The Swedish coffee roaster Löfbergs is working flat out. The company is temporarily hiring 100,000 new co-workers. But this time it is not about increasing the coffee production, but a different kind of business.
– This recruitment, which is the largest one in the history of the company, will probably create a buzz. It literally shows that we care about biodiversity, and we are thrilled that we have found the suitable staff with that extra sting, says Lars Appelqvist, CEO at Löfbergs.
Important contribution
In other words, the new staff consists of 100,000 bees that are temporarily employed from the recruitment company Bee Urban. The bees will live and work in hives placed on Löfbergs’s rooftop in central Karlstad. Bee Urban is responsible for all contact with the hired staff and make sure that they are doing well.
– Three quarters of all food depend on the pollination of bees. Bees are therefore vital for people to survive. At the same time, the number of bees is reducing in the entire world due to such things as diseases and pollutions. That is why Löfbergs’s contribution is so important, says Filip Gustafsson at Bee Urban.
A greener urban environment
The new co-workers are settling in at their new job. Their main task will be to pollinate plants in the immediate surroundings and contribute to a greener urban environment.
The staff also has production responsibilities. The honey the bees produce is accrued to Löfbergs and will be used at the company’s café, Rosteriet.
– I expect the bees to be as busy as our regular staff. This is a pilot scheme, but if it is successful it might be a question of permanent employment, says Lars Appelqvist.
