Coastal Blooms Honey

Coastal Blossom Honey from Madagascar, sweet and mild with a citrus bite

The Coastal Blossom Honey (Miel du Fleurs de Littoral) from La Compagnie du Miel is a light varietal honey from the Mokarana, an endemic tree of the Malagasy coast. Sweet, mild, with a slightly tart citrus note – a honey from a flora that only grows in Madagascar.

Coastal Blossom Honey (Miel du Fleurs de Littoral) from La Compagnie du Miel is a light varietal honey from the Mokarana, an endemic tree of the Malagasy coast. The Mokarana grows up to 6 m tall and bears small green buds under its leaves, which can be up to 60 cm long, where bees collect nectar. 170 g in a jar, carefully bottled in the manufactory.

A honey like a small journey. When spooned onto breakfast bread, you taste the sun, the salt, and the gentleness of the East African coast. This is how an island brings its blossoms to breakfast.

Golden, with a delicate citrus bite

The Coastal Blossom Honey appears golden in the jar and creamy-soft on the spoon – a texture that naturally arises in this Madagascar honey due to the high pollen content.

The scent carries notes of fresh blossoms and a hint of tropical fruit. On the palate, it is sweet and mild, with a slightly tart citrus note that distinguishes it from ordinary breakfast honey – fragrant, floral, and sunny in its overall impression. The Mokarana gives its honey this delicate, almost bittersweet edge, which is so refreshing that it does not linger sweetly in the mouth, but fades gently.

For breakfast bread and seafood marinade

Classically, the Coastal Blossom Honey is perfect on bread in the morning – a warm brioche with salted butter, a spoonful of honey, nothing more is needed.

However, its citrusy-mild character also makes it suitable for warm cuisine. It unfolds beautifully in a marinade for prawns, scallops, or grilled fish: 1 tablespoon of honey, a little lime juice, 5 ml of olive oil, and garlic give seafood a sunny tropical note. It also works well in a cup of Earl Grey, as well as a delicate sweetness over yogurt with fresh berries and roasted almonds.

Our kitchen tip: a teaspoon over young fresh goat cheese with freshly ground pepper – the citrus note in the honey brings out the acidity in the cheese, a small feast without effort.

4 founders, 500 beekeepers and an endemic tree

Behind La Compagnie du Miel are 4 founders: Gaël Hankenne, who arrived on the island in 2013 after years with Doctors Without Borders, Olivier Carbon with extensive experience in microfinance, Thibaut Lugagne Delpon, who had already built up a network of local shops across Madagascar, and Haingo Rakotobe, a Malagasy ecologist who trains local beekeepers in modern beehive techniques.

“Honey is a livelihood here,” explains Olivier, and in 2017 the four decided to turn it into a honey manufactory.

Their approach is consistent: instead of buying anonymous mass-produced goods, they work with around 500 Malagasy beekeepers who harvest in 3 regions – near Antananarivo in the highlands, in Ambanja in the northwest, and around Manakara on the east coast.

This is also where the Mokarana grows, whose blossoms open from October and are harvested in November. Its honey reflects a biodiversity that few islands can offer – Madagascar is home to over 200,000 plant and animal species, around 95 percent of which are found nowhere else.

Fair payment allows beekeepers to buy new beehives, sometimes even establish entire family businesses – a quiet contribution against deforestation and rural exodus. A honey tastes particularly good to us when it is good in two ways: on the palate and in the story behind it. What a start for a range that you are just getting to know.

Enjoyment tip

Spoon-soft at room temperature, stored dark and cool – this way, the Coastal Blossom Honey remains aromatic for a long time. If it crystallizes later, this is a sign of its authenticity: simply place the jar in lukewarm water, and it will become liquid again. Try it alongside the spicier Niaouli Honey or the rosy Lychee Honey from the same house – 3 small spoons side by side, and you have a Madagascar tasting at the kitchen table. All due respect.