Island Abbey Foods Ltd., a P.E.I.-based natural health product and specialty food producer, has announced a collaboration deal with Jean Coutu Group. This deal will distribute the Honibe® Honey Lozenges™ in over 280 Jean Coutu stores located in Quebec and New Brunswick.

“Being a Canadian company, it thrills us to be partnering with an organization boasting a respectable 42 year track record serving households of French Canadians in the Quebec and New Brunswick market,” stated John Rowe, president of Island Abbey Foods Ltd. “This partnership will allow us to tap into the growing French Canadian market alongside a well-known household brand, bringing our Honey Lozenges to more than 280 stores in the Quebec and New Brunswick area.”

Island Abbey Foods flagship brand Honibe has seen huge growth and recognition in the last few years. The Honibe Honey Drop achieved the most prestigious food award in the world at SIAL Paris 2010—the Global SIAL d’Or (Gold Medal), which recognized the Honibe Honey Drop as “The Best New Food Product in the World”. Using the same proprietary technology as the award-winning Honey Drop, the Honibe product line has since expanded to include Honey Delights candies, Honey Sprinkles for cooking and baking, and Honey Lozenges for coughs and colds. Honibe was subsequently honoured with the “Canada Brand Business Award” at SIAL (Toronto) in 2011.