The rise and rise of honey in the UK

Citation

(2008), "The rise and rise of honey in the UK", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 38 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2008.01738dab.013

The rise and rise of honey in the UK

Article Type: Food facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 38, Issue 4.

Honey is currently going from strength to strength in the UK as consumers seek healthier alternatives to sugar and more natural and palatable ingredients for cooking and baking.

Figures show that honey has grown by 48 per cent since 2002 and predictions are that this will continue to rise as usage occasions increase, and, as consumers begin to experiment with the wide variety of honeys now available worldwide.

Rowse honey, the UK's No. 1 honey packager, is launching a year-long campaign to help consumers understand the real benefits of honey, and the story behind bees, fairtrade and organic.

Stuart Bailey, Rowse Chairman, comments: “We forget that honey has always been a mainstay of the breakfast table, but over the past five years, honey has enjoyed a revolution and Rowse has seen honey sales rocket as consumer demand increases. We put the surge in sales down to people using honey as a cooking ingredient and as a healthier alternative to sugar as well as the successful introduction of honey in squeezable bottles. The status of honey has also been boosted by popular chefs such as Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay advocating the use of honey in their recipes. In addition, travel has broadened usage occasions as the British observe other nations using honey as a sweetener for coffee, as an accompaniment for cheese and biscuits or in local dishes, highlighting the different ways honey can be used. Travel has also helped consumers appreciate the wide variety of honeys from around the world where taste and colour is determined by the nectar from the native flora, trees and vegetation”.

Rowse has also seen a surge in sales of Manuka honey due to its health benefits as a digestive aid and antiseptic which have been widely talked about in the media. Bailey puts this down to consumers searching for more natural ways to beat their health problems.

Rowse is committed to travelling to the world's remotest, wildest and pollution-free places to find delicious honey for the UK market. Rowse is the No. 1 packager of honey in the UK and is the leading supplier of specialist honeys, organic honeys and pure maple syrup to all sectors of the food business. Based in Wallingford in Oxfordshire, Rowse produces over 40 varieties and its core product, Rowse blossom honey, is the UK's best seller. Other ranges include the classic range, organic, honeys of the world and honey and lemon sachets. Rowse honeys are available in a number of formats including clear, set and squeezy varieties.