Honey prices?

[For want of a better word]

It always surprises me how some beekeepers and other artizan food suppliers undervalue their product.
Bulk invert beefeed is running out at £744 for 1000L ( £558 per ton) at a 60 ton run off price ( so the hobbyist will be paying much more than that for a 12.5L can)

£ local honey is retailing at £6.20 per 227g 8oz plus



Just compare your own product with the imported supermarket flavourless super filtered stuff they sell as honey!

I am still seeing jars of "so called local honey" selling in some of the garden centers that looks like lard and is not properly labelled.... followed up one such supplier up to find that they do not keep bees... just buy in from God knows where and bottle and sell on with a label bought in bulk from one of the bee equipment suppliers... Best Devon/ Somerset/Dorset honey... 1 lb for £6.50....

Chons da

 

[Poly Hive]

Yep. I am working my way into a major local outlet and once there I will need to keep a stock aside.

I am reading all the reasons people won't go sale or return and I have in some 30 years none of the issues listed. Why? I supplied creamed honey for a start so granulation issues are non existent. Over many tasting sessions, it was very obvious that in my area, and I stress that, MY area people preferred and still do, creamed honey as the common comment was it don't run off the spoon!

And just to annoy the nay sayers, I NEVER yet have had to take honey back. If your presentation is right the jobs a good un!

PH

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I sell to a few retail outlets and have so far ensured that I don't run out throughout the year. It was close one year however OSR just came in that time to save the day.

I could sell to more shops, but don't want any more colonies - I don't have the time.

Can't see the need for sale/return. Honey sells and it will keep. Selling to retailers in small batches means that there's little chance of it starting to set in the jars which looks unsightly.

 

[Walrus]

I supplied creamed honey for a start so granulation issues are non existent. Over many tasting sessions, it was very obvious that in my area, and I stress that, MY area people preferred and still do, creamed honey as the common comment was it don't run off the spoon!

PH

Interesting; it does vary from area to area. I visited Peter Bray at Airborne Honey in NZ and he sells mostly creamed honey 'cos that's what they like. The farm shop that sells my stuff say customers prefer runny honey. Maybe it's a toast vs porridge situation?!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am reading all the reasons people won't go sale or return and I have in some 30 years none of the issues listed.

My reason is quite simple - retailers ask me if I can supply them with honey, I tell them the price, minimum purchase and suggest a markup, they have all assumed it was pay up front, not one has balked at that, not one has asked for sale or return. I deliver the honey, they hand over the cash and it sits in my account until the honey is sold, not theirs. Why would anyone thus in their right mind offer them a deal better for the retailer but worse for themselves? makes no business sense at all.

 

[Beefriendly]

One or two of my outlets don't sell a lot of honey but want some in stock. With runny honey I insist they remove it from their shelves if it starts to go cloudy and crystallise and I'll replace with a good looking jar.
I don;t want my name associated with horrible looking honey. So far not had to replace a jar.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Interesting; it does vary from area to area. I visited Peter Bray at Airborne Honey in NZ and he sells mostly creamed honey 'cos that's what they like. The farm shop that sells my stuff say customers prefer runny honey. Maybe it's a toast vs porridge situation?!

It's a ratio of about 3 or 4 to 1 in runny's favour when I look at my sales. I think it's all about the location and clientele.

 

[steve1958]

You will find that word of mouth will bring plenty of sales.
If it's good people tell their friends.

There are communities out there that appreciate good quality honey.
I sell a lot to the Muslim community, people travel from 5 miles away to buy it.
Some requesting 10 jars a time.

I used to sell honey through several shops, but became less than happy that my bees and I were doing all the work and the seller was making £4 a pound profit just by having it on the counter.

 

[maz0]

I used to sell honey through several shops, but became less than happy that my bees and I were doing all the work and the seller was making £4 a pound profit just by having it on the counter.

That's certainly one way to look at it...if I could offer an alternative perspective though. Having family who rent and own shops, you can expect to pay from £500 to £1000 per week in a desirable area so its a wee bit more involved than just having it on the counter!

 

[thorn]

100 jars will go in no time at all. Friends, neighbours, colleagues will all want some. Put a sign on the front gate, take a jar into work. Mention it in the pub.
You'll only need to think of "outlets" when you get at least twice as much.

 

[steve1958]

That's certainly one way to look at it...if I could offer an alternative perspective though. Having family who rent and own shops, you can expect to pay from £500 to £1000 per week in a desirable area so its a wee bit more involved than just having it on the counter!

Yes I appreciate that.
In fact I have sided with shopkeepers when customers have mentioned prices.
They do have overheads, taxes, and staff to employ.

But
I have expensive beekeeping equipment to buy, a warming cabinet and honey spinner to run. Petrol, road tax, and insurance for the vehicle I use to visit out apiaries and make honey deliveries.
Several hours a week of my time.
At the end of the day I do the work, for little or even no profit.
The shopkeeper adds 10 jars of honey to his counter and immediately makes £40 profit.

I never came into beekeeping to make money,
But neither do I do it to put money in other people's pockets.

 

[Poly Hive]

As I said it's a location thing and of course education. When I took the stall to shows people were interested in the texture of the honey and many loved the smoothness but mind I was using a pump to cream with and that makes a massive odds to the texture.

Said pump and the associated tank will be coming up for sale soon.

As for the price the shop sell at, that in my thoughts is nothing to do with me. I had this very discussion yesterday and provided I get what I want they can charge what they like but as I mentioned yesterday there is a point at which it starts to look very expensive and unsellable. Its a compromise like everything. The wife walked out of Harrods both horrified at the price and the quality of what was on offer! One high and one low. Ho hum....

PH

 

[SDM]

As for the price the shop sell at, that in my thoughts is nothing to do with me. I had this very discussion yesterday and provided I get what I want they can charge what they like but as I mentioned yesterday there is a point at which it starts to look very expensive and unsellable.
PH

Had the same conversation yesterday with a market trader I'm supplying. As far as I'm concerned it's 500lb of honey a year in not selling at bulk price and delivery is less than half a mile from my front door. The increased sales reduces my jar and label costs so improves profitability on all my jar sales.
What he can get for it working 5 markets a week with his client base , he's welcome to.

 

[Newbeeneil]

I sell honey because I'm proud of my product.
I could sell it in bulk for £3.30/lb but prefer to take a bit of time/trouble and sell it for double.
If I sell it to a shop I sell it at a price I'M happy with.
If he wants to sell it for double that's his prerogative and I know I couldn't get that price outside my house but he may well be able to by being a niche outlet in a little market town!

 

[malgreen]

Honey price

I cannot see myself selling an 8oz labelled jar for less than £4 for me this is a hobby, I would rather give the jars away to friends and family than sell for less than the price of a cup of tea/coffee (if you get the gist)

 

[jeff33]

I sold 20 jars to a shop last Saturday for 5.20. The guy is selling it for 7.50 and he has just contacted me for another 30 as he has 5 left... Still none the wiser if I am selling too cheap!

 

[For want of a better word]

I sold 20 jars to a shop last Saturday for 5.20. The guy is selling it for 7.50 and he has just contacted me for another 30 as he has 5 left... Still none the wiser if I am selling too cheap!

About correct for 227g... 8oz 1/2 lb.....
If that is for a pound jar you are way off the mark.... sit down and work out how much it costs you for
depreciation of equipment
cost of bees feed and treatments
fuel

....and before you have even added in you time at basic living wage.. you will decide that you should take up carp fishing or ocean yacht sailing as they are far cheaper hobbies!!!

sorry

 

[Rooster007]

Not sure if I am selling too cheap but I've sold my first lot of honey this week to work colleagues and got a bit of a shock.

I put a note on the notice board that I am selling 1lb jars of honey for £5 and by the end of the day I'd sold 15 jars.

I didn't expect so many people to be interested and already getting requests from "friends of friends" and I know neighbours want some.

Its been the first year I have extracted and got 50lb from 2 supers and very pleased.

I wouldn't be able to eat it all myself so decided to sell it.

It makes me proud to know I'm selling good quality local produce to a few people and if this helps me cut the cost of the beekeeping year then all well and good.

I'm not in this for the money but the enjoyment of beekeeping so this is a bonus for me.

I don't think at a stage at the moment to supply more anyway.

Maybe I'll think about smaller jars in the future.

 

[maz0]

Not sure if I am selling too cheap but I've sold my first lot of honey this week to work colleagues and got a bit of a shock.

I put a note on the notice board that I am selling 1lb jars of honey for £5 and by the end of the day I'd sold 15 jars.

I didn't expect so many people to be interested and already getting requests from "friends of friends" and I know neighbours want some.

Its been the first year I have extracted and got 50lb from 2 supers and very pleased.

I wouldn't be able to eat it all myself so decided to sell it.

It makes me proud to know I'm selling good quality local produce to a few people and if this helps me cut the cost of the beekeeping year then all well and good.

I'm not in this for the money but the enjoyment of beekeeping so this is a bonus for me.

I don't think at a stage at the moment to supply more anyway.

Maybe I'll think about smaller jars in the future.

It's subjective really, if your happy with that then who cares. Congrats on your first sales, will you put the money back into your bee's or buy yourself something nice?

 

[Rooster007]

It's subjective really, if your happy with that then who cares. Congrats on your first sales, will you put the money back into your bee's or buy yourself something nice?

Thanks Maz, it will go back into the bees. from the first few sales this has more or less bought half a gross of jars, the labels and some foundation for next year so all the sales from now will be excess to go back into the bees.

The next venture I'll try is to do something with old wax.

I inherited a lot of bees and equipment a few years ago and there is probably between 5-10kg of old wax to clean etc.

Still trying to work out what some of the equipment is that I've got as well.