On Tues., Oct. 22, Brown & Haley, with the help of City of Tacoma’s Environmental Services, created and donated 1,500 gallons of premier sugar water to local beekeepers in the community. The sugar water was created when contractors cleaned the 40’ tall sugar-storing silos, used to make ALMOND ROCA®, on Brown & Haley’s property.
“This is public/private partnership at its best,” said Pierson Clair, Brown & Haley CEO. “We needed to clean our sugar silos and instead of just sending us a bill for the excess wastewater being created, the City of Tacoma with help from Tacoma Public Utilities, created a solution that helps our community.”
This creative solution came from a City of Tacoma, (COT) wastewater employee. During consultations with Environmental Services on how best to dispense of the sugary byproduct created during the cleaning process, an employee recommended saving the water for beekeepers. Beekeepers use sugar water to feed bees in Washington over the winter months when nectar supplies are low. Instead of being thrown away, this premier sugar water will get recycled by local bees into honey.
“This has been a great experience to work with the local industry and develop this synergy,” said Alan Aplin, City of Tacoma Business Operations account executive. “For Tacoma to sustainability dispose of a waste stream of this sort, to benefit our local environment, is a win-win situation.”
Work has gone into creating a food-safe solution, including using only potable water in the cleaning process and food-safe, clean equipment to transport and store the sugar water. The sugar water was delivered to COT’s central wastewater treatment plant in Tacoma, where beekeepers will be able to pick up the free sugar water upon request.
“We have a saying around here, ‘make it Tacoma,’ and this is why,” said Jackie Flowers, director of Tacoma Public Utilities. “One of our jobs as a public utility is to find creative solutions to ordinary problems in our community. By working together with the city and local businesses, we’re thinking outside the traditional box of our services, saving the community money and resources every time we do. Plus, I happen to be a huge Almond Roca fan.”
This a creative pilot between Brown & Haley and the City of Tacoma (COT). If it works, Brown & Haley may continue this process every time they need to clean their sugar stores.
How to request ALMOND ROCA® sugar water
In mid-November, Environmental Services will be ready to dispense the sugar water to local beekeepers and hummingbird enthusiasts. Please call TAGRO at (253) 502-2150 if you are interested in receiving updated information about the sugar water’s availability.
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About Brown & Haley
Brown & Haley has been making fine confection in Tacoma, Washington for 107 years. Our master confectioners use only the finest locally sourced ingredients to create over 3 million pieces of ALMOND ROCA every day which ship to over 60 countries around the world.
About Environmental Services
Environmental Services protects and restores natural resources, keeping our city clean, safe and livable through garbage and recycling pickup, wastewater treatment, household hazardous waste disposal, protection from stormwater pollution and much more.
About Tacoma Public Utilities
Established in 1893, Tacoma Public Utilities is one of the oldest municipal utilities in the nation. Nearly 1,400 employees work in three divisions: Tacoma Power, Tacoma Water, and Tacoma Rail.