Yearly honey jar orders.

[Curly green finger's]

Hi I've been asked by a shop in ludlow if I can supply 850 jars of honey per year, so that's 70 a month.
They were wondering if I could do some sort of discount.
What are your thoughts and recommendations pls of what would be best to do.
My 340g jars are £6.50 each at present (locals) shops £6

Thanks

Mark

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

well they're not going to be expeting to pay you retail price, you need to set a cost price, then with an order as big as that, then think about a further discount

 

[Curly green finger's]

well they're not going to be expeting to pay you retail price, you need to set a cost price, then with an order as big as that, then think about a further discount

Yeah I see what your saying, the thing is one of our shops is buying 50 jars @ £6 and have been since I started selling honey.
They are selling all 50 in a 4/5 week period.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi I've been asked by a shop in ludlow if I can supply 850 jars of honey per year, so that's 70 a month.
They were wondering if I could do some sort of discount.
What are your thoughts and recommendations pls of what would be best to do.
My 340g jars are £6.50 each at present.

Thanks

Mark

Another thing to remember is supply. I always keep a years worth of honey back. I know roughly how much I sell and if I’m to keep my customers I have to maintain supply. Last year was rubbish. And if you have to buy in honey from other beekeepers to repack there are so many hoops to jump through certificates to get and insurance to organise. BBKA won’t cover.

 

[ericbeaumont]

850 jars of honey per year, so that's 70 a month.
They were wondering if I could do some sort of discount.
My 340g jars are £6.50 each at present.

Ludlow Farm Shop is selling 340 @ £6.99 retail outside town, but Ludlow is in the top Best 50 Places to Live in Britain so I wouldn't rush to give away your honey. Maybe the shop serves the moneyed tourist market, which may soon come out of hibernation.

If they want 40% discount on a retail of perhaps £7 then you'll get £4.20. Can you live with that after jar and label is added? Doesn't make sense if you can sell what you produce but you may not want to lose the sales opening.

Round here niche shops won't give more than £6 and prefer £5.50 for a 227; they know that the price point must still tempt after they've added their 40%.

You'd have a stronger hand when you talk to them if you knew what sort of customer they sell to and their current honey retail price.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Ludlow Farm Shop is selling 340 @ £6.99 retail outside town, but Ludlow is in the top Best 50 Places to Live in Britain so I wouldn't rush to give away your honey. Maybe the shop serves the moneyed tourist market, which may soon come out of hibernation.

If they want 40% discount on a retail of perhaps £7 then you'll get £4.20. Can you live with that after jar and label is added? Doesn't make sense if you can sell what you produce but you may not want to lose the sales opening.

Round here niche shops won't give more than £6 and prefer £5.50 for a 227; they know that the price point must still tempt after they've added their 40%.

You'd have a stronger hand when you talk to them if you knew what sort of customer they sell to and their current honey retail price.

I already know there customer base and there is locals who buy all year but the majority are as you said tourist sales.
They call Ludlow little London.
Ludlow farm shop sell there own honey and are on the outskirts of Ludlow and are compition but so are two other BFs in the area.
The other beekeepers who sell to some of our outlets are selling honey 1lb @ £5.
And our honey is more so in compition and at a higher price but obviously selling well.
I want to try and push the price of honey up even for the other bf selling honey, all to many Beekeepers are selling there honey to cheaply and it deserves to be sold if its good at a higher price.
This is area specific and wouldn't maybe work in a different area.

The two shops we have in ludlow are already selling our honey for £7.99 and £7.
Further more to what dani was saying I have now clubbed together with two other beekeepers who will sell me there South Shropshire honey one beek is 3.5miles away at wheathill and the other on the back side of the hill.
Ive been saying it again to myself don't sell it all keep trickling it out but what can one do?

As you said Eric they are coming out of hibernation and I'm in a good position.

I plan to get some of those certs you were saying about dani.

 

[Erichalfbee]

If those shops are selling at £7.99 then you can charge 2/3 of that. That gives them a 50% mark up.

 

[Curly green finger's]

If those shops are selling at £7.99 then you can charge 2/3 of that. That gives them a 50% mark up.

I need to try and balance it out.
If one shop are buying jars 50 at a time and paying £6 each the other shop would be having a better deal £2 per jar.
Maybe it could be the option of selling the said shop buckets and they can jar it up.??
Im going to think about this abit more and talk to the md of the shop.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I need to try and balance it out.
If one shop are buying jars 50 at a time and paying £6 each the other shop would be having a better deal £2 per jar.
Maybe it could be the option of selling the said shop buckets and they can jar it up.??
Im going to think about this abit more and talk to the md of the shop.

The trouble with selling them buckets to jar is that you are then turning them into food producers and all the rigmarole that entails.

 

[Curly green finger's]

The trouble with selling them buckets to jar is that you are then turning them into food producers and all the rigmarole that entails.

True that dani .
Maybe I will leave this for now as we have 7 outlets and when things are somewhere near normal honey sales will go up at these shops any way.

 

[Erichalfbee]

True that dani .
Maybe I will leave this for now as we have 7 outlets and when things are somewhere near normal honey sales will go up at these shops any way.

Just up the number of colonies and sell it all in bulk.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Just up the number of colonies and sell it all in bulk.

We are uping the numbers I've condensed all apiarys into 4 but taking another 6 on.
We have turned 3 away because they are to far away.

This season is going to be manic I've already desided to go part time with the landscaping, as I'm mortgage free I can do this.

Since Xmas I've spent more time than I should of preparing.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yeah I see what your saying, the thing is one of our shops is buying 50 jars @ £6 and have been since I started selling honey.
They are selling all 50 in a 4/5 week period.

for how much?

 

[Curly green finger's]

for how much?

£7.99
And £7.50 at the other ( ludlow)
Hereford £7.50
Bromyard £7.50
Tenbury £7.50
Cleobury £ 7.00
Craven arms £ 7.00

All of the above are buying @ £6.
Im being a bit open here?

 

[Murox]

£7.99
And £7.50 at the other ( ludlow)
Hereford £7.50
Bromyard £7.50
Tenbury £7.50
Cleobury £ 7.00
Craven arms £ 7.00

All of the above are buying @ £6.
Im being a bit open here?

As long as you are happy with your price and the sellers are happy with theirs = happy days.

 

[ericbeaumont]

All of the above are buying @ £6. Im being a bit open here?

No, Mark, it's useful info. that may show others the way.

The other beekeepers who sell to some of our outlets are selling honey 1lb @ £5.

Are these the same whose stock you're buying? Good if it was, as the sooner the 1lb jar disappears the better.

 

[sipa]

Your retailers are free to charge whatever they want to.
So set a price that you feel rewards you for your work and the unique qualities of your product, I'd stick at £6 for all regardless of volume.
You have a finite product, if you don't sell all this year keep it till next it won't go off. Make it a little bit hard to get for them, "demand has been so high" etc

 

[Curly green finger's]

As long as you are happy with your price and the sellers are happy with theirs = happy days.

I'm happy and I don't get any complaints

 

[Curly green finger's]

As long as you are happy with your price and the sellers are happy with theirs = happy days.

I'm happy and I don't get any complaints

 

[sean-a]

Too many sell their honey far too cheaply.
Guilty of this myself!