David Beckham launches first food brand inspired by unlikely hobby

Knighted at last in the king’s 2025 birthday honours, Sir David Beckham is a contender for our most-beloved national treasure.

His glittering career on the pitch preceded a seemingly invincible streak as a businessman, with his Inter Miami FC venture being a particularly regular headline grabber, and he’s maintained a down-to-Earth persona that seems impossible given his unbelievable wealth and fame.

The Netflix documentary Beckham confirmed he really is still just a lovely chap from the East End who would probably have the same personality if he’d never found fame at all, and there’s something warmly reassuring about that, isn’t there?

Beckham also detailed one of his more low-key pursuits: beekeeping. Watching one of the country’s most prominent celebrities take the time and care to look after some hives is a recipe for some classically-endearing Becks action. Honestly, what a sweetheart.

His passion for bees is at the heart of one of his latest ventures: a fruit snacks line that swerves the GMOs and artificial ingredients you’d typically find in such things.

Beeup, the snack line in question, comes from a partnership between Beckham and Shaun Neff, an entrepreneur and the founder of Neff Headwear, with a honey-based recipe inspired by Beckham’s hobby.

The fruit snacks are also free of synthetic colourings and artificial flavourings, and they’re packed with vitamins A, C and E.

There’s enough variety to cover even the fussiest kids, too, with Very Berry, Tropical Mix, and Sour Watermelon flavours in the Beeup range.

“Beekeeping began as a hobby with my sons, but quickly grew into a deep appreciation for honey as a powerful superfood that provides natural energy,” said Becks in a Beeup press release.

"I am excited to make this wholesome, nutritious ingredient available for active kids and families in the form of these incredible BEEUP snacks.

"Whether prepping for a game, performance, or the playground, we’ve made BEEUP to offer families natural energy they could feel good about eating."

Business partner Neff added: “We saw a unique opportunity to disrupt the kids’ snack space with a brand powered by real honey, made for active kids and with a strong connection to youth sports.”

Honey has many purported benefits, and some are opting for it as an alternative to sugar. The bee-made liquid is rich in free radical-fighting antioxidants, along with anti-inflammatory compounds. It’s also antibacterial, and has been used as a salve for wounds in traditional medicine for an awfully long time.