Hello All,
Anyone who has read my posts in the past knows I ride on the "honey has a
high value and should bring a good price" bandwagon.  Recently I was
recuperating from surgery to my right hand.  It kept me out of work for a
week and a half.   While I was home I pulled out some old copies of
"Gleanings in Bee Culture" magazine from 1984.  I read many articles
including a good one by Dave Green.  Imagine reading a whole issue without
the word varroa being mentioned.  What really caught my eye, however, were
the ads.  There were some for equipment that is no longer sold, candidates
for the useless tool list.  Then I looked at ads for queens and package
bees.  Back then the price range for queens was between $4.00 and $7.00 (US)
with most around $5.00 and packages went for a little over $20.00. Today the
price is over $ 10.00 from most queen breeders and packages are over $40.00.
I did notice that most queen breeders who were in the lower price range back
then are not in business now (value/price?).  Part of me is glad to see
queen prices are at least moving up, but my frugal side still wishes I could
buy $6.00 queens.  The most shocking price was wholesale honey.   It
averaged between $0.50 and $0.60. per pound.  Unfortunately that is not much
difference  from today's prices.  The prices of equipment also moved up in
the past 15 years.  Other than rubbing salt in some wounds I haven't said
anything we don't already know.  No one is going to get rich selling honey
at these prices.
 
Enter Dutch Gold Honey Company.  Dutch Gold, located in Lancaster, PA, is
the largest packer in the northeast U.S.  They have been around for awhile
and have pioneered some novel ways to market honey.  Ralph Gamber, the
founder, can be considered the "father of the honey bear".  (I hope he is
not offended by that.)  A few years ago they came out with a new style honey
jar, "The Classic", and began using a beautiful multi-colored label.  There
are pictures of wildflowers, clover, orange blossoms, etc. on the labels.
 Being such a large packer a fair amount of the honey is imported.  This is
also stated on the label.  In fact I had one area gentleman tell me he only
buys their honey because it is the best, with "sources from around the
world".  That sort of shoots the "local honey" idea in the foot.  I do want
to say one thing about Dutch Gold.  They are a superior packer.  Their plant
is state of the art with excellent sanitary conditions.  They put out a good
product.  I buy my jars from them and they are great people to deal with.
They will also buy honey from local beekeepers.
 
I was in the supermarket checking the honey section and noticed something
new.  There was the store brand (which is filled by Dutch Gold), a few jars
of Suebee, and the Dutch Gold.  They had clover, wildflower, buckwheat and
one labeled Premium.  It was lighter than their clover and looked like black
locust honey that I usually produce.  It didn't say why it was better or
anything else.  The retail price was $3.50 for a 1 lb. jar.  There same size
clover was selling for $2.35.  The store brand was $1.99.  That is a
significant difference.  Will it sell?  Will the higher price be shared with
the beekeeper/producer increasing  the wholesale bulk price?  Is this just a
marketing ploy that won't sustain itself? Or, is this a turning point that
will begin to demonstrate the true value of honey at the consumer level?  I
don't have the answer to any of these and I can only hope that this is the
start of some good times for the industry.  Time will tell.
 
One final note.  In comparing the issues of Bee Culture past and present I
feel the magazine has improved and is continuing to get better.  Kim and
company are doing a great job.
 
Ron Bogansky
Kutztown, PA   USA
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hoping for a great '99 season!