Buy honey, bee pollen, propolis: how to find a beekeeper with a good price
Honey: how to tell a good one
You cannot judge honey quality by eye, so rely on a few checked signs. Fresh liquid honey runs off a spoon in a continuous ribbon, while crystallisation is a normal natural process and does not mean the honey is fake: mustard and sunflower honey crystallise quickly, acacia more slowly. So don't reject a seller just because the honey has set.
Real warning signs are a sharp sourness, fermentation, foam under the lid, and a smell of processed sugar. If you doubt it, ask for a lab test or buy from a beekeeper you can visit or whom friends trust.
Varieties and products
- Acacia — light, stays liquid for long, delicate taste.
- Sunflower or mustard — bright yellow, crystallises quickly.
- Buckwheat or other dark forest honey — dark, with a strong smell.
- Eucalyptus, litchi and multiflora — aromatic, often from a particular region.
- Honeycomb, bee pollen, propolis, wax, royal jelly — separate products with their own price and shelf life.
If you buy bee products for health reasons, talk to a doctor, especially if you have allergies.
What to put in your request
- what exactly — honey, honeycomb, bee pollen, propolis, wax;
- honey variety — acacia, sunflower, mustard, eucalyptus, multiflora;
- quantity — in litres or kilograms;
- condition — liquid or crystallised, freshly extracted;
- container — jars, buckets, drums; yours or the seller's;
- apiary and region, year of the harvest;
- tests and documents — for wholesale or export;
- delivery city and budget.
Example: “Looking for 10 kg of freshly extracted mustard honey from a beekeeper, liquid, in 1 kg jars. Preferably from a particular region, with a lab test. Courier delivery to Dubai, budget up to AED 18 per kg.”
How it works on BlaBlaPrice
You don't have to look for beekeepers at fairs and in groups. You write a request on the home page, and sellers of honey and bee products see it. They reply in the chat: which honey, from which region and year, the price per kilogram, the container, delivery. The best offer by content is shown first, and seller reviews help you choose.
Everyone sees their place among the others and can improve their terms, so the price often becomes more attractive. Your contacts are protected: they are opened only to the seller you choose. The idea is described on the How it works page.
What to keep in mind when comparing
Compare the price per litre and per kilogram: a litre of honey weighs about one and a half kilograms, so prices in different units are easy to mix up. Check whether the container and delivery are included. For wholesale, ask about the batch, the extraction date and the documents. Honey does not spoil quickly, so you can buy a whole season's supply at once.
Honey goes well with coffee and tea, and also with dairy, cheese and eggs from local farms.
