Selling honey through a local shop.

[Curly green fingers]

seeing new comments I thought I'd give an update on my situation.

following the harvest (my best one to date) I have an abundance of the stuff! I did as was discussed and returned to the outlet within the garden centre, I took in two jars as a sample and left a couple of boxes in the car being optimistic.

I spoke to the lady who went to get her supervisor/stand in Manager, she said 'its the wrong time of year for Honey now'

to which I replied, 'no, its the right time of year for Honey as everyone has just harvested it and I have done as I was asked and returned later in the year'


she then waffled something about nobody buys it in the winter, which I thought was odd especially considering the cold remedies a lot of people use?

so I emailed the main office to explain what had gone on but I have had no reply, I guess i'm back on the lookout for a sales outlet locally but the places I can think of sell Honey from other locals who will probably get a bit funny about it.

I have sold a bucket to our local association secretary though so at least some of it has gone.

Hi i know a few outlets nr me . That would be interested there in tenbury , Ludlow pm me if that's not to far to travel .
Cheers Mark.

 

[Swarm]

Try your local surgery. A local hardware store used to be my best outlet but it closed down

 

[Compost Kid]

'its the wrong time of year for Honey now'

to which I replied, 'no, its the right time of year for Honey as everyone has just harvested it and I have done as I was asked and returned later in the year'


she then waffled something about nobody buys it in the winter, which I thought was odd especially considering the cold remedies a lot of people use?

How frustrating! Wrong time of year? What about all the hot porridge with honey on top for cold mornings and hot toast and as you say, the cold remedies? I hope you find an outlet soon.

 

[dpearce4]

if its Wyvale then don't touch them as they are on the brink and selling off 60% plus of their garden centers just to stay afloat.


https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blo...ll-eight-largest-garden-centres-blue-diamond/

 

[birdsandbees]

Hi i know a few outlets nr me . That would be interested there in tenbury , Ludlow pm me if that's not to far to travel .
Cheers Mark.

Tenbury is doable and do know a Guy in Ludlow that might deliver on my behalf, thanks.

Try your local surgery. A local hardware store used to be my best outlet but it closed down

good idea, I think I'll just have to find a day where I can spend some time driving around with samples to various places, now the season is winding down I should have more time on my hands.

How frustrating! Wrong time of year? What about all the hot porridge with honey on top for cold mornings and hot toast and as you say, the cold remedies? I hope you find an outlet soon.

I know! what a ridiculous reply, I was quite dismayed and confused.

if its Wyvale then don't touch them as they are on the brink and selling off 60% plus of their garden centers just to stay afloat.

https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blo...ll-eight-largest-garden-centres-blue-diamond/

no it's not them, its a Garden centre with a Deli/food store within it which is part of another local produce shop elsewhere in Worcester area.

I'll find somewhere or sell in bulk if needs be

 

[markjadams]

Hi, out of interest what are people doing to satisfy the Environmental health dept to allow them to sell to shops etc. Do you have special areas where you extract your honey?

Which garden center have asked you in Worcester? I dont live there but know the area quite well and its nice to see local produce.

 

[Stiffy]

Hi, out of interest what are people doing to satisfy the Environmental health dept to allow them to sell to shops etc. Do you have special areas where you extract your honey?

Which garden center have asked you in Worcester? I dont live there but know the area quite well and its nice to see local produce.

I guess most don’t advise the local authorities. We have been inspected on several occasions and our jar labels checked. We had to provide operational documents to show how we conduct our extraction from hive to jar. It all sounds a bit daunting but in reality is very easy to get in place and the people we dealt with were very helpful.
S

 

[For want of a better word]

I guess most don’t advise the local authorities. We have been inspected on several occasions and our jar labels checked. We had to provide operational documents to show how we conduct our extraction from hive to jar. It all sounds a bit daunting but in reality is very easy to get in place and the people we dealt with were very helpful.
S

Cornwall Council Environmental Heath and their Trading Standards have come down hard on the Jam & Chutney brigade!

Even the smaller farmers markets and food fairs are now asking for copies of Food safety certification, level 2 and supervisor, proper insurance and a risk assessment.

Our own extraction facility and bottling area is in a separate building, and when last checked the inspector was keen to ensure that we did not bring soil ( veg) fish , meat or dairy, into the unit..... but were aware of the rules and regs if we did.
Also checked our industrial dish / bottle washer and refrigeration units.... said he had to fill in the appropriate boxes, but was not particularly worried about honey if processed in an industrial kitchen like ours.

Was pleased to see anti tamper tags being used on our packaging and commented that he was impressed with our record keeping.

Mytten da

 

[Johnnifer]

Have you considered approaching traders at Farmers Markets?

We used to be regular sellers on the Farmers Market circuit (jams, pickles and chutneys) and as a side line we would sell both set and runny honey from local apiaries at a mark up of £2.00 per 454g jar on a buy or return basis. We never returned any though and always sold out shifting as many as 50 to 100 jars on a Sunday morning mainly to regulars. A nice little earner as Del Boy would say.

 

[enrico]

Professional mead makers can't get enough of the stuff. Google it
E

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

It winds me up how the hobbyists in my area get away with murder, I have seen hairs in jars, incorrect labelling, underfilled, as mentioned as a business the legislation to adhere too is frustrating at times, food standards, records for medicines, cleaning chemicals, training, and then VAT and tax and PAYE, and then some self righteous tw-t has the nerve to undercut by £1.50 a jar.


I have just had samples of my honey DNA tested for authenticity, I have been told that trading standards are going to start testing all sellers in this area and informing shops that if they sell produce from a producer who has not got a hygiene rating that invalidates their own rating, traceability due to recent events, we do more jam/chutney/pickles than honey and are already moving away from national rules which I can see being scrapped pretty soon.

 

[Erichalfbee]

It winds me up how the hobbyists in my area get away with murder, I have seen hairs in jars, incorrect labelling, underfilled, as mentioned as a business the legislation to adhere too is frustrating at times, food standards, records for medicines, cleaning chemicals, training, and then VAT and tax and PAYE, and then some self righteous tw-t has the nerve to undercut by £1.50 a jar.


I have just had samples of my honey DNA tested for authenticity, I have been told that trading standards are going to start testing all sellers in this area and informing shops that if they sell produce from a producer who has not got a hygiene rating that invalidates their own rating, traceability due to recent events, we do more jam/chutney/pickles than honey and are already moving away from national rules which I can see being scrapped pretty soon.

DNA testing all honey. Who is paying for that?

 

[Johnnifer]

It winds me up how the hobbyists in my area get away with murder, I have seen hairs in jars, incorrect labelling, underfilled....

Tell me about it. Our Farmers Market circuit had Market Inspectors that regularly inspected for labelling, food hygiene certs, public liability insurance etc. No one was allowed on the circuit without an interview with the Market Inspector, nothing heavy just a 10 minute introduction and compliance check. The hobbyists tended to think it was all over the top and a bit of a joke. They'd turn up and get sent away because of one thing or another and it was very rare to see them again unless you visited one of the school or church bring and by sales.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Are we getting to the stage now where you won’t be able to sell honey without an inspection of a dedicated honey room?
Surely there is room for hobbyists and professionals who actually make it their living?

 

[TooBee...]

It winds me ...as a business the legislation to adhere too is frustrating at times, ... then VAT ...
I have just had samples of my honey DNA tested for authenticity,...

I don't understand;

- Honey is a food, and is exempt from VAT, and as a business you can reclaim VAT, so the Vat Man gives you money back, even though the paperwork is a bit of a hassle, it's still free-ish money.

- Also, how can you DNA test honey, it's a mixture of sugars, the filtration will take most of everything else out, ie: pollen; do you mean they are testing it for sugar and/or water content? Such things, although they get in the way of business, they will help exclude unscrupulous sellers, albeit not small time hobbyists, who don't care about flouting rules and health & safety.

 

[MerryBee]

I don't understand;

- Honey is a food, and is exempt from VAT, and as a business you can reclaim VAT, so the Vat Man gives you money back, even though the paperwork is a bit of a hassle, it's still free-ish money.

- Also, how can you DNA test honey, it's a mixture of sugars, the filtration will take most of everything else out, ie: pollen; do you mean they are testing it for sugar and/or water content? Such things, although they get in the way of business, they will help exclude unscrupulous sellers, albeit not small time hobbyists, who don't care about flouting rules and health & safety.

Most pollen is less than 50 microns, so is not removed by filtering with, say, a 200 micron mesh.
As far as I recall filtering with a mesh small enough to remove pollen is prohibited in the honey regulations. I am sure someone will correct me if I have got that wrong.
So DNA testing the pollen in honey is a good way of determining its provenance (ie country of origin), and also validating the floral source if the honey is being sold as a monofloral.

 

[Hivemaker.]

DNA testing all honey. Who is paying for that?

I have no idea if it is DNA tested, but was recently sent some 300kg barrels from a large honey packer, the barrels were used and had been previously used for maple syrup, I asked if they had any available that had previously been used for honey, open top ones, the answer was yes, but they wouldn't send those as they had previously contained Chinese honey, so any pollen traces would show in our honey (so they say) and prevent them from selling it as English honey.

 

[MerryBee]

I have no idea if it is DNA tested, but was recently sent some 300kg barrels from a large honey packer, the barrels were used and had been previously used for maple syrup, I asked if they had any available that had previously been used for honey, open top ones, the answer was yes, but they wouldn't send those as they had previously contained Chinese honey, so any pollen traces would show in our honey (so they say) and prevent them from selling it as English honey.

Wouldnt a thorough wash solve that problem?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Wouldnt a thorough wash solve that problem?

Obviously not as far as they are concerned, don't really want to find out though, as it could be an expensive exercise.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I have no idea if it is DNA tested, but was recently sent some 300kg barrels from a large honey packer, the barrels were used and had been previously used for maple syrup, I asked if they had any available that had previously been used for honey, open top ones, the answer was yes, but they wouldn't send those as they had previously contained Chinese honey, so any pollen traces would show in our honey (so they say) and prevent them from selling it as English honey.

Right. So....I understand commercial honey having to be declared kosher..... but hobby honey on sale at a farmers’ market?