How to Label Honey
Labeling honey the right way is important- especially if you hope to sell it. And in some cases, it involves more than just putting a label with the word honey on it – on your jars. When you learn how to label honey correctly, you are putting more value on the hard work done by the bees and the beekeeper. In some locations – it is the law.
It is very common that beekeepers want to sell honey and recoup some of the many expenses of keeping bees. When it comes to the guidelines for proper honey labels – the rules can get a bit murky.
Does Raw Honey Need a Label?
Must you always put a label on every container of honey you have? No. But, if you are receiving money for your honey, you really need to have a proper label on the jar. It is not a recommendation -it is the law (at least in most states).
The best honey labels meet the legal requirements of your state (and these differ greatly). It should also make your jar of honey look good. Your honey deserves an attractive package.
Having a proper honey label is a show of respect. Respect for the bees, the beekeeper and the lucky consumer who will enjoy the end product.
Giving away your excess honey is a nice thing to do. But, selling a few jars is a good way to recoup some of the costs of beekeeping.
And, many beekeepers have a desire to make selling honey a sideline for extra cash – a small business or bee farm. If you want top price for honey, you need a product that looks premium too.
Labeling Honey for Market
Selling honey is much like marketing of any other kind. If you keep bees for many years, your honey label design will evolve over time.
I have used several different colors and styles of labels – likely you will too. You will find yourself trying new shapes, fonts, etc and that’s okay as you search for just the right one.
Eventually you may develop an image or color that defines your “brand”, this become the base of your label design.
You can still make small changes but you want people to recognize your label – and they will. They may not remember your name but they will recognize the label design-if you use it consistently.
Design an Eye-Catching Label
If you hope to sell honey at the local farmers markets or craft fairs ask yourself one question, is my honey label eye-catching?
If not, you may want to do a bit more design work. It should stand out and be noticed among rows of similar products.
The best honey label design involves a bit of opinion. Some people think a picture of honey bees should always be on the jar and others feel this distracts from sales. Most beekeepers do use some design elements related to bees.
Do some testing and see what your target audience prefers. Perhaps you can create 2 labels with different designs and see which ones people are drawn to.
Be Careful Making Claims
Unless you are a large commercial beekeeper with the money and insurance to back it up, I would refrain from using the words “natural” and “organic” on your honey label.
These terms are used heavily in marketing. But, you can get into legal trouble using one without the official certification. And most backyard hobby beekeepers are not certified organic – it costs a lot to maintain this certification.
The basic term “Pure or Raw” seems safe to use as it is clarification that your jar contains nothing but honey. Consumers will try some of the checks for pure honey – be prepared.
Labeling Special Varieties
Bees collect plant nectar from millions of floral sources. Back in the hive, this nectar is often mixed together. The resulting honey made has many different nectar sources.
Most honey is considered Wildflower Honey. This means that it is a mixture of the nectar from many different plants. But, not necessarily tiny little wildflowers – that’s what I used to think ;).
If you live in an agricultural section of the country, or hire your bees out for pollination – you may produce some honey from a primary nectar source.
In this case, your label can reflect the floral source of the honey. Common types are Orange Blossom, Tupelo, Clover, Sourwood Honey and more.
Your honey jar label should reflect to the best of your knowledge a true nectar source. This is why most jars of honey that you see will just say “honey” or Wildflower honey.
You do not have to include the floral source. However, if your customer wants clover honey or sourwood honey and you know the product to be primarly monofloral– it’s a nice touch to add the source.
Avoid confusing the consumer. You must be true to the extent possible when selling honey that you produced.
Do not label a product as orange blossom honey if the nearest tree is 200 miles away from your hives. Understanding your product and the many ways to use honey – will help you market your product.
Honey Labeling Laws – Create a Legal Label
Whether you plan to give away your honey crop or sell hundreds of jars, create a legal honey label. It is beyond the scope of this article to tell you exactly what to put on the label.
This is because different states have different requirements. However, I can give you some basics that are almost always required.
Check with your state’s agricultural department for a full list of requirements for food labeling. Luckily, most states follow the honey labeling requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) .
If your region has additional requirements add them to your design. Another great resource is the National Honey Board.
What Goes on Your Honey Label?
These are the basics honey label requirements but you can certainly add additional information to help your customers understand why they should buy your honey.
- “Honey” in a large clear font
- Net weight in ounces and grams
- Contact info for producer
Honey Label Basic Requirements
In most cases you are selling pure honey straight from the hive with no additives. This is an easy one – it is the usual name associated with the product. Everyone knows what it means.
The word “honey” should be on the front panel of the label and it should be in an easy to read, large legible font or type.
Honey Sold by Weight
Honey is sold on the market by weight not volume. You must list the net weight of the honey on the lower 1/3 of the front panel.
List the weight in ounces and grams (metric weight). This is the weight of the product inside the jar – it does not include the jar and lid.
No, you can not use the volume amount listed for canning jars. A 32 fluid ounce quart canning jar – holds 44 oz net weight of honey.
The font should be legible and large enough to read. (1 oz = 28.349 grams -using no more than 3 digits after decimal point. You do the math.)
It is okay to overfill the jar a bit to be safe – I always did. But, you must have at least as much product inside the jar as the label says. The consumer must know what they are getting for the cost.
Contact Information on the Honey Jar
Your honey label must show the contact information for the producer. A consumer must be able to get into contact with the person that is providing the product for sale.
Name, full address and in some states phone number must be on the label. Some states will allow you to use an email address but you need to check.
You may think this is a waste of time if you are only giving jars away to family and friends. Not so! They may like it so well that they want to buy some in the future and they need to be able to contact you.
Are Nutrition Labels Required?
Small honey producers are not required to have a nutrition facts label in most states. If you produce thousands of units each year, that could change. Again, check with your local ag department.
Having a nutrition label does lend an air of authority to your product. Consumers are accustom to looking for it on food items.
So, that might be something to consider when labeling honey for the craft fair. Pre-made honey nutrition labels are available to purchase.
Honey Ingredient Labels
For most beekeepers, you do not need an ingredient statement. Your product is pure honey with nothing added.
Honey is defined by the FDA as – “Honey – a thick sweet substances that bees make as food from plant nectar or secretions of living plants.”
If you decide to add any flavoring to your honey, it must be listed on the label. Even in the case of infused honey: like my Jalapeno Honey.
Both ingredients would be listed on the label. This is so the end consumer will know what they are buying.
Most beekeepers do not bother with an ingredient label as long as it is not required in your local region.
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Labeling Jars of Different Sizes
In labeling honey jars, one size does not fit all. If you use widely different sizes of jars, you need different sizes of labels.
The label should accent the beauty of your honey – not distract from it. A sloppy label can make your honey jar less appealing.
Larger jars need larger labels. But, don’t use a label so large that it hides the view of your beautiful honey. Smaller jars can have a smaller label or even a hang tag that is attached by a pretty ribbon or twine.
Ordering Honey Labels Online
Many beekeepers print their own labels with a design they create. They use blank sheets of die cut labels in an inkjet or laser printer. These are often less expensive when ordered in quantity.
You will also find pre-printed honey labels for sale online. Often, these can be ordered with your name and contact info imprinted on the label.
FAQs
Any honey label should have the word honey in a large font, the contact information of the producer and the weight of the honey inside. Beyond that, the requirements depends on the location of the seller.
Creating your own honey labels is rather easy. You can order precut label sheets that are ready to peel and stick. Some of the design companies offer free online software to design your label.
You can not legally label your honey as organic unless you pay for and receive the USDA organic certification. Much too expensive for most small scale beekeepers.
A Final Word
Designing a proper label for your jars of honey with the correct required information is the final step in presenting the harvest. Some regions require a permit to sell honey and others have exemptions for small producers.
Take the time to do a good job. Even where you are giving honey as a gift. You and the bees deserve the credit.