Sweet success as honey-maker signs major Tesco supply deal
AYOUNG honey-making entrepreneur, who started his business on his parents’ kitchen table, has just landed a major supply deal with supermarket giant Tesco.
Newtown-based Hilltop Honey, which was set up by Scott Davies in 2011 with a £5,000 back loan, is hoping to double its sales to Tesco after securing its biggest order yet.
The deal sees Hilltop Honey supplying three more products – Raw Acacia Honey, Raw Lavender Honey and Cut Comb in Acacia Honey – to 500 Tesco stores.
The new order follows 40% sales growth with existing Hilltop Honey products supplied to Tesco in the past year.
Hilltop Honey already exports honey products to China, Hong Kong, United States of America, Pakistan, South Africa, Japan and across Europe.
Mr Davies, 29, Hilltop Honey’s managing director, said: “We are delighted to have been asked to supply Tesco with an extended range of products in the honey and spreads category.
“It’s the first time that Lavender Honey has been seen on the UK shelf and it will hopefully contribute to doubling our jar sales in Tesco.
Over the past year, our sales to Tesco have increased by more than 40%, which demonstrates that their customers have developed a taste for the Hilltop Honey brand.
“We work with beekeepers all around the world to bring the consumer quality-tasting honey for a reasonable price. Once customers try our honey, they realise that there is so much more to the flavour.”
Mr Davies recently expanded his business into a new 14,000sq ft production base to accommodate current and future growth plans.
The £750,000 expansion project is expected to create eight new jobs – taking the total to 20 – by the end of 2017 as the company grows sales within the UK and in export markets.
Mr Davies said: “We are an ambitious company with exciting plans for the next five years and our new premises mean that we can increase production and hire more staff.
“We are looking to diversify our brand and strengthen our place in the UK honey market.”
On the journey of the business over the past five years, Mr Davies said: “Five years ago, I walked into Newtown to sell my first four jars of honey on a sale-or-return basis in the vegetable shop,
“Now I’m supplying thousands of jars to customers across the UK and even as far away as New York and the Far East, which is incredible.”