Adesina Daniel Oduntan is an expert beekeeper who runs a unique Salt Lake business - Bee-Craft Consult. Daniel brought his business to Utah from Nigeria and has found great success here amongst the friendly locals. As a university agriculture student, Daniel decided that he was going to be self-employed, and subsequently discovered beekeeping through an ad in a newspaper. He became an entomologist and trained in Germany. After initially starting his company, he wrote a book on beekeeping, and created an award-winning program to educate students and youth in Nigeria on how to become self-reliant through beekeeping (the Beekeeping Education and Experience Program, or BEEP). Eventually, the beekeeper found his way to the Beehive State.

Salt of the Earth: The People & Places of Salt Lake

Coming to America, Daniel found himself first in Iowa, and then in Utah, where he was able to take advantage of assistance from the Utah Microloan program and the International Rescue Committee. He credits these programs with giving him the ability to get Bee-Craft going in Salt Lake, which he has been able to build into a thriving business.

In addition to keeping a number of urban hives around Salt Lake, including one on a roof-top at The Gateway, Daniel focuses on selling bee-related products - honey, lip balm, propolis, honeycomb, and more - and on a great passion of his, education. He teaches people to have the skills needed to keep their own bees though online classes and in-person instruction. He feels very strongly that if more people kept bees, not only would it be good for each individual through increased health and income, it would be good for our planet by helping to save the bee population.

Daniel is glad to be in Salt Lake with his wife and family, and to be able to see Bee-Craft Consult find success here. We're glad to have Bee-Craft Consult as a part of our Salt Lake community, and to have someone as passionate about teaching others and saving the bees as Daniel is. Thanks Daniel for being in this installment of Visit Salt Lake’s Salt of the Earth series.