Honey buyers scarce

[ericbeaumont]

a fee on top of the stall price or is that the total cost?

No flat charge for a stall, so 12.5% is the total paid, with a minimum of about £25 and a maximum of £130.

 

[ericbeaumont]

local beek is selling unlabelled jars for £3.75/lb

Yes, but what's the origin of the honey?

Often brought in from Europe in a van, sometimes sold as UK local. If it's bottled in the UK, that may be a legit description, in which case the seller would make the most of it on the label. Time for TS to get involved.

 

[Ian123]

Yes, but what's the origin of the honey?

Often brought in from Europe in a van, sometimes sold as UK local. If it's bottled in the UK, that may be a legit description, in which case the seller would make the most of it. Time for TS to get involved.

Mmmm a gentleman that does some farmers markets near me appears to have an endless supply of raw lime honey

 

[ericbeaumont]

Not good news: just ordered jars online from Freeman & Harding and saw this on the receipt:

Unfortunately, with the instability of of fuel prices leading to increases in cardboard, glass and tinplate, we have been advised that there may be further price increases this year. We work hard to keep our operating costs as low as possible and will only pass on the minimum necessary to our customers.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Yes, but what's the origin of the honey?

Often brought in from Europe in a van, sometimes sold as UK local. If it's bottled in the UK, that may be a legit description, in which case the seller would make the most of it on the label. Time for TS to get involved.

I'm confusing things here. He was selling unlabelled jars to other association members. My guess is they would then put their label on it and sell it plus a mark up. I've spoken to him and he gets more honey than he can sell.

I did see unlabelled honey on a general stall at the car boot sale though for £3.50/lb. Trader told me where it came from but I didn't ask further.

 

[Erichalfbee]

69p for 340g in Lidl this morning.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Not good news: just ordered jars online from Freeman & Harding and saw this on the receipt:

Unfortunately, with the instability of of fuel prices leading to increases in cardboard, glass and tinplate, we have been advised that there may be further price increases this year. We work hard to keep our operating costs as low as possible and will only pass on the minimum necessary to our customers.

We've been told that last year - usually compak fix their prices to the BFA for twelve months at the beginning of each year, this year they have said they will be reviewing the prices constantly

 

[Murox]

You're in Scotland aren't you? That's reassuring. Everyone's talking about their big spring yields, and I've got nothing like that happening up here yet! There's enough coming in to keep the bees going, but so far they're not filling any supers. Patiently hoping...

yes there is a huge difference - my local weather is wet and very windy, that and poor forage generally means just one crop as I don't move the few hives I have to heather.

 

[Antipodes]

69p for 340g in Lidl this morning.

Pretty much the cost of just the jar for a small time honey producer.

 

[pargyle]

Pretty much the cost of just the jar for a small time honey producer.

Freeman and Harding works out at 47p a 12oz Hex jar with the BBKA discount .. up from 34p per jar in November 2020. (Based on a sensible pack quantity of 528 jars)

 

[Moobee]

Put my honey up to £6/227g and no-one batted an eyelid. We are in a wealthy bit of Sussex though....

 

[jeff33]

£9.50 for 12oz they are baulking at £6 here!

Same here, twitching to raise it up to £6 in case they don't buy it..... I may keep hold of it until all the London flashers come on holiday here... and sell it at £10 with a lovely Gower label

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Mmmm a gentleman that does some farmers markets near me appears to have an endless supply of raw lime honey

A bottle of Roses Lime juice tucked away somewhere?

 

[Ian123]

A bottle of Roses Lime juice tucked away somewhere?

Not sure about that but the chap in question does appear have access to good quantities and unless your London/suburbia there’s not been a good lime year for some time!!!

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

Here in sunny Shropshire we are being blocked from attending our local farmers market in Shrewsbury by the organisers, even though we have hives within the towns boundaries.
They have a beefarmer from Wales attend and have created a monopoly for him, but he sells for less than us !!!!!!!.
Frustrating as we attend another market run by the same people and they allow a jam seller to sell honey in competition with us, they buy it in as they approached us for supply. No consistency so we have just forwarded the CMA rules on monopolies to them .

 

[enrico]

Here in sunny Shropshire we are being blocked from attending our local farmers market in Shrewsbury by the organisers, even though we have hives within the towns boundaries.
They have a beefarmer from Wales attend and have created a monopoly for him, but he sells for less than us !!!!!!!.
Frustrating as we attend another market run by the same people and they allow a jam seller to sell honey in competition with us, they buy it in as they approached us for supply. No consistency so we have just forwarded the CMA rules on monopolies to them .

That's terrible! I would be up in arms too! I used to do knighton market a few miles south of you. There were two of us and we both sold lots!

 

[Just Steve]

It's not always a bad thing when more than one seller at the same venue has the same product on offer. Potential customers often feel like it's worth taking a punt on visiting because of the increased chance of one of you being there particularly when they have a choice in your market or another activity. What you don't need is someone undercutting or starting a price war though not everyone buys on price alone.

 

[maddydog]

Last two farmers market I've attended the number of people buying is roughly the same, however, nearly all of them only bought a single jar.
When the nucs are set up I shall be looking for extra employment. I'm just glad I have neither a mortgage or debts.

 

[enrico]

Had a sudden burst of enthusiasm from my buyers and now sold out of the first crop! You never can tell!

 

[The Poot]

Had a sudden burst of enthusiasm from my buyers and now sold out of the first crop! You never can tell!

How odd!