# pints and quarts



## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Do you sell/market it just as pint and a quart? Do you list by volume or wieght?

Since volume is easier to measure that's what I do is sell it by volume. It's easy for both me and the consumer to see that it's a pint jar and it's full rather than what it weighs.

>What is the oz. capacity of pint and quart jars?

A pint is 16 fluid ounces and a quart is 32 fluid ounces. My rule of thumb is that 12 fluid ounces of honey weighs about a pound (or 16 ounces of weight). So I suppose that means a pint jar (16 fluid ounces) weighs about 21 to 22 ounces and a quart would weigh twice that.

Of course the problem with what honey weighs for it's volume is dependant on the moisture content so it's not always exactly the same.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Thanks MB. Can you confirm my figures. One pint would by roughly 1.3 times a pound. (16oz.) Then if I was to say, sell at market wholesale at 1.25 per pound, then a pint would be $1.625 per. jar. Correct? Thanks.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

That sounds about right for what you estimated. I'd estimate it at slightly higher than 1.3 but that's close enough.


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## wayacoyote (Nov 3, 2003)

I always see honey sold by the weight. I got the idea somewhere that honey is considered a "food" instead of a "fluid" and therefore should be sold by weight like food, instead of volume like a liquid. But that is just my musings and worth checking into. I don't sell honey, yet, so I would like to know the "actually" that someone may reply with.
Thanks, great question.
Wayacoyote


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Perhaps things change from state to state as far as requirements of HOW to measure food. I think you can measure anyway you want here as long as it's an honest measurment.


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## ChellesBees (Apr 1, 2003)

here is a link to the Minnesota requirements. http://www.mda.state.mn.us/apiary/labels.html 

Each state is probably different. There is also current legislation on the docket in MN that would eliminate the need for a commercial kitchen for small producers of jams, jellies etc.(creamed honey)Then it would be legal for me to sell creamed honey at the farmer's market.


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## handyb (Feb 26, 2004)

Don't sell your self short. add price of lable,time involved in delivering,broken glass,etc. etc. Around here a pint retails for $4.00 to $5.00 . At $4.00 your letting retailer make $2.25 and he's not getting any stings.


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## Hillbillynursery (Nov 13, 2003)

The beekeeper I met about a month ago now sells his wholesale for 3 dollars a pint. He sells it at the livestock sale and farmers market for 4. Most grocery store make 15% mark-up on locally purchased products(my local one anyway as I sell them alot of produce). So a dollar a pound for oakra on my end is sold for $1.25 which allows a little for loss/bruised/ect.. So if you are selling it to them for 3 they will still get a great mark-up and be able to sell for 4 to 5 a pint.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

Hillbilly, I won't question your 15% margin for profit, but that seems alot lower than here. But I don't deal with Tn. commerce. Sounds like the grower instead of retailer is the way to go where your from.

I often wonder how many people in these discussions about "how much they sell this or that for", are the same beekeepers who provide FREE pollination to commercial operations in exchange for a place to sit beehives. Then worry about the cost of a pint of honey.

If I'm selling at a Saturday morning market, then the 3-4-5 dolar range is asked. My time however is worth more to me, especially Weekends. If I'm wholeselling to a market that is pushing hundreds of bottles a year for me, then thats what I'm after. To move product. My operation is based on a certain profit margin. And having honey sit on the shelf is not part of my business plan.


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