The West Wales Bee Breeding program was set up as a partnership between Bangor University and Tropical Forest Products, one of Wales’ largest bee farmers and importers of organic African honey and beeswax, based in Ceredigion. The main participants are Dr Anita Malhotra (School of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences at Bangor University), David Wainwright (Director, Tropical Forest Products). The program began in December 2009 when PhD student Ian Williams began work, funded by a major European Convergence program which aims to support collaborative research between academics and business partners in the convergence area of Wales.