Local Honey vs. Store Bought Honey

Do you know where your food comes from? When you buy honey from the grocery store or big chain supermarket, chances are, NO. If you choose to purchase honey from a local beekeeper, then the answer is YES.

But is there really a big difference between store-bought honey and local honey? Well, I’m glad you asked. Yes. Yes, there is. The most significant difference is quality.

Local Honey:

It is important to make sure your honey comes from a reputable source. It is best to buy from local beekeepers who can guarantee their unique, high-quality products. Most beekeepers are happy to share their experience with you, from how the honey bees are cared for to the honey harvest process. It is okay to ask a seller where their honey comes from. Their answer should be, “From our local honey bees and straight from our hives at x marks the spot.”

The first thing to look for is a label that uses the term “RAW”. Raw means as it exists in the hive. Raw Honey is the most natural and pure form of honey. When harvested straight from the hive, the raw honey is hand-strained to ensure all of its natural and beneficial health properties are maintained.

Raw Honey contains:

• Antibacterial, Antiviral, Antifungal, & Anti-inflammatory properties

• Antioxidants

• Vitamins & Minerals

• Amino Acids

• Iron & Zinc

• Natural Sugars

• Bee Pollen

• Bee Propolis

• Numerous Health and Nutritional Benefits

Local honey is more expensive than store-bought. While you understand the benefits of local honey, remember that a lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes, contributing to quality. And then there is location and demand. Talk to the beekeeper about what goes into keeping bees and making honey - from both the bees’ and beekeeper’s perspective. There is value in our small but mighty creatures who produce such a magical, desirable, and delicious product. We learn to appreciate every last drop!

Did you know:

• Honeybees can only make honey during a nectar flow. This means that when trees and plants are blooming, nectar is produced. Honey production is seasonal based on environment and location.

• A honeybee will live 3-6 weeks during the busy season and 4-6 months during Winter.

• A honeybee visits roughly 100 flowers on each foraging flight.

• A honeybee makes less than a teaspoon of honey in her entire lifetime.

• It takes 2 million flowers to make 1 pound of honey.

Commercially Produced, Store Bought Honey:

Most honey found in commercial stores may not be true or real honey at all. Often, it has been imported and refined several times before making its way to the shelves. Be aware of words such as unfiltered, unprocessed, unpasteurized, organic, and pure. Just because it is labeled as one, doesn’t mean the product didn’t go through a different commercial processing method. For example, organic honey can be pasteurized or processed and “is allowed” to be. The honey may also contain added ingredients such as corn syrup or water. Some will undergo methods to make the quantity go further, last longer, or be more visibly appealing on the shelves. The US rules and regulations surrounding honey are currently lacking. It is important to read labels and research the supplier. Companies may bottle honey here in Georgia but source from other parts of the US and overseas.

Be Aware. Sometimes, a large production will advertise as local honey. Do your research. The company's website will usually tell you where its honey is sourced from. 

What is advertised as “local” can mean:

• Some of the honey is local and combined with outsourced honey to decrease the quality or price point.

• Outsourced, altered, rebranded, and resold as local honey.

• Companies may bottle honey here in Georgia but source from other parts of the US and overseas. Bottled locally does not mean the honey is from our local Georgia honey bees.

Buying local RAW honey from a beekeeper you know and trust is best. And remember, you want to be sure the label says RAW HONEY. Raw is the best. In order for honey to be labeled raw, it must be in its natural state as it exists in the hive. Learn more about raw honey here.

It is important to note that United States beekeepers need your support to combat overseas multi-suppliers. Billions of diluted honey barrels are shipped into the United States and make their way to our local grocery shelves. Our big-production US beekeepers cannot compete with the low price of generic, outsourced “honey,” which has a negative impact on our honey bee population.