Current Honey Prices

The15thMember · July 31, 2023, 06:11:54 PM

I ran into a guy who works at our local farm store today, ironically at a different farm store. I was buying some FormicPro, and he asked if I had bees, and when I said yes, he asked if he could buy some of my honey. I of course said yes again, and since he was on his way out the door, I told him I'd stop by the place where he works this week, and we could work out the details. I'm used to selling my honey by the bucket, and I obviously haven't bought honey since I started keeping bees. What are you guys selling your runny honey for at like farmers markets and such? I'd be bottling in pint and quart jars. What about cut comb?

iddee · July 31, 2023, 06:41:53 PM

Mistake

Kathyp · July 31, 2023, 07:13:33 PM

I wouldn't use our area as a gauge because everything here is overly expensive. Some things to consider though: Raw honey goes for more than highly filtered. Honeycomb is the most expensive. With my raw stuff, I always made up a note to go with it to explain that it had bits of pollen and even the occasional bee wing or leg in it.

I never bothered selling the honeycomb, but it was going for 14 dollars for about a 5 inch square tray of it last time I saw some at the farmers market. Small jars with comb in them were 20+.

People here pay stupid prices for stuff, but they consider it healthy so...

The15thMember · July 31, 2023, 10:23:32 PM

Quote from: iddee on July 31, 2023, 06:41:53 PM
Mistake

Care to elaborate?

Kathyp · August 01, 2023, 12:02:35 AM

I think he meant the post was an error. My guess anyway

You can't delete the post completely.

The15thMember · August 01, 2023, 12:08:10 AM

Quote from: Kathyp on August 01, 2023, 12:02:35 AM
I think he meant the post was an error. My guess anyway You can't delete the post completely.

Oh!

I thought he meant the whole idea was a mistake.

animal · August 01, 2023, 12:22:44 AM

Raw local honey in a pint squeeze bottle is $7.00 flat at a builder supply store here .. cash sale only and the money goes in a box for the beekeeper to pick up. Stuff at the farmer's markets, etc is usually in mason jars and "decorated" in some way ... Often a simple square of gingham check cloth over the lid with a cotton string or thin ribbon tied around the neck holding on the cloth and/or a cutesy sticker or label, with or without a piece of comb ... double the price.
1- pound decorative bottle with cork and wooden honey server thingie 12 -15
Never seen it in a quart.

I would think you need to check your local market to see what size and type of packaging sells best... Maximize profit from both material and time

cao · August 01, 2023, 02:44:06 AM

My prices haven't changed since I started selling honey about 7 or 8 years ago. $7 for 1 lb plastic squeeze bottle. $10 for pint. $18 for quart. I need to raise prices since I am the cheapest by far in my area that I have seen. Typically pints go for $12-$15 and I have seen quarts go for $20-$30.

I have sold cut comb in clear plastic packages for $5. I didn't have much so I sold it more as of a novelty item and at $5 it was an easy sell.

The15thMember · August 02, 2023, 02:00:40 PM

Thanks, everyone. My mom and sister checked on the prices locally at several places yesterday when they were running around, and things were surprisingly varied. I'm thinking about charging $20 for quart and $12 for a pint, unless it's sourwood honey, then it'll be $23 for quart and $15 for a pint.

NCNate · August 02, 2023, 10:42:01 PM

Typical prices around Mt. Airy are $10/#.
Pints are $15 and quarts go for $25.
As you move to the larger cities prices go up from there.

Michael Bush · August 03, 2023, 06:17:55 AM

>I'm thinking about charging $20 for quart and $12 for a pint

That sounds about right. That's what Ive been charging

BeeMaster2 · August 03, 2023, 08:23:02 AM

I?ve been charging $7 for bears, $11 for pints and $20 for quarts for a long time. I sell out every year.
Jim Altmiller

Auto correct got me real good on that one.

Beelab · August 03, 2023, 09:55:57 AM

Oh, could you please post a pic of penguins nuts please? Never heard of that before.
I never sell my honey in plastic containers, but I have cute glass honey bears v

Lesgold · August 04, 2023, 01:15:32 AM

Hi Folks,

Just a quick question. With weights and measures varying around the world, could you guys give me the weight of a pint of honey in grams please. I know USA and UK measures vary slightly in this area. This may help some of the uncultured heathens down under (especially me) to get some relativity and clarity.

Cheers

Les

Ben Framed · August 04, 2023, 05:48:21 AM

Les according to the source I found, a pint of honey weights 1.5 pounds or 24 ounces. Converted to grams = 680.389 grams

Phillip

The15thMember · August 04, 2023, 12:12:35 PM

Quote from: Lesgold on August 04, 2023, 01:15:32 AM
Just a quick question. With weights and measures varying around the world, could you guys give me the weight of a pint of honey in grams please. I know USA and UK measures vary slightly in this area. This may help some of the uncultured heathens down under (especially me) to get some relativity and clarity.

Sorry, Les! I think we're probably the uncultured heathens, using a system of measurement that is basically unique to our country nowadays and then acting like the whole world knows what we're talking about!

Quote from: Ben Framed on August 04, 2023, 05:48:21 AM
Les according to the source I found, a pint of honey weights 1.5 pounds or 24 ounces. Converted to grams = 680.389 grams

Phillip

I've found some of my honey to be a little heavier than that, but as a rule of thumb a pint is 1.5 lbs. and quart is 3 lbs. (2 cups in a pint, 2 pints in a quart, 4 quarts in a gallon.) We uncultured Americans do like measuring by volume, even though it's less accurate, in addition to our Customary System.

Ben Framed · August 04, 2023, 12:23:01 PM

yes2matt · August 05, 2023, 04:56:12 PM

Quote from: The15thMember on August 02, 2023, 02:00:40 PM
Thanks, everyone. My mom and sister checked on the prices locally at several places yesterday when they were running around, and things were surprisingly varied. I'm thinking about charging $20 for quart and $12 for a pint, unless it's sourwood honey, then it'll be $23 for quart and $15 for a pint.

What's the highest price they found? Get it. We've had this conversation offline, I think, but I'll repeat myself. Aim for the top of the market, make sure your product and your packaging and your labeling are gift-quality, and get that top dollar.

Smaller containers are more work for you, but they fetch more $/oz honey.

Make sure you follow your state's labeling guidelines :) https://www.ncbeekeepers.org/resources/labeling

The15thMember · August 05, 2023, 07:03:51 PM

Quote from: yes2matt on August 05, 2023, 04:56:12 PM
What's the highest price they found? Get it. We've had this conversation offline, I think, but I'll repeat myself. Aim for the top of the market, make sure your product and your packaging and your labeling are gift-quality, and get that top dollar.

If I was selling to more people than just this one guy, especially if I was selling honey somewhere where there was likely to be tourists (a local gift shop, even the farmers market), I'd be taking this advice. But this is more like just selling a couple jars to a neighbor. Plus, the locals around here are pretty knowledgeable about honey, and they won't pay more for bells and whistles, and if this opens up any opportunities to sell more broadly in the store where this guy works, that is who the clientele would be.

Incidentally, that's the one thing we can't figure out about this situation: I'm pretty sure they sell honey where this guy works, so why isn't he buying that honey?