On Tanna Island, Stephanie Stevens is helping carry forward a family tradition that began in 1992: beekeeping.

Her father’s honey, Uncle Jacques Honey, has long been a source of health and sweetness for the community but their legacy faces a challenge: the Asian bee, also called the Eastern honey bee (Apis cerana), an invasive species from Asia.

When the Asian bee reached Port Vila, Stephanie’s family returned to Tanna to restart their hives, determined to protect both their craft and the island’s delicate ecosystem. “Honey keeps people healthy,” Stephanie says. “We drink it with tea or have it with dinner every day.”

The family is also building a processing facility, a step toward sharing their honey more widely while preserving quality. Stephanie appreciates government-organized events that showcase local producers. “Seeing other producers inspires me,” she says. “I can learn new ways to improve our honey.”

The fight against the Asian bee is ongoing. Working with the Department of Biosecurity, the family hopes to prevent the species from reaching Tanna, ensuring their hives and the island’s crops, which rely on honeybees for pollination remain safe.

For Stephanie Stevens, Uncle Jacques Honey is more than a product; it’s a story of resilience, heritage, and the sweet rewards of protecting a family legacy from an invasive threat.