I have asked about the legitimacy of the exporters of honey from Indonesia and India. I have been told that it is honey produced in those countries and not transshiped chinese honey. <snip>
Ted, I could get into pricing issues, product quality issues, etc.,.but this focuses on "the word" of a company. My primary vendor told me that I had an exclusive distributorship on a particular line of products...two weeks later my competitor not 20 miles from me (we wholesale) had that particular line. Fast forward, as I'm having lunch with my rep he casually tells me that he is signing up a large competitor that has actually been a direct ship customer of mine for several years. I was promised that competitor would not be in my market area with the product....a month later....BINGO there at my front door! Another couple of years pass by and sitting down to eat lunch with my (new) rep he whips some papers out and tells me how I need to start buying through my previous customer/competitor. That's when I politely stood up and told him to kiss my dear-rear and to tell everyone else at his company to do the same....and I walk a mile back to my office (I should've waited and left after I ran up a bill at the restaurant!<g>). If that rep walked into my office today there would be an ambulance there in a few minutes....he's a big guy and would probably whip to crap out of me!
This happened after a history going on 50 years of sticking with them when others jumped ship...we were loyal, to a fault. I personally traveled to Australia/New Zealand, Austria and France with the company and sent guys to Alaska, Hawaii, etc., with them...we weren't big fish, but we weren't small fish either. But, after we had cultivated and established brand identity several decades they had to move us out of the way to move some big fish in. Very cold blooded. And this from longtime "friends".
What I'm getting at is that the big companies will tell you what they think you want to hear...and you know this. Sure, they'll tell you things that aren't so rosy, but they'll tell you enough "positive" to keep you in position where they want you. And they're definitely not above outright lying. It is interesting that when my old rep was getting transferred that suddenly it went from "you've got as good a price as anyone"(sure) to "do what you've gotta do"....basically he wasn't feeding me the party line anymore, he was focusing on his new fish. How much honey do you produce compared to what Sioux Nation imports from Vietnam? Indonesia? India? Argentina? The only one I would think that likely wouldn't be in cahoots with China would be India. But, do you 'reckon Sioux would drop any one of them to keep Ted online? Numbers, Ted, it's all about numbers...loyalty is laughed at these days.
I'll never be in the honey business in the way that you are. I believe you've already mentioned wanting to retire out of it in a few years, I send my best wishes in regards to that. I'm a few years older than you, so I'll settle for a few hives and enjoy the hobby...and I'll be marveling that the little bit of honey that I produce is some of the most expensive honey in the world. (hopefully it'll be edible and won't taste like a rubber tree)
Be careful in having your eggs in one basket...it might not get dropped, but a rat could eat a corner out of it. But, you know the business...I don't...I'm still trying to figure out something simple like what foundation to use (or not use). Best wishes with your business, Ted...hope to see you in Montgomery.
Ed
PS... i just wanted to be sure and state that I hope my message above did not sound personal against Ted or the coop and I wish both well. I'm not familiar with the coop so certainly can't speak directly about it. I feel that when they speak up for the welfare of honey bees and honey producers in general, even guys like me (wannabees) benefit from there efforts. As long as they don't lobby to limit my hobby (maybe sideliner) venture I'm happy.
I'll be able to sell all the honey I can produce (I just hope I have a surplus to sell above what I can eat!!) As for their business...their customers and producers...well, that's their...business, and I can only wish them well.
