Wild Honey Box started with one hive and a passion for honey bees born from Kenny Reed’s desire to change his lifestyle after having a health scare in 1994.

“It was then that he said that [beekeeping] was what he was put on the earth to do,” Wendy Reed said.

How it happened

Over 30 years ago, while planting fruit trees, Montgomery residents Kenny and Wendy Reed noticed a need for honey bees for pollination, leading them to purchase a hive of bees from a member of a local bee club. At the time, the two had full-time jobs.
Wild Honey Box is a family operated business. (Courtesy Wild Honey Box)
Wild Honey Box is a family operated business. (Courtesy Wild Honey Box)
Inspired by the bees, Kenny Reed left his courier position at Federal Express to work for a commercial beekeeping family while learning to maintain his own beehive. Today, Kenny and Wendy Reed have 7,000 hives with an average of 50,000 bees per hive, Wendy Reed said.

Wild Honey Box, a business that started by selling its products to retailers 30 years ago, is now operated by Reed's daughter, Kayla Simons, a former public educator, and her husband, Dax Simons. Under their ownership, the business rebranded and expanded with a brick-and-mortar in March to sell its products directly to customers.
Wild Honey Box owners have 7,000 hives of bees in north Houston and South Texas. (Courtesy Wild Honey Box)
Wild Honey Box has 7,000 hives of bees in north Houston and south Texas. (Courtesy Wild Honey Box)
Staying local


Wild Honey Box bees are kept on several landowners' properties across the Montgomery, Tomball and Waller area as well as in south Texas. Best kept in wild areas, Wendy Reed said Wild Honey Box tries its best to keep its bees in neutral areas to avoid chemicals and pesticides.

Because the lifespan of a bee is typically around 45 days, Wendy Reed said beekeeping is a challenging task and requires experience and several hives to maintain a business.
Wild Honey Box offers a variety of honey flavors packed in bear containers. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
Wild Honey Box offers a variety of honey flavors packed in bear containers. (Jovanna Aguilar/Community Impact)
Due to the lack of resources available for the beekeeping community, Kayla Simons said she prioritizes networking with other beekeepers to continue learning about the best practices of beekeeping.

Wild Honey Box customers can find a variety of raw honey products made with about a million pounds of honey a year. Products offered include:
  • Local honey
  • South Texas honey, including orange blossom honey
  • South Dakota sweet clover honey
  • 28 flavors of creamy honey
  • Beeswax products such as lip balms, lotion and candles
  • Handcrafted hot honey
The local honey shop also offers free soft-served ice cream sweetened with honey in addition to a honey tasting bar.