How bees became big business: the rise of the £30 jar of honey
I like this article because it points to the importance of bees, which I love and also to the importance of micro-food production. It also gives me the chance to highlight a brilliant food concept focused on local suppliers which could soon be making its way over here from Northern Ireland – the Food Pod. Here is the link http://www.thefoodpod.co.uk and if you want to know more please also feel free to drop me an email.
Once upon a time, honey was honey. It was the generic yellow gloop you found hidden below the shelves of jam and Marmite in the supermarket, and occasionally spread on your toast. In 2015 however, honey is not only big business…it’s a sought-after ingredient too. Health bloggers like Delicious Ella and the Hemsley sisters extol the virtues of raw honey, we happily pay double digits for a jar of Manuka, and now even the Duchess of Cornwall has got in on the act with a new line of limited edition honey selling for £20 a jar at Fortnum & Mason. So how did honey go from Pooh Bear’s favourite sweet fix to status symbol?
Honey sales have been soaring for the past few years. In 2014 honey overtook jam for the first time, with Brits drizzling and slathering our way through 20.3 million kg of the stuff. Honey sales are now worth £109.8m according to a January 2015 report by The Grocer. There are several reasons for this. Honey sales have risen in tandem with those of oats as a topping for porridge. The market leader, Rowse, has also spent the past few years promoting honey’s “versatility” – as toast and porridge topper, natural cold-symptom reliever and ingredient. It now has a range of Cook’s Honeys from around the world with different flavour profiles, designed to be added to everything from marinades to stir-fries.