Commercial Beekeeping

[Ian]

Take a look at what my packing group is selling.
Its fresh on the market and they have been supplying Starbucks

http://www.beemaid.com/lil-honeys

[jim lyon]

Hey why not. Give the public what they demand. More convenience, more packaging, more shelf space and more reason for people to complain about how expensive food is.

[Rader Sidetrack]

While I understand Jim's sentiments, I do believe that if BeeMaid (or a competitor) doesn't offer a 100% honey product packed in "convenience" packaging like this, somebody else will offer a substitute product, and that substitute may well be less than 100% honey.

For instance, look at cheese in ready to eat snack packages. Most of what is in the marketplace is not even real cheese, its pasteurized process cheese food product, or worse. I have neighbors that don't buy real cheese because its not presliced!

The "juice drinks" are some of the worst offenders for attempting to confuse consumers. The drink called "Sunny D" in the US is only 5% actual fruit juice, but you'd never know from the advertising.
http://review.productwiki.com/sunny-delight/

So I say to BeeMaid, I hope you are successful with this product!

[Ian]

yes, its all about convenience

the biggest demand is coming from business.

The problem with restaurant self serve honey jar or bottles is that its messy, and with everyone using it, it can get dirty. You know how people use things,.?

This allows people to self serve honey for their coffee at their convenience, just like the little spreadable pockets you can get for your toast in the cafe'. Instead of reaching for the sugar packet, they will grab the honey portion pack!

Very exciting!

and apparently the equivalent environmental impact is a fraction of what plastic tub honey is,

[Ian]

Thanks for posting the pic Graham, I tried and settled on giving out the link, I can not seem to be able to do that!

[jim lyon]

While I understand Jim's sentiments, I do believe that if BeeMaid (or a competitor) doesn't offer a 100% honey product packed in "convenience" packaging like this, somebody else will offer a substitute product, and that substitute may well be less than 100% honey.
So I say to BeeMaid, I hope you are successful with this product!

Dont misunderstand me. I hope it is a huge success, the bigger market for honey the better for everyone in this business. One important point here is that there have always been some health concerns with any type of reusable server in a public place. It's not unusual to see kids or maybe even adults licking them and of course they are usually messy as well. The prepackaged portion may be the way to go for restaurants and coffee shops. I am not convinced that anyone has yet developed the perfect single serving size that opens easily and dispenses neatly.

[Ian]

Dont misunderstand me. . . . . . I am not convinced that anyone has yet developed the perfect single serving size that opens easily and dispenses neatly.

Oh your not hard to understand Jim, dont worry about me!
I absolutely agree with you on the opening easy and dispenses neatly part. Although, next time your in Starbuck, try one. They open easy but your fingers might get sticky, lol

[Ian]

One important point here is that there have always been some health concerns with any type of reusable server in a public place.

These businesses are talking specifically about spoons into the tub, and into the coffee, and then back into the tub, and into their mouth, and then back into the tub . . . .
I never use a self serve honey jar at coffee shops, yikes!

[Allen Martens]

Ian, like you, I was very impressed with this product. Every once in a while somebody hits out of the park.

[JRG13]

Now I don't have to shank KFC's honey sawce packets!

[Ian]

Ian, like you, I was very impressed with this product. Every once in a while somebody hits out of the park.

Hi Allen !

Say, what did you think of that motion of support towards the MBA resolution passed on beeyard registration?

[rniles]

I like the idea of providing honey to kids or as an easy to-go solution. Much better than the KFC "Honey Sauce" packets. 2010_kfc_web1.jpg

Take a look at what my packing group is selling.
Its fresh on the market and they have been supplying Starbucks

http://www.beemaid.com/lil-honeys

[Ian]

how much honey in those honey sauce packs?

[Rader Sidetrack]

how much honey in those honey sauce packs?

This KFC Honey Sauce packet, at least, 7% honey:

Image linked from: http://www.commonplacecrazy.com/2011...ney-sauce.html


There was a time when KFC offered actual honey. I remember eating it back in the '70s. I don't know when they moved away from real honey, and have been unsuccessful in finding a photo of the real honey packets, or actual evidence of KFC real honey.

However, here is an amusing thread on the subject from 2005:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/show...-honey-packets
In particular, post #34 is from a former KFC employee who not only remembers real honey, but also when McD's fries were actually prepared from fresh potatoes at each local restaurant.

[rniles]

In 2007, KFC's honey sauce had 11% honey. In 2010, only 7% honey.

[Allen Martens]

Say, what did you think of that motion of support towards the MBA resolution passed on beeyard registration?

When it comes to protection from spray damage this is a really good idea. I find that the farmers and applicators try to work with the beekeeper to minimize damage for the most part.

However, the paranoid part of me is a little concerned about having my beeyard locations declared publicly. Probably shouldn't be as most of my yards are visible from the road, though usually roads with very little traffic. My tinfoil hat side I guess.

[Ian]

yes, I am with you on that. Areal applicators and the agri protection businesses need to consider us when spraying.

What do you think about imposing a minimum distance between yards? They did not get into that, but it has been the main reason why some of these guys brought up this motion years back, and that was reason why it never was adopted.

Seems to me they are attempting to progressively introduce this idea and when it is adopted by the government and acted on, they may further their intentions to create registered use sites.
Might not be a bad thing, but we have to watch how much control we give up here,

[Honey-4-All]

Saw on the LIL Honeys box that the stuff is Pasteurized. What exactly does that mean? Burnt honey, flash heated? Why does honey need to be pasteurized? Can anyone post me a link showing where a single person became ill from eating "non-Pasteurized " honey?

[Allen Martens]

Minimum distance between yards is a difficult choice for me.

Most of our production yards are what would be considered pollination yards so minimum distance would not be applied in those situations I assume. Would be very inconvenient though if the bees would need to be removed as soon the field was bloomed out, even if another blooming field was only a short distance away.

For the most part, if possible, I prefer fewer regulations. Don't really know if we need a minimum distance rule and I think you are right about this potentially being a first step. That being said, when someone sets up a yard of 100 close to one of my long established spring/fall yards (been the family for 25 years), I start wondering whether a minimum distance rule has merit.

[Allen Martens]

Why does honey need to be pasteurized? Can anyone post me a link showing where a single person became ill from eating "non-Pasteurized " honey?

Much of this is consumer, retailer and government regulation driven.

I suspect, and I am only speculating, that the honey needs to reach temps close to pasteurization anyways to maintain liquid form in the packs.