How a French beekeeper is using Google AI to preserve tradition while embracing innovation

An interview with Benoit Serre, founder of Le Rucher du Marandou, a beekeeping and honey business in Dordogne, France.

I worked in the construction industry as a site manager, but then I had a serious accident in 2010 that left me unable to do that work anymore. As I was recovering, I returned to the 200-year-old family farm, the Marandou, where I remember spending carefree childhood days with my grandparents. Sadly, the farm had fallen into neglect since my grandfather had passed away a few years earlier. He used to own a dozen beehives, and, miraculously, one beehive had survived. I was determined to take care of it, and that's how my passion for beekeeping was born. The name of my beekeeping and honey business, Le Rucher du Marandou, is a tribute to the family farm.

I set about building a stock of beehives and when firefighters were called to remove hives from people’s homes, they’d get in touch with me. Soon, I was going on wild bee rescue missions and saving beehives from rooftops, gardens, and even inside a mailbox. By 2013, I had 31 beehives, and I’d started producing and selling honey. I was completely self-taught and had no background in business development, marketing, or e-commerce, so when I wanted to scale the business and expand its reach online, I took some business development workshops at the local Chamber of Commerce. The trainers there recommended that I also take a Google AI course to help me.

The world of AI was foreign to me, but I approached it with curiosity. I started out using Gemini to brainstorm marketing strategies that could help drive more traffic to the online store. Gemini helped me understand how to create SEO-optimised blog content and redesign the site’s product pages. I also started to use AI to speed up day-to-day tasks, like drafting responses to inquiries from new and existing customers, and preparing commercial proposals and quotes. In fact, it even helped me generate ideas for innovative honey products.

“With support from Gemini, I crafted 80 new articles in one year sharing stories about the world of bees, the traditional craft of beekeeping, and delicious honey recipes, a huge leap from the 16 that I had published over the last few years.”

I still remember the moment when a recipe post using one of our honey products resulted in a new organisation getting in touch with us. I used Gemini to craft a compelling proposal for the new customer, and when Gemini suggested sending product samples, I knew it was a great idea. Ultimately, this interaction led to a bulk order of 1,500 jars of honey worth €7,000. I was stunned. It was the moment I discovered the website’s true potential to connect with audiences and generate revenue that went far beyond my initial expectations.

“Between 2025 and 2026, visitors from organic searches have jumped 12-fold and revenue from the online shop has gone up seven times compared to last year. With every sale, I’m not just sharing our honey, I’m sharing our family legacy.”

To take the business a step forward, I wanted to set up a physical shop. One day, I discovered Gemini Live in the Gemini app, which allows you to have a real-time back-and-forth conversation with Gemini, and have it respond to what you’re showing it with your camera. I thought, let’s try it, and showed Gemini the physical space earmarked for the shop and brainstormed potential layouts and product placement ideas. Now, I’ve actually opened the store and implemented some of the suggestions Gemini made to improve the overall shopping experience.

“AI doesn't make our honey, and it certainly doesn't replace my expertise as a beekeeper, but it’s been great in helping me build skills in unfamiliar areas like business and marketing. Now I have the power to communicate my craft to a much wider audience, grow my business, and keep my heritage alive.”

Looking ahead, I’d like to keep developing innovative, high-quality products and expand the business to international markets. Ultimately, I want to preserve the Marandou family farm for future generations. By integrating AI, we are finding new ways to modernise our sustainable honey and beekeeping business while remaining deeply connected to our roots.