Pricing bulk honey

[Lek]

Most of the honey I have extracted over the years  has been given away to friends, a couple of days ago I was asked if we had any spare honey to supply in  bulk to a restaurant, not aware of the going price I charged $100 for 20 litres which in weight 30 odd kilo’s., when they heard the price they asked if I could give them another 20 Litre bucket, so I flogs off 40 litre for $200. Then they said they would like some more, and take whatever I can supply, I was going to drop off another 40 litres in a few days time. I was a bit surprised at their eagerness so I thought I had better check out going prices.  The big question… Should I have charged by the Kilo or litters.  Also what is a fair going rate to charge up here in Nth Queensland.?   Any advice greatly appreciated………...lek.

[OzBuzz]

I'll buy anything and everything you have at that price! Seriously though, you're selling it at the rate a packer would give you - it's a good price to move large amounts of honey if you need the space or have a lot of it. If you don't have that need and want to make some money out of it then I'd be selling it in the vicinity of $150 - $180 for 30kgs... But it's going to be hard to re-negotiate now. Unless you run out of your old batch and then need to increase your price with a new batch...

[OzBuzz]

Oh, also, charge by the kg

[OzBuzz]

You could always go back and tell them you incorrectly charged them a per litre price and a 20L drum contains around 30kgs = 30 x $5kg = $150

[the-ecohouse.com]

hold crap dude! that is very cheap, i would be looking to double or even triple that

[OzBuzz]

I agree eco - way too cheap! it's hard to move now though on what's currently in place although if you run out of your current stock and have to re-negotiate then that wouldn't be so bad... I charge way more per kg than that price you're using Lek but I'm also in the metro area where people love "pure" honey - some people will try and negotiate you down in price because they're buying in bulk - but remember - if they don't buy it at the price that you're wanting to sell it for then there is always another 20 people lined up behind them who will... don't be afraid to tell them what you want/deserve

[west end apiary]

So everyone in oz give us the amount you charge per kilo?
I charge $8 per kilo and the add $2 for the labels and packaging. So if in bulk it would be $8/kg and in 1 kg tubs it is $10
Also I am very keen where you all sell your honey. I have a good group at work who buy it but would like to be selling 10 kilos a week on average. Is this achievable?
Sorry for a slight hijack
Nick

[prestonpaul]

I haven't had much to sell as yet, but have been selling for $8.00 per kilo in one kilo buckets without labels. Sound's like I may be under selling a little as well. Perhaps I could say it was a one time introductory offer 

[the-ecohouse.com]

Hi Guys

You have to value your labor/bees and try and educate people depending on how you sell it.

Sure they can buy some, heated, filtered, blended, cane sugar laden, dead imported honey for stuff all in the supermarket but why bother? just tell them to buy sugar, its basically the same thing.

Once people taste the real thing they vary rarely go back

Prices for our Raw Honey, un-blended, cold extracted with single med filter, are as follows

Soft-set Honey 250g is $7
Small Batch Raw Honey 250g jars - $5-7ea
1kg - $10:00 In tamper proof clear containers 10 or more - $9.00 per kg
Bulk Honey- > 20kg single strained strained $7.00 per kg, in their container.

I still think this is to low, but you have to strike a balance

[lilyfrog]

I would happily sell bulk buckets at $4 a kg, that is double the honey packers price up here.

We all know what we want in an ideal world, but at 600kg a month I need to move mine on.

cheers

[bernsad]

600kg a month  , how many hives are you running? I was quite pleased with the 45kg I pulled off 2 hives last month.

[the-ecohouse.com]

600 kg a month is pretty awesome, you would be running 100+ hives in productive country yes?

$2400 per month would be tidy if you didn't have to do too much work for it ie if you can drop it off at the local deli and take a $4.00 cut from each bucket you sell.

my question is does it pay for itself? you must be doing a bit of work for that 600 kg?

[lilyfrog]

No, I run ~40 hives at present, and I move my hives,

I have a site 2 sites on the sunshine coast that are good, 1 is on liquid gold (Macadamia) at present about 3 weeks left there if lucky, 8 hives on about a box a week.
I have 2 toowoomba sites (currently vacant), 1 Kenilworth site (currently vacant), 1 stanthorpe & 2 applethorpe sites (Vacant also)

I have 4 fixed sites that are a licence to print money. They are flower farms owned by one family, I have 6 hives per farm, and they pull 2-3 boxes of honey a week, I have to tend each farm twice a week. This has been like this for nearly 4 months now. They say they get better flower crops with the bees & I love the nectar flow.   

I have a couple of local backyard hives in western Bris pulling a box a fortnight,

& I dropped 5 hives sunday morning in a local titree swamp & i pulled 3 boxes this afternoon off the 5 hives.

I will have another 20 hives by spring, but I have to find the time first. I was lucky & given 3 good sites from a retiring commercial beekeeper,I  have not worked them to the seasonal potential yet as I don't have enough hives.

cheers,

[the-ecohouse.com]

hey lilyfrog

That is awesome!!!! for 40 hives you are cranken!!! sounds like you have some good sites

I was unaware that mac nuts produced such great flow.

[lilyfrog]

i have a site in the middle of 10km of every side of nuts, so the girls have a field day. the site i have that is not in the middle of nut central, it only about 60% of the good one.

but you find every site you can, this year it might be a dud, but in the future is could be great. I have found they to vary
 

cheers