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Delaware North brings Austin-based Me & The Bees Lemonade to Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

51940482209_854c6d88be_o1_thumb-9600099Me & the Bees Lemonade, the woman-and-Black-owned lemonade company founded in 2009 by teen entrepreneur Mikaila Ulmer, this week announced it has “beelined” into Austin-Bergstrom International Airport – just in time for the busy fall and winter travel seasons.
 
Me & the Bees’ expansion into the airport is thanks to a partnership with Delaware North, which operates food and retail services at the Austin travel hub.
 
“I truly believe that small, minority-owned and local businesses are the heartbeat of the economy – and I am thrilled that we have created a partnership with Me and the Bees at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport,” said Sunshine White, director of strategic partnerships for Delaware North’s travel business, who fostered the relationship with the locally based company. “Delaware North is a diverse place, and we want to make sure that diversity extends to our business community, with opportunities and support for everyone. This partnership is new, but you can already sense the energy and excitement surrounding it. Our commitment to diversity, equity, shared prosperity, and sustainability separates us from the competition and reflects our community-driven values.”
 
Travelers can find the premium, 12-ounce bottles of lemonade at several airport restaurants and shops, including Annie’s Café & Bar, Earl Campbell’s, East Side Pies, I Vini, Juiceland, Medici, The Peached Tortilla, Salt Lick BBQ, Tacodeli, The Austin Chronicle store, Book People and Jet Set Market. Available flavors include:
 
Classic Lemonade – An updated twist to an old-fashioned classic that strikes just the right sweet and tart balance. 
 
Prickly Pear Lemonade – The cheerful addition of prickly pear cactus fruit that is pervasive in Austin will make taste buds hum, thanks to the aromas similar to a raspberry and watermelon combination.
 
Black Cherry Lemonade – The latest addition to the brand’s lemonade lineup blends ripe, black cherries with classic lemonade for a new flavor sensation. 
 
The lemonade is made with premium ingredients, including honey and flaxseed – the latter of which was key in a recipe created by Ulmer’s great-grandmother, the inspiration behind the creation of Me & the Bees Lemonade.
 
“There are so many iconic local eateries at the airport. And what better pairing for a tasty taco, some traditional Texas barbeque or a Chinese barbecue chicken bowl than a cold, refreshing lemonade that tastes good and does good?” said Ulmer, who overcame her fear of bees at the age of 4 and began the quest to better understand their role in the ecosystem. “Expanding into the Austin airport is about more than us being super proud to offer our all-natural beverages to busy travelers; it’s also a chance to proudly represent Austin and share our amazing entrepreneurial success story that our hometown has helped foster.” 
 
52456527857_7b135fb005_o-9960542To celebrate its launch into the airport, Delaware North has created and will sell special merchandise – including T-shirts, magnets, stickers and postcards. Plus, Ulmer’s best-selling book, “Bee Fearless, Dream Like a Kid,” is also available at the airport outpost of Book People. 
 
“With open arms, we welcome Austin’s favorite lemonade brand as a way to help travelers quench their thirst on the go,” said Terry Mahlum, general manager of Delaware North’s travel division. “We hand-picked this premium, all-natural lemonade brand not only because it offers fun and delicious flavors lower in sugar, but also because of its commitment to social and environmental responsibility – including saving the bees.”
 
Always keeping its mission of saving the bees at the forefront, Me & the Bees Lemonade seeks to help educate consumers about the role bees play in the ecosystem and the alarming decline in their population. It gives a percentage of its profits to Ulmer’s non-profit organization, the Healthy Hive Foundation, which is dedicated to increasing bee awareness and safe environments through research, education, and preservation. A portion of all Austin airport sales of Me & the Bees will go to maintaining and installing beehives at Austin-area schools through the Whole Kids Foundation. 
   
Now offering five flavors in more than 6,000 other distribution points across the country, the certified minority-owned company continues to experience high growth from its humble beginnings in Austin, ranking as an Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Company in the U.S. and the No. 1 ready-to-drink lemonade growth brand in its category.
 
Me & The Bees has appeared on the ABC program “Shark Tank” and has been featured by several major media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and USA Today.