# Bulk honey dispenser in stores



## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

Would it make sense to develop a point-of-sale bulk dispenser for the honey that is sold in specialty shops and health food stores? I'm thinking of a shiney stainless steel tank, like a standard holding or bottling tank, with a gate valve. People could bottle their own honey. It would be messy, and there's no particular advantage other than the consumer's perception that they're doing it themselves. You'd really be selling a bit more sizzle with the steak, but perhaps it would be different enough that people would be attracted to it.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

A local bulk foods/health food store does that here. Their dispenser is just a 55 gallon drum with a gate valve. I wonder if some people think their honey is 'more natural' if it comes out of drum as opposed to a shiny stainless steel tank.


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Coyote
Kelly calls it a Grocers Tank
Page 45 in the current catalogue


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## Barry Digman (May 21, 2003)

Hmmm. I'll look in the Kellys catalog, I can't seem to find it online. I think people do in fact think that bulk somehow indicates "more natural" or a better bargain. Again, some places you sell the steak, and in other places you sell the sizzle.


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

I have seen that type of setup in a couple health food stores. They had several self serve tanks (most were plastic) not just for honey but also for liquid soaps, cooking oils, etc. I think the real appeal for those type of customers is reduced demand for packaging (fewer plastic squeeze bears in the landfill) and the retail price is usually (but not always) cheaper than a pre-packaged product.

I have thought about designing a Ross Round dispenser similar to the "Skoal" dispensers that you see in convenience stores. Not sure how that would go over.


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

> I have thought about designing a Ross Round 
> dispenser similar to the "Skoal" dispensers

I've made several such dispensers for the
tourist shops from hunks of 6x6x1 hardwood
scrap and some dowel. The dowels are glued
into holes drilled halfway into the wood. 
The holes are at the vertexes of a triangle
slightly larger than the outside diameter of
the rounds.

All this was done to allow some of the rounds
to be in the valuable real estate "near the
register", but prevent them from being knocked
around. One simply grabs one, and lifts up
until the round has cleared the dowels.

I don't know if this increased sales or not,
as comb honey quickly sells out no matter
what I do. I have a hard time keeping enough
for Dad and I to have for ourselves.

But it does prevent them from being knocked 
over, so even on a shelf, it would be a good
idea.


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## John Russell (Aug 8, 2003)

I had this wacked notion of loading an old pepsi 
machine that my friend lucked into with 1 pound plastic bottles.

I've shelved that notion untill i'm rich and famous and have plenty of fritter money.









As for the drum of honey idea at you local store....
I can see the mess being a major factor, as your customer would be filling to the brim to get the most for their dollar. 


John Russell


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## Kurt Bower (Aug 28, 2002)

Just wondering if this tank is heated?
I do not have a catalog and was wondering if it was online through Kelly?
Can anyone confirm if it is still available?
Any other sources?

thanks,
Kurt


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## Sungold (May 11, 2003)

How would the retailer sell the honey, by weight or by volume? Who would supply the package, the consumer (bring your own) or the retailer supplied by you? Some combination of both? Seems somewhat sticky to me.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

History always seems to repeat itself. Seems like the honey used to be sold quite regularly in grocer tanks, might just work again!


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## Hillside (Jul 12, 2004)

Our local food co-op sells bulk honey. The have it in a plastic tank that is translucent so you can see how much honey is in the tank. They have a good sized gate valve with a catch tray underneath. 

The customer brings a container. The honey is sold by weight. There's a scale in each aisle of the store where you weight the container before filling and after.

The honey is CHEAP. Last I checked it was going for just about $2.50 per pound. It's the only thing I've ever seen at the co-op that is cheaper than at a regular grocery store.


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## ScadsOBees (Oct 2, 2003)

Hopefully this isn't an issue, but what if some knucklehead left the gate open, even a little? I doubt that they have a 55 gal catch tray?? Or is this store personnal operated valves?


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## Hillside (Jul 12, 2004)

It's a self serve operation. The gate is heavy -- I think it would close on it's own if you didn't hold it open. 

Of course there could be some extremist knucklehead who would prop it open because they didn't want to hold it.


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## Craig W. (Feb 26, 2006)

Coyote,
I think it is an excellent idea, especially if one has a pick - your - own operation like we do. Anything to bring people to your home for selling will increase the sells of other items.

Thanks,
Craig


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## RAYB (Jan 12, 2006)

I apologize if the following is too far from the thread!


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## RAYB (Jan 12, 2006)

I apologize if the following is too far from the thread!
How well does an "honor cabinet" work near your house but not necessarily within site? I am thinking various sizes and maybe side products or maybe keep it simple. I am looking for a feel as to whether the "experienced" have already paid the price. I know local does bear on success or failure, but I think general experience can give us a feel!
Ray Barber


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I sell buckets of honey to one food co-op and square plastic totes to a health food store. The co-op dumps the honey into a plastic tank with a gate on it. People fill their own jars and pay by the pound. The health food store puts a honey gate on the tote and people fill their own jars or plastic containers from the store and pay by the pound. Both ways work well.


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## MichelleB (Jan 29, 2006)

The New Seasons Market in my Portland neighborhood uses stainless steel tanks. They're heated somehow, as the honey I bought (my bees haven't arrived yet







) was warm. 

Instead of a reglar gate valve, it used the kind of pull knob one would find in a large coffee urn. It had a catch tray underneath, but it only took about an extra minute for the honey to stop dripping after I released the knob. I'd imagine less patient people (I was geeking out on the whole dispensing idea thing at the time) would cause more waste, and an economist might pitch a hissy, but to me the worst case scenario is better than with a gate valve, I'd think.


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## BjornBee (Feb 7, 2003)

I have a kellys grocers tank. It works well. Compared to other tanks of its size, it is low cost. Last year was 225, but this year they marked it up to 325. Compared to others I have seen, it still half of some of the others.


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## stangardener (Mar 8, 2005)

here in ca we have a grocery chain called winco that dispenses bulk honey from a set up i really like. its a nicely varnished super or two and top with a gate valve at the bottom and a catch tray. it looks just like a hive (it is a hive). i lifted the lid and looked and there was a plain old five gallon bucket with gate valve. they have three,clover,blackberry and orange. i think its priced at about $2.79 lb.


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## GaSteve (Apr 28, 2004)

That is cool. All that's needed now is an observation hive on top. It will give the customers the appearance that the bees are depositing the honey directly into the jar.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>It will give the customers the appearance that the bees are depositing the honey directly into the jar. 

You mean they don't?


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## Sharkey (May 27, 2004)

Well.........

At Evermans Natural Foods in Pensacola, a good friend of mine sells his honey to them, they put it in one of the tea dispensers that you see in all the resturants, and the customers fill their containers, either their own or buy one right there at the store.

The handle is spring loaded to the closed position, so it closes automatically.

The BEST part of that system, IMHO, is that it circumvents the labeling and bottling requirements.  

On that note, our "Tri-State Syrup Makers Association" is meeting tonight with some state representatives to address this draconian regulation of selling syrup, and of course, I always manage to squeeze the honey issue in as well.

It seems that the only concern the lady has at this point is that the label should contain the warning against infants consuming honey. Sounds GOOD to me.


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## livetrappingbymatt (Jan 13, 2006)

stangardener, in erica,ca i saw the same set up and people liked it! so if it works out there it will work anywere!
bob


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