# How much to charge for 5 gallons?



## Big Ed (Jul 1, 2005)

Can anyone tell me what they charge in their area for 5 gallons(60lbs) of honey? I have a woman who wants 5 gallons this and possibly every year. It will be supplied to her in a container with the twist cap from Dadant. I thought this looked better and would be more convenient than a bucket. Also, it can be cleaned and refilled every year. 

I think the beekeepers around here sell it to each other for around $125.00. Does that sound right? Any input would be appreciated. 

Eddie


----------



## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

I consider mine as organic, or at least chemical free, and I charge $125. If I have any dark or last years honey, I will sell it for $100 to brewers and bakeries. Gallons for $30.00


----------



## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Prices here in Southeast Missouri run around $75 for a plastic, 5-gallon bucket.

Grant
Jackson, MO


----------



## Tia (Nov 19, 2003)

I charge the same as Bullseye Bill. . .$125. I have two steady customers that have a running order for 5 gallons each season so they seem to think the price is fair.


----------



## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

ditto, Tia


----------



## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

Sounds like you all make a lot of honey. I sell all of mine in smaller bottles for better price. Selling in a bucket does not make me as much money. I'd have to charge more until I have too much honey. Charge what it is worth to you.


----------



## Tia (Nov 19, 2003)

This has been a good year. I've harvested 17 gallons so far and have 7 supers on triangle escapes as we speak. They should give me at least another 17 and the girls are still filling supers (sumac, I think). Then we have the goldenrod, but I don't harvest that--leave it for the girls to winter on.


----------



## gardenbees (May 8, 2005)

Tia, how many hives do you have? I'm way to the east of you south of Fayetteville but it's been a great year for me too. My first year to harvest and just trying to find a market for the honey. 200 pounds so far from two hives with possible six more shallows to harvest. I would like to find a five gallon customer! Theresa.


----------



## tecumseh (Apr 26, 2005)

I would think $125 for a 5 gallons sounds about right. At this location I would make no distinction between light and dark honey, since both have definable markets as far as customer preference is concerned.


----------



## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I sell mine for $75.00 and $96.00.

The best way to know what the right price is, is to ask too much for it. The idea of "the right price" is opinion, conjecture or whatever. To me the right price is the most that you can get for it, time after time.

Certainly there is someone willing to pay you far above what most people would. But what will most people who want 5 gallons at a time willingly pay?

If you can get $125.00 I'd say you were doing well.

What does it cost you to produce 5 gallons of honey?


----------



## sandals (Aug 3, 2016)

Curious what yall are charging now. Im at $200


----------



## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

I ask $300 and get it. 
The reason I ask that price is because I can sell out by the quart at $15/qt.
No need to give it away any cheaper than what I am now.


----------



## joebeewhisperer (May 13, 2020)

sandals said:


> Curious what yall are charging now. Im at $200


At first I thought the thread was new and I was even more convinced I didn’t want to go into honey. Glad you resurrected this one as a follow up. Hopefully 2006 prices are not still the norm. 


G3farms said:


> I ask $300 and get it.
> The reason I ask that price is because I can sell out by the quart at $15/qt.
> No need to give it away any cheaper than what I am now.


That sounds pretty reasonable with everything else adjusted for inflation. I know several folks who run 50-100 hives and none of them keep surplus honey for long. The one exception is a guy who sells at $12/lb and his regulars eventually buy it all up by springtime, a couple gallons at a time.

I think $300 sounds fair for both sides. I wouldn’t have believed the insane amount of work and planning that goes into a 5-gal bucket of honey.


----------



## sandals (Aug 3, 2016)

G3farms said:


> I ask $300 and get it.
> The reason I ask that price is because I can sell out by the quart at $15/qt.
> No need to give it away any cheaper than what I am now.


I sell my quart mason jars for $20 in missouri


----------



## sandals (Aug 3, 2016)

joebeewhisperer said:


> At first I thought the thread was new and I was even more convinced I didn’t want to go into honey. Glad you resurrected this one as a follow up. Hopefully 2006 prices are not still the norm.
> 
> That sounds pretty reasonable with everything else adjusted for inflation. I know several folks who run 50-100 hives and none of them keep surplus honey for long. The one exception is a guy who sells at $12/lb and his regulars eventually buy it all up by springtime, a couple gallons at a time.
> 
> I think $300 sounds fair for both sides. I wouldn’t have believed the insane amount of work and planning that goes into a 5-gal bucket of honey.


Just think. 15 years from now we could be selling $1250 buckets


----------



## joebeewhisperer (May 13, 2020)

sandals said:


> Just think. 15 years from now we could be selling $1250 buckets


Sounds great! .... just don't speculate on what a loaf of bread, gallon of milk, or gas will cost then.... ok?  - trying to stay positive


----------



## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

I could easily get $20 /qt, I have not gone up in price in 5 or 6 years.

Thinking next year will be at the $18 mark, will see what the future holds.


----------



## Gingermint (Mar 5, 2021)

For what it's worth, honey easily sells for $8 in most of the US (at least the urban areas) and people are willing to pay up to $15 for local, raw, organic, etc. in LA (though I'm not sure if that would work on a larger scale, in places with lower prices, etc.). If a gallon is 12 lbs of honey, you can theoretically get $144/gallon at the low end. Just the numbers, not my actual experience


----------



## fishpaulr (10 mo ago)

Big Ed said:


> Can anyone tell me what they charge in their area for 5 gallons(60lbs) of honey? I have a woman who wants 5 gallons this and possibly every year. It will be supplied to her in a container with the twist cap from Dadant. I thought this looked better and would be more convenient than a bucket. Also, it can be cleaned and refilled every year.
> 
> I think the beekeepers around here sell it to each other for around $125.00. Does that sound right? Any input would be appreciated.
> 
> Eddie


5 gallons in this area (Western MD) goes for just under $ 190.00. I don't sell in that quantity, just pounds.


----------



## AstroZomBEE (Aug 1, 2006)

For a starting point look at this


https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/fvmhoney.pdf



Now these numbers are commercial loads of barrels, but it's a baseline to start from. 
I'm all for getting what the market can bear, but at somepoint the numbers can get turned upside down if there is a huge surplus coming in.

Aaron


----------



## MichiganMike (Mar 25, 2014)

I sell 5 gallon buckets to a friend who resells it at farmers markets in various products, I get $150. She would pay more but I don’t need the money and am pleased to have a way to get rid of it.


----------



## G3farms (Jun 13, 2009)

MichiganMike said:


> but I don’t need the money



Sounds like you need a few more friends! LOL


----------



## fieldsofnaturalhoney (Feb 29, 2012)

MichiganMike said:


> I get $150. She would pay more but I don’t need the money and am pleased to have a way to get rid of it.


Imagine what she is getting? But if it works for you Whose label goes on it?


----------



## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

can always label it "Michigan Honey"

she has time and Jars, into it, if each side perceives a win then it works.
I am too fidgety to sit at a farmers market for the day to sell 4 jars of honey.

always room for different approaches.

As to the OPS question
"as much as you can get and still have a win-win"

as I recall the Amish at times have it for 160 a 5 gal pail.

GG


----------



## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

If you have a large Amish operation nearby, prepare to sell for significantly less than the rest of the market. J


----------

