FAR NORTHERN HONEY PRODUCER CREATES SWEET DEAL WITH WOOLIES:
Woolworths to stock Far North honey products on its stores’ shelves
A LOCAL honey business will capitalise even further on its growing popularity after securing a contract to stock its sweet product on the shelves of Woolworths.
Graham Thornton’s Honey Providore packs honey under the Sweet Buzz Honey, Cairns Honey and North Queensland Honey labels.
He said getting his locally produced honey into Cairns and Townsville Woolworths stores took two years of negotiations.
“We rolled out in the Abbott St store last Friday and rolled out in Stockland Earlville (yesterday),” Mr Thornton said. “It is rolling out in the fresh fruit and vegetable section as a specialty range.
“We got in by really just having a fresh local product. Our product speaks for itself and it has got a great following.
“Demand is huge. We are smashed continually and it is good to see that kind of growth. It is great to see Woolworths supporting a local supplier too.”
Mr Thornton said he had employed more staff in recent months and was growing capacity with the region’s hives.
Last week also marked four years since he bought the business.
The honey will be sold for $16 per kilogram under six different varieties.
Honey Providore is also available in health food stores, supermarkets, corner shops, butchers and wholesalers across Queensland.
“At Woolworths we’re always looking for new ways to inspire our customers who we know are increasingly looking for locally sourced great tasting products,” said Woolworths Queensland local sourcing manager Dan Cashin.
“We love working with small Australian businesses that are enterprising, creative and hard-working so we’re delighted to be partnering with Sweet Buzz Honey to deliver great tasting quality products for our customers in the Cairns region.”
In July last year, Honey Providore’s honeycomb won first place for Best Cut Honeycomb at the third Australian Beekeeping Congress. The honeycomb was produced on the Atherton Tablelands from a Molloy red box honey flow.
The business also took out second and third place for its cut honeycomb in honey.
Mr Thornton, also president of the Cairns and District Beekeepers Association, was vocal when news broke last year that Australian supermarkets were selling fake honey.
Australia is the only country in the world without varroa mite, which requires chemicals and pesticides to be sprayed in bee hives to treat them.