Get ready for a bee-autiful experience this spring as the world’s first supermarket for bees arrives in Tāmaki Makaurau!
Woolworths has teamed up with Bees Up Top to create a miniature supermarket featuring colourful aisles of bee-friendly blooms to celebrate the return of fresh seasonal produce like asparagus and strawberries.
Woolworths for Bees has been carefully selected in consultation with professional beekeepers, botany experts and nurseries to cater to the needs of bees – but of course humans can visit too and enjoy an interactive and educational experience.

Timed perfectly for the school holidays and Bee Awareness Month, this unique bee supermarket will be open at Auckland’s Ambury Farm from 28 September to 6 October. The kids can explore aisles filled with vibrant plants, enjoy a fun scavenger hunt and take home a bee-themed goodie bag!
Bees are vital for 70 per cent of the crops we eat, but they’re facing challenges such as habitat loss and climate change, so getting involved in initiatives like this means raising awareness for our buzzing pollinators.
Even if you can’t make it to Auckland, Woolworths has plenty of advice to help you plant your own bee-friendly garden at home. “Planting a bee garden is a simple way to support these essential creatures, and it helps raise awareness of their critical role in our food supply,” says Woolworths’ General Manager of Fruit and Vegetables, Ryan McMullen.

How To Attract Bees To Your Garden This Spring
Bees are drawn to certain flowers, especially those with single, open shapes or clusters of tiny blossoms. The more flowers you plant, the more bees you’ll attract, and they’ll bring their hive-mates along for the feast!
Here are some bee-loved plants to consider for your garden this spring:
Lavender: Bees love purple, and lavender is one of their favourites. Plant it in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, and don’t forget to prune it in spring.
Purple Aster: Easy to grow and adored by bees, asters thrive in full sun and need regular watering.
Foxglove: This bumblebee favourite grows best in partial shade with well-draining soil.
Borage: A favourite among many bee species, borage enjoys full sun and plenty of water.
Other bee-friendly plants include echium, bluebells, rhododendrons, rosemary and cosmos.
If you prefer to plant native New Zealand flora, bees love these too:
Harakeke (New Zealand flax): High in protein, its flowers bloom in September, providing a feast for bees. It’s a hardy plant that grows in well-drained soil, often along streams.
Hebe: Whether growing as ground cover or a shrub, bees flock to its flowers. Hebe thrives in well-drained soil and can grow in sun or partial shade.
Mānuka: Known for its honey, mānuka has a short flowering season but is a bee favourite. It requires well-drained soil and tolerates a variety of sun conditions.
Let’s all do our part to help bees thrive!
The supermarket for bees, at Auckland’s Ambury Farm September 28 to October 6 is free for Kiwis of all ages. Get your tickets here!