# Honey Sticks... thoughts??



## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

Chef you are tapping into a different market with honey sticks. 99% of the sticks I sell are for kids. Ussually it is a kid that notices them and gets mom or dad to stop to buy them . If used right it helps sales of the other products. Put the sticks front and center for all to see. Once mom and dad stops to buy honey sticks for the kiddies hook them and reel them in. I get .25 cents each for my sticks. has for not being my honey I very seldom have them ask. If they do I explain that unlike my honey in the jars. The sticks are not mine due to the cost of equipment and there is no one in the area that has the equipment to fill them with my honey.


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

I had the same questions last year but noticed alllll the kid's walking around the Farmers Market with Honey Stix. So, mid season I got 500 stix, 10 flavors, sat them by the Observation Hive and it was Off To The Races!!! All the kid's love the Observation Hive plus now they have 25 cent sticks in front of them. Now the parent's also see the creamed honey's, local honey, it couldn't be better!! Now they get the stix every weekend plus any additional honey. I just wish it was easier to fill my own straws but instead I'll just wait for some of the sales this spring or summer.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

What type of sticks are you using? Honey from a varietal source or a honey that is flavored? I am sorta leaning toward varietal honey as flavoring honey is hard for me to swallow (to sell that is).


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## Brandy (Dec 3, 2005)

I got the flavored the first time since it was cheaper and I wasn't sure about them myself. But I think some of the stix from GB go on sale each spring or summer. I will be loading up when that happens!! The more color the more the kids are attracted.


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## kyfarmer (Feb 4, 2008)

*Straws*

A couple of questions about straws. What is the cost of the equipment to do this? Secondly, is there an alternative package that would play to this same market? What about labeling- the straws I have seen have no label? Lastly, is the value of selling one’s own production, worth shipping it to a third party to be packaged- would it offset shipping costs?


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## Beaches' Bee-Haven Apiary (May 22, 2007)

kyfarmer said:


> Lastly, is the value of selling one’s own production, worth shipping it to a third party to be packaged- would it offset shipping costs?


Since honey stix are just your sales tool, and not your main product, I think you could cover the s/h and get a little surplus. I looked into them when I first started selling honey, but I haven't sold honey at a stand or public arena yet.

-Nathanael


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## kyfarmer (Feb 4, 2008)

I might consider putting in a filler, then custom pack for other beeks.... If my plans play out I will have a food grade building anyway... mainly for sorghum processing, and strawberry jams etc, with honey beeing a secondary concern to me.. two hives wont justify a building for honey alone here. but with my other crops and some custome packing... just thinking outloud. Would beeks ship in bulk honey to be packed?


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2006)

I use flavored honey kids go for the different colors adults like the variatal honey sticks


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Several years ago, one of the clubs I attend bought a train-load of honey straws, a variety of flavors and colors, for one of their events/festivals. They could hardly give them away. The were charging 25 cents each and they cost around ten cents with shipping. The straws were filled commercially with some one else's honey, but I don't remember that being an issue.

I took the left overs and tried to sell them at the concession stand at a swim meet my kids were swimming at. Same problem. For some reason, no one knew what the heck they were and what you did with them.

I'm not particularly interested, but I might give them a try next to the ob hive at the farmer's market.

Grant
Jackson, MO

http://www.25hives.homestead.com


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## DChap (Oct 19, 2005)

The past several years I have had a beekeeping display at a local event. I sell flavored and plain honey sticks for 25 cents each and go through more than 500 of them during the weekend. The kids love them and the ob hive and it gets the adults buying the honey and wax.

Blessed Bee
Doug


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

Grant - you may just have been ahead of your time. The straws are exremely popular anymore at craft markets and other places we sell. When I would do a talk before a group, I was asked about straws, so now I start with passing around a container of straws for everyone to take one when doing a presentation. 

A co-worker suggested we put a package together of lemon/honey straws & tea bags in a bee-design coffee cup. Haven't tried that yet, but it may take off as a gift item. 

We haven't invested in a commercial filler, so it's labor intensive. The retail income is about 2-3 X the typical $/lb. rate with straws @ .25 ea. or 5/$1.00. Some popular flavors - Pina Colada, Rum, Raspberry, Cinnamon. Banana doesn't move at all, but I like it. My test market group (Mom, wife, daughters, grandson, co-worker, partner) gets to try new flavors and concentrations first. We have three generations and both genders covered in the test group, so figure they're a pretty good cross section of consumers. If they like it, we run with it!


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## fuzzybeekeeper (Nov 23, 2005)

*How do you fill?*

Swobee,

As I read you post....you "haven't invested in a commercial filler, so it's labor intensive". Does that mean that there is a way to fill honey straws other than a comercial filler? Maybe a dumb question, but if this is the case, where do you get the straws and how do you seal them?

Fuzzybeekeeper


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## randydrivesabus (Apr 27, 2006)

i have the same question as fuzzy.


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

Well, Ok but you gotta promise not to laugh! My way takes a lot of time and there is a device I'm planning to buy to speed it up but don't have an answer as to if it's made of 100% food grade products or not.

*Sealer:* Harbor Freight, Grizzley, to name a few sources. Cost for a 12" model is around $40. 
Zipper type lock *bags* (without a big white label space)- quart size around $2.00 for a box of 50. Take the bags and make 5 smaller bags out of each one using the sealer. 
Now, you still promise not to laugh? The high tech *filler*- plastic condiment squeeze bottles from Dollar General, Wal Mart, etc. Look for those with a small tip to fit inside the straws. Test the bottles in the store to make sure you can squeeze them without popping the top off with the cap on. Full of flavored honey, a cap blowing off can result in a messy event - don't ask.

Mix up honey flavors to your liking using LorAnn or your favorite frand of flavorings with non-allergenic sources.  Warm the honey/mix and place in the *Filler*. Squeeze some honey into the straws, leaving about a half inch from the end. You know the honey is cooling when it gets harder to squeeze out a straw. I make about a cup and a half at a time. Make a block or stand to hold the straws level with the sealer. I can hold 3-5 and for filling at a time, but it takes some dexterity. I put grooves to hold them in place. I can put a dozen or more and seal at one time. Turn around by flipping the block or stand and seal the other end. Gently place the handle of the sealer down, while pressing gently with the other hand on the straws so they don't slip out of place. Count to three or so after the sealer makes a clicking sound, then they're ready to package. Occasionally you will have to wipe off the sealer heat strip.

Count out five or ten or whatever number you want to sell at a time and place in each of the smaller packets you made out of a quart bag. Slit or cut the individual packets with scissors or a matting slitter. Apply your labels. We do 5 for $1.00.

Your laughing now, aren't you? I said it works, but it takes a lot of time. And time spent with our 'short guy' is fun no matter what we do. It wouldn't pay off to pay someone to do this, but I know a guy with a hand cranked small gear pump who can knock out a bunch of straws at a time and uses the same sealer we have.

Tips- a three year old grandson who can count to three can run the sealer like a champ. After about 200 or so straws, he will probably need a straw break, watch Dora the Explorer while sampling a straw. But, he'll deserve the break and tell you "Papa, you make the best honey in the whole world!" Then he might be ready for round two or a nap.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Swobee said:


> Well, Ok but you gotta promise not to laugh! My way takes a lot of time and there is a device I'm planning to buy to speed it up but don't have an answer as to if it's made of 100% food grade products or not.
> 
> *Sealer:* Harbor Freight, Grizzley, to name a few sources. Cost for a 12" model is around $40.
> Zipper type lock *bags* (without a big white label space)- quart size around $2.00 for a box of 50. Take the bags and make 5 smaller bags out of each one using the sealer.
> ...


Got any pics of this operation?


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## fuzzybeekeeper (Nov 23, 2005)

*Funniest Home Videos*

Yea, especially pictures or video of the "pop-the-top-off-the-bottle" part!

So....do you "make" the straws out of the zip-lock bags or do you use regular clear plastic straws and store them in the bags?

Sounds like lots of fun. And doing it with a small champ like yours makes it worth while even if you don't make a lot of money.

Fuzzybeekeeper


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

The zip lock bags are made into smaller bags for resale storage and display- sorry I wasn't clear on that point. The trick is finding bags that match your straw length and don't have a big white label to get in the way. The straws we use are Solo Jumbo, in boxes of 400. For some odd reason, the ones in paper sleeves are cheaper than unsleeved. It's one more step to have to de-sleeve a straw and I'm sure that little piece of paper will not guarantee any sort of sterility, but they are clean. 

I found a small hand pump that I'd like to try, but if I discover it's not food grade, then I'll keep looking. The first honey straw set-up I saw consisted of a small hand-cranked gear pump and the same type of sealer we have. I may have a photo of that, but don't have any of my operation.

As for the top popping off, I got that cleaned up before anyone saw it! That's another way to tell your honey has cooled down! 

I can't say I really condone the method I use, because it's so time consuming. It is, however a good way to experiment with flavor ratios on a small scale. I also found a variable speed micro gear pump that may be worth trying from the Cole-Palmer company. I believe it is food grade and my kind of price (cheap). It needs a 120V-AC to 12 V-DC converter and maybe a foot switch would be a good way to control it. This one may be well worth persuing. Again, it will probably be slower than a commercial device. 

The straws also show small bits of wax readily and crystallize easily. For long term storage, straws may be a good time to super heat and fine filter your honey prior to use. It goes against my grain to overheat honey, but this may be one of those times to do it.


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

fuzzybeekeeper said:


> Swobee,
> 
> As I read you post....you "haven't invested in a commercial filler, so it's labor intensive". Does that mean that there is a way to fill honey straws other than a comercial filler? Maybe a dumb question, but if this is the case, where do you get the straws and how do you seal them?
> 
> Fuzzybeekeeper



The running joke when someone asks: "How do you make these things?" "Easy, I just stick the straw in my mouth & suck up enough honey to fill it, then seal the ends and viola!!" It makes the freeloaders think twice.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Swobee said:


> The running joke when someone asks: "How do you make these things?" "Easy, I just stick the straw in my mouth & suck up enough honey to fill it, then seal the ends and viola!!" It makes the freeloaders think twice.


THATS GOOD


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## Kurt Bower (Aug 28, 2002)

I do not know af anyone that actually makes their own honey straws. I can not imagine how labor intensive it must be. I certainly give credit to those who are willing to make their own.

Honey stix if bought on sale can be had for around 10 cents each including shipping. That is if you buy in bulk. Let's say that you double your price and resell for 20 cents each. Let's say that you sell $50 worth on a Saturday and make a profit of $25. It isnt exactly going to keep the lights on if you sell 250-300 in one day. I can sell 10 lbs of honey and make more profit with less hassle.
With that said, I love them, my customers demand them and I can hardly keep enough of them on hand. If you have the space I think it is a great way to introduce people to honey. Kids and adults love them. I sell more to adults than children. 
Set it up to be a self serve operation with minimal supervision. Keep a dish out front with some change in it and the customers will do the rest. Since I do not have to do anything, it isnt a bad way to pick up a few extra dollars. I have almost never had any money stolen out of my change dish.

best of luck,

Kurt


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

*Pic of a gear pump straw filler*

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb168/Midwest_photo/StrawMachine.jpg

This set up can crank out (literally) a couple hundred straws in an hour. The block beside it is grooved to hold straws in place while being sealed.
A common impulse sealer is all that is needed to weld the ends closed.

Still no word on if the two small pumps I found are food grade and FDA approved or not. If either of these prove to be OK, they will speed my production by 3x or so. The condiment bottle method is slow, but as I mentioned it's good for testing flavors in small batches. 

I'm not against the commercially produced straws in any way, but I want my honey in my straws and to have control on the product from start to finish. We test flavors on a number of friends and family members to make sure they meet approval. A complaint I hear from thsoe who buy straws elsewhere is 'the honey flavor overpowered the XX flavor. The label said it was XX or YY flavor, but I really couldn't taste it'. When you cut open one of my Pina Colada straws, Jimmy Buffet starts singing in the background.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

so do you use the clear straws? 

I suppose one could make some kind of holder out of wood for the straws so you can fill them. 

Do you have to tip the straws over to seal them or can you seal them while the straws are standing up?


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

how long are your straws and how much honey does it hold?


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

swo: check your pms


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## Swobee (May 18, 2007)

> Solo Jumbo straws
> 7-3/4" long, clear
> 400/box @ $0.012 each - 
> each holds approximately a teaspoon - some are fuller than others by a drop or two
> must be horizontal- the honey needs to be fairly warm 100°+ to and it will run easily at that temp. The pump can push much cooler honey than a squeeze bottle will and several times faster. I've never timed it, but the short guy & I can run close to a 100/hour. Not too profitable time-wise, but we have fun and it's something he can help with. 
> My co-worker says we need to package lemon/honey straws & tea bags as a gift item.

I found that the honey needs to be well screened as every micro bit of wax floating around shows through the straws. Presentation is everything, right Chef?

I PM'd you back - send another message for more Q/A's if you want to, nice to visit with you.


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