# honey stick machine



## biggiggy23 (Jan 24, 2017)

Hi guys pretty new to the forum. been bee keeping for quite some time now.. 

but I am interested in expending into the honey sticks business. does anyone know the 

automatic honey stick machines name? I have dealt with some of the other honey stick wholesalers 

and they are all very cool people but, shipping is a killer and runs into my profits. if anyone can help 

me out with giving me the name of the machine that automates the process that would bee great. 

I know of a few smaller manual fill devices. but im looking more for a small automated machine. 

thank you everyone buzz buzz..


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## NCGrimbo (Dec 15, 2016)

http://www.honeystickmachine.com/
and there was an article that said this guy has one he sells, but I didn't see it on his web site: http://anthonysbeehive.com/


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## biggiggy23 (Jan 24, 2017)

Thank you for the reply but this one is mostly manual. I'm looking for more of a automated machine. A few of the bigger companies use one. But I don't know the name of it.


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## Dan the bee guy (Jun 18, 2015)

When I first saw a honey stick I thought what a waste of time.


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## DrJeseuss (May 28, 2015)

Dan the bee guy said:


> When I first saw a honey stick I thought what a waste of time.


These things sell like crazy and the markup makes them profitable. Certainly not a waste around here.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I've been thinking about making my own machine (the one linked above isn't anything complicated). 
I've only ever had maybe two people ask if I had them. And I don't want any part of the flavored honey business.

But I think some people like them because they're the perfect size to sweeten tea or coffee and they don't have to worry about having a jar and spooning it out.
Of course if they bought crystalized honey that would solve most of their problem.


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

jwcarlson said:


> But I think some people like them because they're the perfect size to sweeten tea or coffee and they don't have to worry about having a jar and spooning it out.


I was in WallyWorld a couple of days ago- somebody is putting honey in little packets like you see for mustard or ketchup...they wanted nearly $8 for a box of 24(?) packets that contained less than 6 ounces of honey. Somebody is either really stupid, or a frickin genius.

(Every time I go into a store, I check the price of honey and where it comes from. I think somebody needs to write to Trump and ask him to add honey imports to his list of stuff to tax the snot out of with tariffs.)


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## 357 (May 2, 2016)

BadBeeKeeper said:


> I was in WallyWorld a couple of days ago- somebody is putting honey in little packets like you see for mustard or ketchup...they wanted nearly $8 for a box of 24(?) packets that contained less than 6 ounces of honey. Somebody is either really stupid, or a frickin genius.
> 
> (Every time I go into a store, I check the price of honey and where it comes from. I think somebody needs to write to Trump and ask him to add honey imports to his list of stuff to tax the snot out of with tariffs.)


I haven't sold an ounce of honey yet but I love the idea of selling honey sticks. I wish there was an inexpensive way for hobbyists to make them.

As far as honey tariffs, I believe there is already a massive one against China but they are selling through intermediary countries. The intermediaries use filters so fine it pulls all the pollen out, making it impossible to prove the honey originated in China. I believe that process also makes it not legally honey according to the FDA.


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

357 said:


> As far as honey tariffs, I believe there is already a massive one against China but they are selling through intermediary countries. *The intermediaries use filters so fine it pulls all the pollen out, making it impossible to prove the honey originated in China. I believe that process also makes it not legally honey according to the FDA.*


This is not true. Most commercial honey that is not 'raw' honey has been filtered down to about 5 microns to remove the pollen. This is perfectly legal and acceptable.

It 'ultra-filtration', down to about 1/10 micron that the FDA deems is no longer 'honey'.

The absence of pollen, in and of itself, means nothing, and does not constitute an FDA violation, nor does it make it 'not honey'.

On topic...if I could get hold of a cheap machine to put honey in sticks and packets, I might do it...especially if I had a storefront to sell out of.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

I'm fairly certain that there is *NO* FDA legal requirements on what constitutes 'honey'. 

What there is a DRAFT set of regulations that has never been officially implemented and is still open for review. See this FDA page for more details:
http://www.fda.gov/food/guidancereg...ryinformation/labelingnutrition/ucm389501.htm

Of course, there is always the _possibility_ that I might be mistaken. :no: 

If you believe that is the case, I invite you to provide a supporting link. :waiting: :shhhh:


P.S. honey *grading* standards are set by the USDA, not the FDA.
https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/extracted-honey-grades-and-standards
Under those USDA standards, the grades of honey are "Grade A", "Grade B", "Grade C", and then "Substandard" for honey not meeting the requirement of Grade C, but that does _not_ mean that Substandard is not still honey.

.


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Individual states, however, may have different/additional rules. For example, here is an excerpt from Florida's Rule 5K-4.027:



> (3) Honey sold as such shall not have added to it any food additives, as defined in Section 500.03(1)(m), F.S., nor shall any other additions be made other than honey. It shall not have begun to ferment or effervesce and *no pollen or constituent unique to honey may be removed* except where unavoidable in the removal of foreign matter. Chemical or biochemical treatments shall not be used to influence honey crystallization.


https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/View_notice.asp?id=7351550


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## DeepCreek (Jan 23, 2015)

It's always amazing how threads get "hijacked". Regarding automated honey-straw machines, a quick google search provided no results, all have manual components.


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

biggiggy23 said:


> I'm looking for more of a automated machine. A few of the bigger companies use one. But I don't know the name of it.



Yeah, I've wondered about that too. Not that I'm in the market to make 1000s of sticks, but simply interested in how its done. 

I seem to recall (from a long time ago) that there were major problems surrounding this honey stick machine vendor. Not functionality, but issues fulfilling orders. Perhaps that's all straightened out by now, but you'd want to do your homework before sending money.


> ...snip.... http://anthonysbeehive.com/


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## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

I live in Salem, Oregon home of _Natures Kick_.

*I don't need no stinkin machine!!!*


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## AstroBee (Jan 3, 2003)

HarryVanderpool said:


> I live in Salem, Oregon home of _Natures Kick_.
> 
> *I don't need no stinkin machine!!!*



Have you seen their machine?


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## 357 (May 2, 2016)

My apologies I read an untrustworthy source. I should have researched it more myself before repeating that false info. I also didn't mean to hijack the thread. 

I checked out http://anthonysbeehive.com/ but there are no prices and not much info on his straw filling device. Does anyone have any links for other providers?


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## ApricotApiaries (Sep 21, 2014)

HarryVanderpool said:


> I live in Salem, Oregon home of _Natures Kick_.
> 
> *I don't need no stinkin machine!!!*


I live about 5 hours east of Salem and agree with Harry. Natures Kicks will custom pack a 5 gallon pail at a price that makes it profitable. We send 1-2 pails every year. If you do barrel quantities their pricing is super reasonable. 
I can usually find someone to haul buckets to Salem for me so I only pay freight on the finished product. Shipping is probably what kills you from the other side of the country, but then again, you can ship a lot of barrels for what it would cost to buy a machine. 
Read the history of Natures Kick (available on their website), its fascinating. They scaled up, and scaled up, and scaled up again. The question is what happened to the previous machines every time they scaled up.


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## tinaw (Jul 24, 2017)

Hi-new to this forum and the information here has been great! We are making honey sticks by hand now and looking for a machine. Had someone with a machine making for us but just fired them because over half the sticks were not sealed well and leaked in shipping  

My question is - for those of you making sticks either manually or by machine--How are you getting the air pockets out and how to best seal to ensure no leaking without making them impossible to open?

Thanks!!!


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

The guy at the farmers market that I talked to about his honey when I asked where he got his honey sticks and if he had the machine to make them. He would not say.
The selection of sticks in his display had around two dozen colors and flavors so I had to ask. 
Then I moved over to his honey is jars and asked where it comes from. He said, "bees".

Funny how the jolly old man who looks like Santa got weird when questioned about the source of his honey. Everything he had in jars said "clover" on it. This season didn't have a very good clover flow here in East-central Illinois. It got hot and dry right when the clover flow began. 

When my customers ask me the same question I walk them over to the hives. I sell my honey literally in the bee yard. 
Still get a lot of goofy questions.


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## Arbol (Apr 28, 2017)

honey stick manifolds sell for 300+
you can make them for 30
the manifolds are sold on amazon for 20
so frigging easy to make them
why pay someone such a markup is beyond me
def highway robbery


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## jcase (Jul 30, 2016)

Arbol said:


> honey stick manifolds sell for 300+
> you can make them for 30
> the manifolds are sold on amazon for 20
> so frigging easy to make them
> ...


can you post a guide or resources?


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## E.T.'sBees (Nov 28, 2021)

jcase said:


> can you post a guide or resources?






This is me making mine


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## Johnnymms (Feb 7, 2020)

Great video thanks for sharing


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## E.T.'sBees (Nov 28, 2021)

Johnnymms said:


> Great video thanks for sharing


I am going to make a better set up this winter, I've been reading around and think I have a good idea by combining a few designs. I will be using a 3D printer so it might not be doable for everyone. I will provide the the files though once I get it working. I hope to up the productivity of making the straws


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