Selling to local farm shop ?

[ryan_220]

Basicly a local farm shop said they will buy all my hunny off me, as there is a big call for it. So long as its labbeled up right by me eg use by date lot number and so on. But iam selling to one sole farm shop is there any probs with this ?

They seam happy with this they just want to see a jar first so hey can see everything is ok. If all is ok they will buy the lot 38 pound jars so far. They said they will buy all my future production with out question, but what do you think ? They sell alot of local jams, cakes and produce its quite a big place.

 

[ryan_220]

On another note what is the shelf life of hunny made this year is it one year or 2 or more ?

 

[VEG]

First of all you need to register yourself with trading standards and your local environmental health. They are there to help you so dont think of it as a bad thing. Trading standards will make sure that your labels are legal and environmental health "should" come to your extraction room/kitchen to check that it meets certain standards.
You will be better off contacting them rather than them coming to pay you a visit because you haven't registered with them. The rules are different if you are selling direct to the public like in a farmers market, rather than selling to a third party like the farm shop, so they will tell you how to go about it.

Honey doesnt go off but trading standards reccomend putting a two year best before date on it.

 

[RoofTops]

If you are starting out and haven't got a shed full of one pound jars like me then I would suggest go for 12oz jars. They seem much more attractive to the customers and you can get away charging only a little less than a one pound jar.

 

[Chris B]

Hi Ryan,
Hold onto that honey and sell it through Worcestershire BKA at the Autumn Show at Malvern in September. You'll get more money than a farm shop will pay and it will all go and you will get by without the complication of Trading Standards/Environmental Health etc. as they are much less interested in "direct from the producer" honey.

 

[buzz lightyear]

Basicly a local farm shop said they will buy all my hunny off me, as there is a big call for it. So long as its labbeled up right by me eg use by date lot number and so on. But iam selling to one sole farm shop is there any probs with this ?

They seam happy with this they just want to see a jar first so hey can see everything is ok. If all is ok they will buy the lot 38 pound jars so far. They said they will buy all my future production with out question, but what do you think ? They sell alot of local jams, cakes and produce its quite a big place.

This is exactly what i do and works out fine. A few tips:
Agree price at the beginning of the season
Give them some indicaton of your volume
Give them an indication of the type of honey you supply, e.g. Set OSR, Heather etc
If you can try and give them a variaty. I was astonished how much heather cut they could shift, despite my mates saying heather dont sell and its hard work. My experiance was that it is a great profit and cut coomb is less hastle than spinning standard stuff.
Also, dont under sell, but also remember, they need to make a cut.
Dont give it away, but remember, this is the real world.
Finally, you dont look like you have millions of hives (like me), so remember its a hobby so dont get stressed about it all, but if you do sell it, get a fair price.
Me? I set enough aside to give away to my (middle class) freinds then the rest goes to my mate up the shop.
One last thing, consider how you supply him / her. Thats to say, all at once or 10 / 20 jars at a time. And keep a record of it all.
Also, as per previous posts re Legal stuff.

Enjoy, Buzz

 

[ryan_220]

Thanks for all the info people

 

[Poly Hive]

A very useful "in" to a new shop, is to offer Sale or return.

You give them say 24 jars, and you tell them you want "X" per jar and they call you to say we only have 6 left, you take over another quantity and they pay you for the jars sold.

Works a treat for opening doors.

PH

 

[andypigeon]

90% of my honey is sold to the local WI i need do nothin just put it in jars and the rest is done for me. if it was left to me i would end out giving it away, i carnt even keep up with demand for my honey as a result in 4 years of beekeeping i have only had 1 lb myself