Honey Bottles And Jars
If you are starting beekeeping and are wanting to sell your honey, then you'll need to think about your packaging, especially if you are wanting to sell it to a store, such as a delicatessen. This is a follow up to my earlier page on What about the label?, which has a number of practical and marketing considerations.
I'm hoping you'll find this article helpful.
Clearly, if you are only going to sell or give jars of honey to family and friends, you'll have fewer practicalities to think of. You can make a choice based on what's easiest and cost effective for you, whilst being sufficiently robust.
Honey Packaging: Considerations For Choosing Jars And Bottles
1. Cost
This issue becomes even more important if you are hoping to make a living from beekeeping, but at the very least, you'll want to ensure you are not out of pocket.
If you have done some pricing analysis in the types of store where you'd like to sell your honey, hopefully you'll have in mind a retail price for your own offering.
You'll then need to calculate your costs, and work out whether - packaging taken account of - you can earn a realistic margin.
2. Shelf Presence And Image
Bottles, jars and lids can enhance or detract from the feeling you want to create about your product.
Is it possible to purchase a jar that will give you added shelf presence? (Check what else is already on offer to give you some clues).
Hexagon-shaped jars are available, although this shape of jar might be ubiquitous in the honey market for obvious reasons!
If you are focusing your marketing on health, then quirky bottle shapes might not be the right choice. You'll probably want something that looks more clinical. You might also want to pay attention to the lid to help enhance that image, and your label will need to work hard for you.
On the other hand your offering may be a speciality honey or a gift offering that would merit a more unusual or attractive jar, that could enhance the perceived value whilst still enabling you to make a profit.
You might wish to consider a textured or patterned jar.
Check that there is adequate space for your label and remember to design your label accordingly.
A beautiful range of jars is available, but note that patterned jars are likely to be more pricey.
If the space for the label is too ornate you may need to consider having a die-cut label made especially for the jar. This could work out expensive and even be more fiddly to apply.
3. Size: Width, Height
You want shelf presence, but you have to make sure your potential retail outlet will sell it! Can they fit it on their shelves? Will they feel it takes up too much space? Is the jar or bottle too high? On the other hand, if you select a small jar, will it get lost on the shelf?
When I see small jars like the offerings above, I'm reminded of sets featuring small jars of honey and breakfast fruit preserves together in a gift box.
4. Practicalities
You'll need to consider:
- Easy of filling.
- Suitable lid, its fit and ease of attaching.
- Ease of applying labels where required.
- Durability - especially in an on-shelf or commercial stock room situation, and for transport.
I rather like these globe jars, as long as the label can easily be applied.
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