Have you considered sourcing honey from China? You may feel that you have no idea where to start. China is so big and there are so many kinds of honey.How to choose honey bee suppliers? Don’t know how to move the honey procurement process forward? Don’t worry, we will provide you with a comprehensive guide document. Because we at Delee Honey have over 20 years of experience in the production and marketing of honey. With the help of Delee Honey, we have more than 130 distributors around the world. They have established their own honey brand and gained a good reputation in the local market. Honey is one of the most popular products available in different regions of China. As the purchasing manager of honey, you must want to purchase high quality honey from China. Through this blog, you will get a full range of honey sourcing solutions.
1. Why Buy Honey From China
First of all, we know that the origin of honey is mainly related to the distribution of nectar plants. Different nectar plants can produce different kinds of honey. China has a total land area of 9.6 million square kilometers and abundant plant resources. As a result, the number of honey varieties is also the largest in the world, and China is the world’s largest honey producer and exporter.
1.1 Lower Cost With The Same Quality
China is indeed an international leader in industrial automation and has the largest pool of skilled and relatively low-paid workers who can produce high-quality natural honey at a fraction of the cost. According to statistics, the price of natural honey of the same quality purchased in China is two-thirds of that in other countries. So when it comes to buying honey in China, price is a central factor.
1.2 Rich And Diverse Product Design
Chinese honey packaging styles can be said to be the most complete in the world. This is not surprising. China’s consumer market is now the largest in the world. They not only have numerous brands of their own, but also have the experience of providing high-end ODM for European, American, Japanese, Korean and other markets. Therefore, you can find any style of packaging and labeling you want in China. This is not possible in other countries.
1.3 Quality Assurance
When it comes to made in China, many people’s perception is still stuck in 30 years ago. Today’s Chinese manufacturing has become mechanized and intelligent. And the Chinese government has strict controls on the quality of food exported. Many well-known honey retailers and supermarkets around the world are commissioning Chinese companies to produce honey.
2. Where Can I Buy Honey In China?
Honeybee colonies in China are mainly distributed in central, South and southwest China, with relatively concentrated production. Anhui, Zhejiang, Henan and Sichuan are the main honey producing areas in China. China’s honey export provinces and cities are mainly concentrated in Anhui, Zhejiang, Hubei, Shandong and other provinces. Major export regions are Japan, the European Union, Australia and the Middle East.
2.1 Anhui Province
Anhui Province exported 36,693 tons of honey in 2021, accounting for about 25% of China’s total. Wuhu region, accounting for more than 60% of Anhui Province’s honey exports, has become the country’s most important honey export base. At present, Wuhu honey enterprises have opened up honey source bases all over the country, and the scale of record apiaries has increased substantially, which has spread over more than ten provinces and regions. Now every year from Shaanxi, Gansu, Xinjiang, Sichuan and other places to transfer more than 10,000 tons of high-quality export raw materials, so as to provide a strong raw material guarantee for the export of honey.
2.2 Zhejiang Province
Zhejiang Province exported 32,843 tons of honey in 2021. The honey enterprises in Zhejiang Province are most concentrated in Hangzhou. Zhejiang Province has a superior natural environment and is rich in locust honey and rape honey.
2.3 Hubei Province
Honey export quantity of 29214 tons in 2021, Hubei province, Hubei’s main market is Japan, honey honey in order to ensure the quality and safety, export all over the China bee products association, Hubei province first according to the international standard quality traceability management system set up from the table to the source, the honey aquaculture, transport, production, processing and so on each link to standardize management, Strictly control quality from the source.
2.4 Shandong Province
Honey export quantity of 8888 tons in 2021 in Shandong province, Shandong province in recent years, rising honey export scale, based on the characteristics of honey products Shandong customs to assist enterprises to construct “export enterprise + bee + beekeepers” industry management mode, strict implementation of export apiculture base record management requirements, guide enterprises to perfect the honey bee breeding, medicine and so on management system of the process, Improve the scientific, standardized and modern management level, effectively improve product quality.
3. The Types Of Honey
There are two types of exported honey:
One is a single nectar, such as acacia honey, linden honey, chaste tree honey, sunflower honey, rape honey, longan honey, jujube honey, sidr honey, buckwheat honey, the best seller is acacia honey, sidr honey, honey,chaste tree honey, longan honey.
Another kind is mixed honey (100 flowers honey), mixed honey according to color classification, the international is usually divided into special white, white, special light, light amber, amber, dark honey, export more is special light, light amber and white honey.
Due to the different nectar source plants, honey has different colors, fragrances and tastes. The export of single honey requires pure quality and unique color, fragrance and taste, and the pollen content of this kind should account for the vast majority of the total pollen.
3.1 Acacia Honey
Acacia honey is very popular in Asian countries. Acacia honey contains acacia glycosides and volatile oil. Cool, relax blood vessels, improve blood circulation, prevent vascular sclerosis, reduce blood pressure and so on. Take it before bed to induce hypnosis. Regular consumption of this product can improve people’s mood, to achieve peace of mind. Soothing effect. From April to May, it is mainly produced in Henan, Shandong, Liaoning, Jiangsu and Beijing.
3.2 Sidr Honey
Sidr or Seder honey is very popular in Middle Eastern countries.
The fruit of the Sidr tree is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is believed to relieve stress, and has traditionally been used as an antifungal, antibacterial, antiulcer, anti-inflammatory, sedative, antispasmodic, anti-fertility/contraception, blood pressure lowering and anti-nephritis, heart strengthening, antioxidant, immune enhancer, and wound healing properties. From May to July, it is mainly produced in Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Shandong.
3.3 Chaste Tree Honey
Compared with acacia honey,Chaste tree honey is more popular and more widely, consumers all over the world like it. Chaste tree honey is light in color. Fresh honey color is relatively light, gradually turn orange red, slightly tinged fragrance, not easy to crystallize, grain fine white. Keep way from cough and asthma. From June to August, it is mainly produced in Beijing, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia.
3.4 Longan Honey
Longan honey sells well in Europe, Asia and other markets. Longan honey is a deep amber color, sweet taste, not easy to crystallize, there is a strong longan flower fragrance. Mainly produced in South China, rich in nutrition. From April to May, it is mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan and Fujian.
4. How To Buy Honey From China: A Step-by-step Process
It is not difficult to import natural honey from China, but as a business, you need to be careful, because it determines the long-term benefits to you, what kind of honey to operate, what honey bee suppliers to choose, how to complete the customization of honey and import to the local market for sales all need to be considered.
4.1 Choose Honey Suitable For The Local Market
Not all honey is suitable for you or your local market. For example, if you are a honey buyer in Southeast Asia, I strongly suggest you find a honey manufacturer to purchase acacia honey and videx honey. These two kinds of honey are more suitable for local consumers’ taste, and it can perfectly match your local market. You can open search engines and local shopping platforms to see the best selling honey in your country/region to decide which type of honey to buy.
If you are a buyer of honey in the Middle East, I suggest you buy SIDR honey in Wuhu, Anhui Province. These cost-effective China Sidr Honey products can bring you substantial profits. What’s more, the local Deleehoney company has excellent sales services. They have been operating the honey market in the Middle East for more than ten years, and have an excellent understanding of the local honey consumption market, so they can provide you with complete OEM&ODM services.
4.2 Choose Suitable Honey Manufacturers
As mentioned above, there are many honey Manufacturers in China. How to quickly select the most suitable honey bee suppliers? I think the first thought of all purchasing managers is to contact the factory directly. This is certainly the most cost effective way, but you need to make a selection. First, some honey manufacturers are not very large, and their international sales teams are not very good at dealing with problems. At this point, it might be a good idea to contact Delee Honey, a factory that specializes in exporting honey. Delee Honey can not only provide you with the most popular honey styles in China, but also quickly select the most suitable products for your local market.
Delee Foods Group Co., Ltd. is a professional manufacturer and exporter of natural bee honey and related bee products for more than 10 years. Delee Honey is derived from Deli Foods and has been focusing on the production and export of natural honey for decades. All of our honey has traceability control procedures, strictly identifying and controlling products. Supplying natural, safe and healthy honey is our goal. Our more than 200 apiaries are scattered in various regions of China, and each apiary has an average of 200 hives. Bee hives are for linden honey, jujube / sidr honey, lychee honey, chaste tree honey, acacia honey, buckwheat honey, fennel honey etc. As a professional honey bee Supplier, Delee Honey provides a variety of packaging and professional designs. From glass bottles to plastic bottles, small packages to large packages, you can customize the most popular packaging on the market for free.
4.3 Production And Payment
If you choose honey bee suppliers that suit you. Then the next step is to sign the commercial contract, pay the advance payment, and arrange the production of the goods. This is a crucial step. I recommend honey bee suppliers for our first cooperation not to give him too many orders at one time. You need to confirm the product quality and service ability of the wheelchair supplier through trial orders or sample orders. For payment, you must choose a secure and compliant payment method.
4.4 Packaging And Delivery
Regarding the packaging of honey, different manufacturers have different standards. If you want to be sure, it is best to specify the form of honey packaging, otherwise the small bottles may be damaged in transit. If honey is damaged in transit, this is a considerable loss. As for the Chinese honey manufacturer, we must confirm the delivery date with them. The best way to notify suppliers by email is your deadline. In many cases, delivery delays are a common mistake these honey Manufacturers make.
5. Possible Problems With Honey Imports From China
Importing bulk honey from China is not an easy task, you need to overcome language barriers, ensure the quality of honey, arrange proper transportation and save various import costs. If you are working with an experienced honey exporter and honey supplier, we can provide you with a one-stop service that removes all your worries and saves you a lot of time and money.
5.1 Language Barriers
Language barrier is always present in international trade. Due to the language barrier, there are often misunderstandings and order errors. Therefore, when purchasing, do not only choose high-quality and cheap products, it is better to choose the honey factory with rich export experience. For example, Delee Honey. Just this past 2021, Delee Honey helped local agents in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates set up their honey chains there. This experience is important, especially if you want to reduce misunderstandings and trade frictions in the procurement process.
5.2 Quality Control
As for the quality of honey products, you need to sample check the quality of honey after receiving the goods. Even though you and honey bee suppliers have confirmed the samples before, due to the control of production costs, some unscrupulous honey factory will reduce the indicators of honey and pass it off as substandard. These quality problems trouble honey buyers. First of all, we need to understand that you get what you pay for. You may face these risks if you choose the cheaper honey bee suppliers.
Second, it is important to select a responsible honey manufacturer with rich international sales experience. Delee Honey, for example, when a customer buys honey from our company. Our quotation to our customers usually includes freight and customs clearance, and provides free design services. For example, if you want to customize a batch of your own brand of honey, we will provide you with the design of the honey inside and outside packaging for free, and recommend the honey category and packaging style suitable for the local market to you before doing so.
5.3 Long Delivery Time And Delivery Delay
This is often encountered in the procurement problem, is also a common problem. So how do you avoid this problem? First of all, when signing a business contract, be sure to specify the delivery date and the penalty for breach of contract. If you don’t pay attention to the delivery date, the supplier won’t either. When purchasing honey from China, we should pay attention to the impact of traditional Chinese festivals on the delivery time. This is beyond the supplier’s control.
Some honey bee suppliers will stop operations in the first 15 days of the Chinese new year and the last 10 days of the Chinese new year.
