The Story of Kissela

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The story of Kissela Honey begins with a single hive and a farmer’s love for nature. In the 1940s, in the Bilogora region near Grubišno Polje, Venco Kisela inherited his first hive from an uncle. What started as a small way to supplement the family farm’s income grew into a beloved local tradition. Venco, with the help of his cousin—a skilled carpenter—expanded his operation to six hives, producing honey that became a staple in the region. The bees thrived in the forests of Bilogora, where they feasted on acacia, linden, and chestnut blossoms, creating a unique and cherished flavour.

When Venco’s youngest daughter married Josip Vacek, the family’s honey-making tradition entered a new chapter. Josip modernized the process, purchasing new machinery and streamlining production. Under his guidance, the honey business flourished, reaching a wider audience while maintaining the values of sustainability, respect for nature, and community connection.

In the summers of his childhood, Lloyd Aloysius Vacek, Venco’s grandson, spent his holidays on the family farm, helping his grandfather tend to the bees. Even at the tender age of five, Lloyd was fascinated by the buzzing creatures. People marveled at how the bees rarely stung him, despite his lack of protective gear. When asked why, Lloyd would simply smile and say, “I’m their friend. I don’t want to hurt them, so why would they want to hurt me?”

When Lloyd was ten, his father Josip, disillusioned with communism, moved the family to Toronto, Canada. While adjusting to their new life, honey was no longer part of their daily rhythm, purchased instead from local farmers’ markets. In the mid-1980s, however, a connection to beekeeping reemerged when the family bought a cottage on Lake Dalrymple, near the Carden Alvar.

Lloyd befriended a cattle rancher and beekeeper who welcomed his help. Drawn back to the world of bees, Lloyd decided to start his own apiary with four hives, supported by the local rancher. The unique floral ecosystem of the Carden Alvar gave the honey an exceptional flavour, and demand quickly grew among Lloyd’s friends and colleagues. Lloyd, who worked in media advertising, began selling his honey to coworkers, even creating custom labels for Christmas gifts. His honey sold out every December, and soon he had to purchase honey from the local rancher to keep up with demand.

Years later, after the passing of his parents, Josip and Anne, Lloyd returned to Croatia to settle the family estate. Memories of his childhood summers came flooding back, along with a rekindled passion for the Bilogora region’s beekeeping heritage. There, he connected with local beekeepers, including Legard, a renowned figure in the area.

Recognizing the growing interest in sustainable, high-quality honey, Lloyd decided to combine his expertise in beekeeping with his advertising experience to establish Kissela Honey. The brand honours his grandfather Venco’s legacy, carrying forward the traditions of honest work and respect for nature.

But Lloyd’s vision didn’t stop there. His friend Jordy encouraged him to invest in a family ranch in Popayán, Colombia, where Lloyd supports a small-scale honey operation. Additionally, after marrying Sheila Cervantes, a native of the Philippines, Lloyd discovered the unique honey of Don Salvador Benedicto in Negros. Impressed by its flavour, he invested in a 12-hive apiary in the region, ensuring sustainability while spreading the joy of pure honey to family and friends.

Today, Kissela Honey is a testament to generations of dedication, innovation, and love for the natural world. The brand operates across Canada and Croatia, supports asprey in Colombia, and the Philippines, brings the finest eco-friendly honey to the Adriatic coast and has entered the hospitality world of North America. 

Honouring the practices of Venco and Josip, Kissela Honey is built on honest hard work, respect for nature, and gratitude for the bees that provide this extraordinary gift.