Honey has been increasing in popularity amongst Australian and international consumers asit is a “better for you” alternative for chocolate and other sweet spreads. In future years this industry can expect for consumers preferences to change, as it is anticipated that consumers will place a greater importance on food safety and the origin of honey products. This is because consumers are wanting to know more about the food they are consuming, and explicitly how and where it is produced.
Consumers preferences :
Australian consumers are more selective when choosing honey products and prefer to purchase local brands. Likewise, consumers are scrutinising packaging labels more carefully to understand the honey’s origin and quality.
Consumers are prioritising brands that are:
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The Honey Market and its challenges :
Currently, the global honey market is in a period of growth. In 2021, the global honey market was estimated at $12.45 Billion and is forecasted to reach $13 billion in 2022-2023. Whilst this presents promising opportunities for new and existing Honey producers and suppliers it also presents challenges and threats for businesses. For example, the high demand for honey is likely to increase the incentive for companies to produce adulterated or counterfeit honey in an attempt to increase their output volumes.
The issue of counterfeit Honey in Australia :
In Australia, and internationally counterfeit honey is a prevalent and growing issue.Nationally, almost 20% of the local honey from Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria was found to be adulterated. Likewise, globally, honey is the third most counterfeit food following olive oil and milk. This is negatively impacting the honey industry and beekeepers as counterfeit honey depress the value of pure honey.
Therefore, if you are a supplier or distributor looking to partner with a honey producer, it is important to take into consideration whether the producer is producing 100% pure honey. Partnering or investing in a honey producer that is misleading consumers, or false advertising their honey can negatively impact your business, and its reputation.
At eBottli, we’re experts in supply chain security, transparency and efficiency. If you need help in identifying counterfeit producers, get in touch with our team today!
Abc.net.au. 2022. Almost one in five Australian honey samples found to be fake. [online] Available at: <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-03/almost-20-per-cent-australian-honey-found-not-pure/10327988> [Accessed 18 July 2022].
Beeculture.com. 2022. CATCH THE BUZZ – Australia Has a Local Honey Adulteration Problem. | Bee Culture. [online] Available at: <https://www.beeculture.com/catch-the-buzz-australia-has-a-local-honey-adulteration-problem/> [Accessed 16 July 2022].