It was as early as 1937, when the American University of Beirut opened its branch for teaching modern bee-keeping techniques that Rachid Yazbek, owner and manager of Yazbek Honey Co. started his long journey into the world of bees.

After taking courses in the subject of bee-keeping, he started to preach this hobby-profession through local and Arab radios and newspapers. The favorable weather in Lebanon, the abundance and variety of its flowers and the strong belief in the need for bees in agriculture for pollination lead Rachid Yazbek to carry the flag of bee-keeping through school and university conferences as well as local and Arab agricultural fairs.

He established his company in 1957 and started trading in Lebanese honey, exporting it to numerous Arab countries as well as supplying the local Lebanese market. Honey came from his own apiaries as well as from various parts of Lebanon. With the closing frontiers because  of the Lebanese war in 1975, the market for Lebanese honey in the Arab countries started to close down due to the inability to supply those markets. Soon, the company will shift it's forces from producing honey and marketing it to importing and producing bee-keeping equipment. However the struggle to defend bee-keeping did not stop throughout all the years since he formed and headed between 1970 and 1974, the Association of Lebanese Beekeepers that included most of the Lebanese beekeepers. With the start of inflation in 1983, Yazbek Honey Co. had to start to find new suppliers of good quality and less-priced equipment. Few beekeepers could still afford to buy German or American products, so the emphasis shifted to Italy, France and Greece as well as other European countries. The main concern was to supply bee-keepers with quality products and equipment for the least cost possible. The arrival of Varroa mite in 1984 and the destruction of more than 80% of Lebanese hives lead Rachid Yazbek to contact on his proper initiative the FAO and other concerned international agencies for help. It was through GTZ and Rachid Yazbek efforts, that bee-keeping was saved in Lebanon after the free distribution of Folbex VA stripes for all the colonies . Several beekeepers flied to Freiburg University to be trained on the most modern techniques in the prevention and control of Varroa disease. This campaign with its conditions was continued for five years upon the proposal of Rashid Yazbek.

He founded by a presidential decree on 1980 the first school to teach modern beekeeping in Lebanon . Rachid yazbek participated in all the Apimondia congresses during which he presented various scientific papers.

He organized under the auspice of the Minister of Agriculture, the first national congress for Lebanese beekeepers in 12 September 1992. More than 250 beekeepers from Lebanon and Syria came to discuss with scientists their problems and aspirations. From 1988 until 1994 he sent more than 300 article and letter to various beekeepers and responsible for bee-keeping in the Arab countries inciting them to help him in his request to the General Secretary of the Arab league, on the creation of an Arabic Federation for Beekeepers just like the international Apimondia. In 1994 and through Dr. Yahia Bakkour the dream came true and Rachid Yazbek was named regional secretary.

In August 1996, Rachid Yazbek with the support of Yazbek Honey Est. succeeded in holding the First Arab Beekeepers Union Congress in Beirut under the auspices of his excellency the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister with the Minister of agriculture. The event included an Api-expo with more than 6 international bee-keeping producers exposing and more than 500 participants from all over the Arab countries.

In 1994, Rashid Yazbek founded and presided the Lebanese Beekeepers Syndicate. There are today 5000 beekeepers  in Lebanon who  produce from 100 000 colonies about 100 ton of honey per year, a number one honey for its favor and medical properties.

"The introduction and development of modern bee-keeping in Lebanon is closely linked to the name of Rachid Yazbek" (Gate magazine, third issue 1988)

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