Bee keeping- can you make a profit?

[RoofTops]

"Ideal for the help of hay fever sufferers" It boldly states against Lancashire Honey. I bet Trading Standards would be interested in that one.

However, in defence of him/them, the prices include post and packing which is not inconsiderable on honey.

 

[stilllearning]

to answer the original post, my answer would be, enjoy your retirement and enjoy your beekeeping, dont overspend and if you make anything consider it a bonus. basically if you can tell me what the weather is going to be like next year I'll tell you if you can make any money.

 

[chycarne]

I think the answer is yes, ... but... how much time do you want to put in, how much understanding of bees do you have and how much are you willing to learn from reading here and reading all the other bumpf out there and observing and keeping notes and...? if you can say 6 hours a day 7 days a week for half a year and and half that for the other half, you may do ok... if not, then enjoy the hobby, enjoy the life choices and dont get stressed about it. If yes go for it and believe in it completely and avoid all loans as much as possible. We are looking at what we could do in combination with other things... but not yet and not till we have to. When we do it will be all out and try our hardest...

 

[Hombre]

"Ideal for the help of hay fever sufferers" It boldly states against Lancashire Honey. I bet Trading Standards would be interested in that one.

However, in defence of him/them, the prices include post and packing which is not inconsiderable on honey.

I think that the statement, if that is what it is, would not stand up in a court of law as meaning much. It certainly makes little sense in English. It's one of these things that people imagine what's said, but has not been said. It's not a crime to express yourself badly, but it's a real hoot trying to prove it I would wager.

RT hasn't got you sussed!

 

[Black Comb]

Not much different to this claim.

http://www.medibee.co.uk/pollen-capsules.php

 

[Dishmop]

Agree with Hombre. Not a definitve claim...

It doesnt say it will cure hayfever.

I thought the belief is that honey produced local to where you live is thought to be better for you than honey from elsewhere.

 

[Rosti]

Making a hayfever treatment claim

"Ideal for the help of hay fever sufferers"

I think such claims are at best bullish, at worst legally fool hardy.
I have had a number of people who have purchased from my door saying that they are buying partly as a pre-emptive pollen de-senitisation treatment for 'local' pollen.

I researched the (hayfever de-sensitisation) claim in some detail last spring and thought about building it into the label (I print my own so can be flexible on content). I chose not to high light any link to hayfever treatment , there are a lot of 'quack' claims out there but I could not find validated trial work supporting the claim.

The law on the other hand is very clear on direct or implied health claims for food products. Of course I dont question or dismiss a customers reasons for buying my honey but I dont think there is sufficient supporting evidence either in volume or from credible sources to support such a health claim and so decided not to go with it.

Does anyone on here make such a claim or have some stronger supporting evidence?

 

[Poly Hive]

When I retailed and sold via shops, including a very well known "Health Shop" in Dundee, I was very careful not to say anything when asked about hay fever.

After all I have suffered from it since I can remember and to be honest if it really worked I would have alleviated my own symptoms due to the sheer volume of honey I was eating.

If they say they are buying it for that reason then just smile and nod and take the cash.

PH

 

[Dishmop]

Best to use words like:-

"Believed to be..." and

"Reports indicate that....."

"Maybe helpful...."


on the other hand, if somebody claims you lied, they have to prove it....

 

[Blodwen Price]

I dont think theres any problem with saying local honey may help hay fever sufferers.
Rouhgly 70% of hay fever sufferers have a grass pollen allergy and its a long shot to imagine local honey will help them ,but for the other 30% ish then theres a good chance contact with the pollens which aggrevate their condition in a benign form such as in honey or pollen supplements will innure them to the ill effects of these pollens, indeed, I'm sure weve all ( or mostly ) met people who claim to have experienced a myraculous recovery from hayfever on eating some local honey. Even if this effect is only a placibo its absolutely invaluable to these people at certain times of the year.
I'm all for spreading the word to increase honey sales, so long as caution is exercised in the wording and the fact that it wont work for everyone is mentioned

 

[drstitson]

dodgy therapeutic claims

I'm sure smearing yourself with local honey and getting the Saturdays, Sugarbabes AND Girls Aloud to lick it off would make a lot of people feel better but i wouldn't imagine it could be used as a USP to boost your honey sales!

 

[Dishmop]

I'm sure that just the word "local" is enough to persuade some people to buy.

"Support Your Local Bees"

"Purchase of this honey will help save local bees"

 

[drstitson]

i suppose a good outlet might be your local veg box scheme - a captive set of customers willing on the whole to pay a decent price for decent local produce.

 

[Skyhook]

I would suggest that the key thing with any business plan is to avoid overoptimism- not easy when you're launching into it on a wave of enthusiasm. Pretend you're a bank manager, and it's a clients business plan. Honey at £10/lb? maybe- but more reliable to look at £3/lb (don't forget to allow for the cost of buckets) If you can get £10.lb, it will be with considerable marketing- don't forget to allow for website design, adverts in country living, marketing consultants. Nucs for £150? this year, while there's a boom- plan on getting £100, and don't forget the cost of the box. Out of this you need to service the capital. The chances of paying yourself a wage are remote- better to aim for a gross profit, then take whatever personal drawings the enterprise can allow.

If this all sounds too gloomy- we know that you can make a profit out of bees, because there are people who do- but don't kid yourself that it's easy. I'm hoping to turn my hobby into a small profitable sideline within 5 years- but I'm not banking on it.

Good luck!

 

[Somerford]

Ref. Local Marketing - It never ceases to amaze me that people always say to me how lovely it is to have local honey, as it is much better for you. Where on earth did they get that from, the Daily Mail ? My honey is, and I'd put money on it, the best, as is PH's, Hedgerow Pete's, Jimbeekeepers too....the fact is I could bottle any of yours, sell it as mine, and the placebo effect of the honey being 'local' would still be there (not that I'd countenance such behaviour!)

Whether or not it fixes hayfever...I have yet to be convinced, but I suppose it might if you stick your nose in a honey bucket and smear it liberally up your nose ?

As regards making a profit from bees....at what point does the hobby become an income provider that fairly compensates the beekeeper for his time ? Unless one had access to a large 'donation' of help, resources, capital etc, I doubt it would be profitable in the modern sense of the word for a long time....but good luck all the same !

regards

S

 

[drstitson]

local?

"It never ceases to amaze me that people always say to me how lovely it is to have local honey, as it is much better for you. Where on earth did they get that from, the Daily Mail ?"

No.

just common sense - better for you for two obvious reasons:

1. not full of chinese bugs
2. less food miles = better for environment = better for you
3. keeps local beek off streets

 

[Somerford]

I was referring to health benefits as elaborated later in my post ref.hayfever. I wasn't talking foodmiles as you could argue living next to a Nuclear Power Station is better as the power has less distance to travel to your wall socket and therefore doesn't need higher ampage to get it cross country. !

chinese bugs....getoutofhere...whaaat ? what bugs are these pray tell ? Aren't you thinking more along the lines of contaminants like chemical usage ?

your third point ? I presume you are talking with tongue in cheek...or are you a danger to society ?!


Oh, 1+1+1 doesn't equal 2 (although I suspect there is a mathematician here who will prove it does)

Oh I love the snow...

S

 

[margob99]

I've always been taught that making a living out of honey is well-nigh impossible.

Making money out of bees, Queens and equipment? Sounds like hard work to me!

 

[Hivemaker.]

chinese bugs....getoutofhere...whaaat ? what bugs are these pray tell ?

AFB.

 

[RoofTops]

chinese bugs? AFB spores for one.