process, one that lies at the very heart of our life’s work. It’s about much more than handing over the keys to the honey house; it’s about passing along our ideals, our passion, and our expertise.
It is with great joy that we introduce Kaven Davignon, who represents the next generation and is now the new owner of Miels d’Anicet. A devoted family man and someone we trust wholeheartedly, Kaven has stayed true to his word, and over the past three years working alongside us, his passion for beekeeping has only continued to grow.
Kaven Davignon
Owner & General Manager
I have always had a deep respect for the land, the work of artisans, and entrepreneurship. In 2016, while involved in a community development project in our region, I met Anne-Virginie. A few years later, the opportunity arose to join Miels d’Anicet.
Working alongside Anicet in the field, among the apiaries, I discovered the complexity and beauty of the world of bees. Little by little, beekeeping became more than a profession—it became a way of life and a true commitment.
Today, I have the privilege of carrying the farm forward with the desire to preserve Anne-Virginie and Anicet’s vision. My goal is to continue practicing a respectful, forward-thinking approach to beekeeping while helping showcase our honeys, our products, and the collective expertise that defines Miels d’Anicet.
Anicet Desrochers
Co-Founder & Co-Owner
Born into a beekeeping family, Anicet has devoted his life to the fascinating world of bees and the science of apidology. He is driven by a deep commitment to helping ensure the survival of honey bees by naturally reducing colony losses through the selection and breeding of resilient queen bees that are well adapted to their environment.
Every day, he oversees the health and well-being of our colonies while sharing his expertise with the international beekeeping community, contributing to the advancement of apicultural science.
Anne-Virginie Schmidt
Co-Founder
“I fell in love with the bees.” Trained as a Chartered Professional Accountant, Anne-Virginie left city life behind to embrace life on the farm. Today, she is dedicated to showcasing the value of honey, helping people discover its culinary versatility as well as its benefits in natural body care.
She is also deeply committed to promoting honey culture in Quebec, raising awareness of the essential role bees play in our environment, and contributing to the vitality of her local community.
Our mission
Miels d’Anicet is a human-scale beekeeping company focused on bee preservation, sharing beekeeping knowledge, and crafting high-quality products made from natural, handcrafted hive ingredients, with personalized customer service at the heart of their concerns.
Our vision
Being a beekeeping company that inspires, innovates, and shines globally through :
The quality of its breeding program, its honeys and derived products;
Its human, responsible, and collaborative approach;
Holding expertise at the forefront of beekeeping advancements and related knowledge;
Maintaining an inspiring and inclusive work environment focused on knowledge development and a positive workplace climate.
Our values
RELEVANCE
We develop our genetics and products based on the evolution of knowledge, technologies, and issues related to the environment and bee biology.
RIGOR
We demonstrate integrity and rigor in all our activities.
AUDACITY
We rely on our sense of innovation and agility to adapt to changes and meet challenges. With our proactive approach and strong entrepreneurial culture, we can design and implement visionary and ambitious projects.
AUTHENTICITY
We act, develop, and market products that reflect us and respect the intrinsic qualities of the raw materials.
COMMITMENT
We encourage concrete engagement, both individually and collectively, in our community and industry. This active contribution reflects our dynamism, sense of ethics, and social responsibility.
RESPECT
We prioritize a living environment that respects individuals and embraces differences. This healthy and inclusive atmosphere fosters collegiality and a sense of belonging. In our work relationships, we respect everyone—clients, suppliers, employees, neighbors, and stakeholders alike.
COLLABORATION
We promote interactions among team members as well as with the beekeeping community to facilitate the sharing of ideas, interdisciplinarity, and the development of collective intelligence.
EQUITY
No one should benefit at the expense of another. We work collaboratively and transparently with our suppliers and clients to ensure that everyone shares in the profits. We implement a pay equity policy within the company. Being fair and equitable is one of the foundations of collective happiness.
THE PRESERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
All actions taken regarding our bee populations aim to preserve the species, and each decision must minimize its impact on the environment.
Authentic and wild territory
Located 275 km north of Montreal, the honey farm is situated in the Hautes-Laurentides, at the foot of Montagne du Diable, in a hilly area dotted with natural meadows, forests, lakes, and rivers. It is a wild, forested region free from intensive agriculture, providing an extremely high-quality environment for the 1,200-hive apiary.
This results in a floral abundance that signifies health for the bees: black cherry, cherry, and dandelion in spring; linden, clover, vetch, raspberry, crucifers, and sweet clover in summer; and eupatorium, goldenrod, and aster in autumn. This diversity gives Miels d’Anicet’s honey an incredible texture and complexity of flavors that vary with the seasons.
Our beekeeping
Beyond the honey it produces, the bee plays a crucial role as a pollinator and guardian of our environment. Driven by an unwavering love for these guardians of our biodiversity, we place their survival at the heart of our beekeeping practice. That’s why we explore every corner of the globe, eager for a thousand and one taste discoveries, committed to making meaningful contributions and acquiring new tools for improvement. Back in Ferme-Neuve, each experience uniquely influences our creation process.
Queen breeding with rustic genetics, production of high-quality wild honeys, development of gourmet and body products, seasonal dining: every opportunity is a chance to promote hive products and showcase the honey culture in Quebec.
You reap what you sow
The beekeeper plays an important role in feeding the planet. About 40% of the foods we consume are produced through insect pollination, with bees being the primary pollinators. The significance of the bee’s role in our food supply goes far beyond honey production. It is to protect and share this vital understanding of beekeeping that we rise each day.
On a smaller scale, producing locally, offering quality jobs, and contributing to the dynamism of our region are also integral to what we believe in.
