Jars query

[Tonyf]

Hi all
Until recently we've been using freeman&Mason 300ml round jars with 340g of honey nicely filling past the upper curve in the jar and not leaving much of a visible air gap at the top of the jar.

We've recently moved to compak (I believe) supplied through BFA , 300ml round jar. A 340g fill doesn't reach the upper curve and leaves quite a nasty air gap. It looks like 360g is needed to present nicely.

Figured we're not the only people using BFA 300ml round. Has anyone else had the same problem? And do you label at 360g to match the contents?

Thanks
Tony

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi all
Until recently we've been using freeman&Mason 300ml round jars with 340g of honey nicely filling past the upper curve in the jar and not leaving much of a visible air gap at the top of the jar.

We've recently moved to compak (I believe) supplied through BFA , 300ml round jar. A 340g fill doesn't reach the upper curve and leaves quite a nasty air gap. It looks like 360g is needed to present nicely.

Figured we're not the only people using BFA 300ml round. Has anyone else had the same problem? And do you label at 360g to match the contents?

Thanks
Tony

I would have thought that most people in the BFA, if they wanted a round jar to hold 340g would have bought the 340g (12oz) jar which the BFA sell, not the 300ml jar.

 

[Tonyf]

Probably right. Just was trying to match like with like F&H vs. Compak. Both listed as 300ml (and asked Compak for advice on which would be the closest match).

I suppose another angle would be if anyone out there uses 300ml jars (assume there is), what weight do they state on the label?

Thanks

 

[Hachi]

I've been asked to provide 2oz jars of honey for a client annually. The jars are from F&H and take 2.5oz to fill properly. So what, I build into my costs the actual cost of the honey needed to fill the jar properly based on my price per pound rate. The customer thinks its a 2oz jar and is non the wiser. It's a non issue. You're only breaking the law if you under fill from the label Wt, not over fill and charge for it.

 

[user 20297]

Hi all
Until recently we've been using freeman&Mason 300ml round jars with 340g of honey nicely filling past the upper curve in the jar and not leaving much of a visible air gap at the top of the jar.

We've recently moved to compak (I believe) supplied through BFA , 300ml round jar. A 340g fill doesn't reach the upper curve and leaves quite a nasty air gap. It looks like 360g is needed to present nicely.

Figured we're not the only people using BFA 300ml round. Has anyone else had the same problem? And do you label at 360g to match the contents?

Thanks
Tony

Thankfully!?!?! I don't need all that many jars, so I just order them a few dozen at a time from Hobbycraft. From comparisons on this forum, they have good prices and cheap/free/quick delivery.
Although they are hexagon, my latest batch was of 280ml nominal contents, and I thought I would struggle to get 340g in them. They actually take 380g of honey to reach above the taper line of the jar. So it's maybe more surprising that you only got 360g in your 300ml; maybe I have some dark matter in my honey.....it's certainly got a high proportion of heather.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Hi all
Until recently we've been using freeman&Mason 300ml round jars with 340g of honey nicely filling past the upper curve in the jar and not leaving much of a visible air gap at the top of the jar.

We've recently moved to compak (I believe) supplied through BFA , 300ml round jar. A 340g fill doesn't reach the upper curve and leaves quite a nasty air gap. It looks like 360g is needed to present nicely.

Figured we're not the only people using BFA 300ml round. Has anyone else had the same problem? And do you label at 360g to match the contents?

Thanks
Tony

Yes and don't buy them anymore.
The BFA price isn't that good either I can beat the BFA price easily.
Easy way to work it out 300 x 1.4 = 420g
The round 12 oz jars on the BFA sales site are 282ml still too big for 12 oz of honey 282 x 1.4 = 394g
This depends if the jars are fill to neck or lid.
Round 8oz and 12 oz jars never look full at the desired weight.

 

[lindsay s]

Probably right. Just was trying to match like with like F&H vs. Compak. Both listed as 300ml (and asked Compak for advice on which would be the closest match).

I suppose another angle would be if anyone out there uses 300ml jars (assume there is), what weight do they state on the label?

Thanks

I know this is an old thread but these arrived yesterday, a pallet of Freeman & Harding round 300ml jars. Far more than I will need but other beekeepers are going to take some of my hands. I ordered in bulk to keep the costs down but due to high carriage charges they work out at about 62p per unit. Not the fault of F&H by the way, they’ve been excellent to deal with it’s just my location!
I have used these jars for a few years now and I fill them to the neck. Nothing looks worse than an under filled jar, so the label says 385g (that’s 13.5 oz in old money). A local shop was paying me £6:50 last year and retailing them for £8:50 which kept us both happy

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I have never used anything but the BFA 300ml jar for many many years, I used to get them from Wynne jones before I became a member, 12 oz of honey looks fine & don't see the air gap as an issue.

 

[ericbeaumont]

don't see the air gap as an issue.

I believe that a customer looking at the shelf may see (unconsciously) a gap as slighty less than, whereas one filled to the neck will look just right. That view is of course, subjective, but if I can eliminate factors which might deter a sale - fingerprints on jars, slight dent on the lid corner, misaligned label - then I will.

Hex from F&H are nominally 4oz/113g, 8oz/227g, and 12oz/340g, but to fill into the neck I put in, label and price at 135g, 235g qnd 340g. Jars differ slightly in glass thickness etc. so check if changing supplier.

 

[lindsay s]

I believe that a customer looking at the shelf may see (unconsciously) a gap as slighty less than, whereas one filled to the neck will look just right. That view is of course, subjective, but if I can eliminate factors which might deter a sale - fingerprints on jars, slight dent on the lid corner, misaligned label - then I will.

I totally agree with the above. I could put in a bit less but I’m just happy to cover my costs and maybe make a little on the side in a good year. I never got into beekeeping for the money. I find it’s the one’s who get a free jar or two that are always looking for a bit more!

 

[ericbeaumont]

retailing them for £8:50

Who does the buying, Lindsay? Resident or tourist? Google says that 394,000pa people visit Orkney, and that the cost of living is higher than in London.

 

[lindsay s]

Who does the buying, Lindsay? Resident or tourist? Google says that 394,000pa people visit Orkney, and that the cost of living is higher than in London.

First of all I’ve just passed on 7 trays (196 jars) to another beekeeper and then I had a quick peep into the top supers of five hives. All full of bees working the combs, mild and humid here today and just right for the nectar to be coming in.
Who’s buying the honey, both residents and tourists would be the easiest answer but I will try to go into a bit more detail. Just like anywhere else some beekeepers are happy to give away their honey to friends and family and at the other extreme some like to make as much money as they can. I think I’ll fall about the middle.
Twenty five years ago you could count on one hand the number of honey suppliers to the shops up here. Mine went to a local chemists shop. The owner mentored a lot of beekeepers here and was happy to give us a good price for our honey if we had a surplus. He said it encouraged people into the shop so it was mostly local’s who bought it. His son still does that for us yet.
In the last ten years beekeeping has exploded here and consequently there are more sources for the shops. At the moment we are in peak tourist season so our honey is selling pretty fast to them. I wouldn’t pay £3.95 for a 4oz hex but a delicatessen is charging that. The locally owned grocery stores don’t add such a big mark up and you’re looking at an average of £10:00 a lb. Even though I have been asked I won’t supply mine to retailers who add big margins. I have built up personal customers over the years so sell it at the door for less than I can get elsewhere more the fool me. In the Autumn tourist sales fall away but it picks up again with the locals buying at Christmas. It’s very hard to find local honey in the new year.
Our environmental health got involved a couple of years ago so we now have to be registered with them and make sure our labels are accurate.

 

[DaveS]

Thankfully!?!?! I don't need all that many jars, so I just order them a few dozen at a time from Hobbycraft. From comparisons on this forum, they have good prices and cheap/free/quick delivery.
Although they are hexagon, my latest batch was of 280ml nominal contents, and I thought I would struggle to get 340g in them. They actually take 380g of honey to reach above the taper line of the jar. So it's maybe more surprising that you only got 360g in your 300ml; maybe I have some dark matter in my honey.....it's certainly got a high proportion of heather.

Thanks for your post I had not thought about hobbycraft - I've just bought 72 300ml jam jars for £25.20 delivered - I was persuaded by the 3 for 2 offer not available in the hex.

 

[robmort]

Thanks for the info, but the price I see is £28.
Edit: OK see it now......plus 10% discount

 

[DaveS]

Thanks for the info, but the price I see is £28.
Edit: OK see it now......plus 10% discount

I think the discount code I found was CR4F7Z10.

 

[robmort]

Those are almost half the price of elsewhere, so also got some. Pity I bought 350 elsewhere last week

 

[Midget Gem]

I think the discount code I found was CR4F7Z10.

Have you filled any yet? Just wondering how many grams of honey they hold.

 

[Macbear]

We use Hobbycraft for smaller jars, but the local Beekeepers Association cannot be beaten for 1lb rounds. I do a round trip of about 80 miles to go to the apiary, but if I combine that with a picnic or attending a demonstration [alongside the sales opportunity] the mileage counts for little. I have never sold honey, always given it away - it's good when they return jars, but as my bees are a hobby the money is less significant than the benefits. For those with more hives than I have it is clearly important to have a sales outlet.

 

[robmort]

44p for 1lb jars from the local BKA. But only 35p for 300ml at hobbycraft at present. Mine is supposed to be a hobby but given the size of the crop this year I can't even give that much away and I'm not going to unnecessarily waste the income on jars.

 

[DaveS]

Have you filled any yet? Just wondering how many grams of honey they hold.

Sorry not yet.