Eric Brown wrote:
>
> The way I set my prices, for 
> perspective, is to charge $2/lb wholesale or $3/lb retail, plus the cost of 
> the jar and label, plus 50-75c/lb extra for special varieties I separate 
> out.  On average, I make about $3/lb.  That average would drop if I 
> expanded, because I'd have to sell more wholesale, but $2/lb wholesale 
> might actually be more profitable than $3/lb retail by the time I count all 
> the time and money and mileage that goes into farmers' markets, etc.  
What I am going to add is also well covered in the archives, and that is 
the actual cost of that jar of honey. Side line beekeepers tend to not 
figure actual costs, which includes labor and all the attendant costs of 
that labor. You allude to it in your time and trips to the market. I 
know you understand that is only a part of the labor expended.

Most employees do not know the actual cost to the employer of their 
labor. Only the self employed really know, since they pay all the costs 
up front and transparently. Even then the self employed often omit 
medical and retirement from their costs and hope for the best. In 
essence, your take home pay from your job is about half or a bit less 
than the total cost to the employer, so if you take home 30k it is 
costing your employer 60k or somewhat less, depending on the level of 
benefits (closer to 60k for government and lower, maybe 45-50k for 
non-government).

I agree with you that "sustainability" is being incorrectly used. What 
should be discussed is "what is the business model". There are many 
examples of "rarity" and price used to keep a market going. Just look at 
cosmetics and perfume industries. Forget the $40 per pound. Here we are 
in the ounce and fraction of an ounce.

Forgive me for the last paragraph, but I could not resist the additional 
kick at the horse. The problem with the $40 thread is it is now all over 
the place and no one has any idea of what they are talking about, since 
there are so many divergent ideas and you have no idea just what is 
being addressed- $40 honey, "sustainability", my honey tastes great, 
less filling, ...

Bill Truesdell (who now understands why he is so often in the fetal 
position after reading the BeeL)
Bath, Maine

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