A mother will do whatever she can for her child, especially if her child is ill.
Aslı Elif Tanuğur Samancı is a remarkable woman and a Turkish certified food engineer. She found herself in this very situation when her young son’s weakened immune system took her out of her comfort zone to find a solution.
Samancı worked as a certified food engineer in the private sector for years. When her son was around 11 months old, his health problems developed. Every other month he fought a high fever that required antibiotics. By the time he was five, the antibiotics caused him to acquire a serious untreatable allergy.
After taking her son to many doctors, he was finally diagnosed with Henoch Schönlein Purpura, which is internal bleeding caused by blood seeping out of the veins. The doctor confirmed the boy’s immune system was very weak.
Determined to find a way to strengthen her son’s immunity, Samancı researched medical and scientific studies. She observed that royal jelly and propolis are potent natural immune-enhancing substances used worldwide and they also treat infections, even in premature babies.
She created a propolis extract and royal jelly product for her son. She made it herself and gave it to him for six months, after which he no longer had allergic reactions and his fevers stopped. The product had successfully boosted his immune system.
When Samancı saw these successful results, she was inspired to share her product with all mothers everywhere. This is how her journey as an entrepreneur began.
Samancı founded her company, BEEO Arı Ürünleri, as a research and development project at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) ARI Teknokent in 2013, along with her husband, Taylan Samancı, who is a certified agricultural engineer, and Dilek Boyacıoğlu, a food engineer professor and beekeeping expert.
They used the contract beekeeping model to produce propolis in the country for the first time and improve the processing method. This model enables verifiable hive-to-table controlled conditions.
Propolis cannot be consumed in its raw form, so Samancı extracted the propolis to prepare it for human consumption. Anatolian propolis extract has high grade potent antioxidant substances, so it offers maximum protection. Its biological activity is over five times greater than its equivalents.
Samancı has received 28 national and international awards in honor of her innovative work and unique products.
She currently produces healthy 100% natural spreadable mixtures containing propolis, royal jelly, pollen, honey and bee products. Her proprietary propolis and sustainable bee products are developed in Turkey.
She intends to expand so Anatolian propolis becomes a global brand by exporting it to the United States, U.K., Germany, Korea, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Austria, Cyprus, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
Samancı works with 1,000 Turkish regional contract beekeepers and their 200,000 beehives, providing material support and educating them. Her premium products are produced with the monitored guidance of agricultural engineers and beekeeping experts. She works with her team of 100 at a 3,000-square-meter facility.
This is an inspiring story of a woman who used everything at her disposal to heal her son, and then went on to create premium immunity-enhancing products that everyone can benefit from using. Thank you for being awesome, Aslı!