Lot sof honey but how much to sell?

[ShinySideUp]

I think I will get a lot of honey this year, at least twice as much as last year, and this time I am going to sell it rather than give it away.

What sized glass containers should I use for optimum money and how mcuh should I charge for it? Last year I used hexagonal glass jars that held about 195ml, is this a goodly size do you think?

 

[Beefriendly]

Usually sold by weight, not volume.
If ordinary honey suggest 12oz/340g hex jars at minimum of £5/jar. You may be able to ask more due to your location...a question of try and see.
Or visit a good farmers market and see what prices they are asking

 

[Erichalfbee]

Agree there
£5 for 12oz is a bottom line.
If you are able to sell at a popular tourist spot and decorate your jars with a really eye catching label you can probably get a lot more. It pays to label well.

 

[For want of a better word]

Locally....Homeleigh Farm Shop in Launceston were selling Tintagel Honey for £6.50 per half pound hex jar.
Try Pensilva Christmas market held in the Millenium Hall.... just before Christmas... local honey always sells well and the stall ( used to be) free/ donation.
Check your products and public liability insurance for selling honey.
Over the gate sales need minimum levels of compliance... selling yourself at markets, a bit more ( depends on market!).... selling to shops and wholesalers, insurances start getting prohibitive.

Many of the larger producers just sell in bulk... easiest option.
Once sold bulk to a brewer for honey beer... worth looking into?

 

[whizzwheels]

I use the hexagonal honey jars and have been selling the 12oz (340g) ones for £6 and the 8oz (227g) for £4.
Have been selling at that price for the past 3 years but the amount of honey I produce has been increasing over the last few years as I increase the number of hive so am looking at supplying shops now so will probably have to reduce the price for bulk purchase.

 

[Dadnlad]

Have been selling at that price for the past 3 years but the amount of honey I produce has been increasing over the last few years as I increase the number of hive so am looking at supplying shops now so will probably have to reduce the price for bulk purchase.

Was in a similar position early spring and fully expected the retailer to bargain me down as they were buying in bulk and adding their markup. Actually they asked me what I wanted per jar (which was the same as I charge at the gate), and agreed straight away. They've added £2 per jar on the shelf and have already been back for more

Erichalfbee is right about labeling - a bit of thought and investment in good quality labels will be worth it

 

[enrico]

I keep 50lbs a year for me, and always have a year in hand for a bad crop. Anything extra I sell. A sign at the gate and I can easily sell 10 jars a day at£5 for 12oz. It is the way that you present them that matters. Classy labels, nice jars and bobs your uncle!
E

 

[fatshark]

... supplying shops now so will probably have to reduce the price for bulk purchase.

Not necessarily

The demand for high quality local artisan honey is high and the markup likewise ... but it all still sells.

 

[theoriginalbee]

We sold some of our first ever crop last year for £5.50 per 8oz hex jar, but with handcrafted 'classy' labels - which were very timeconsuming to create, but I enjoy making them. With some snazzy festive packaging and a free honey server they sold for £10 per jar. I would say think about your customers, how you will market it, and then try an ambitious price to start with. You put so much into keeping your bees and bottling a quality product it is worth going the extra mile in my opinion. Good luck!

 

[Beefriendly]

Good price...you may be able to get higher prices than many of us due to your location.

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I reinforce the comment about spending time and effort getting your labels right for your targeted market. A label should be more that a pretty picture and the beekeeper's name and address. I had a harvest of 90 lbs last year and sold it in 8oz+ jars at £5 retail and £4 wholesale (and friends and family). I'm down to my last few jars so, for that harvest, the price was about right (but possibly a little low because I'm nearly sold out already)

The 8oz+ above refers to the fact that I think the jars look better if the customer cannot see the top surface of the honey so I weighed the honey that was needed to hide the meniscus and put that on the label - 240g.

Hope your selling works out well.

CVB