Not so fast.
Around the world, Canadian honey is well regarded, but when you shop for it, you might be missing the fine print. It doesn’t help that food labels can be misleading, which is a shame given that Canadian honey is such a sure thing.
Fortunately, recent changes to the way we shop and order food for ourselves and our families have cast a bright light on where our food comes from and how it gets to our table. When looking at the business of honey, this really draws back the curtain on the need to buy Canadian.
In particular, new players—foreign competitors—are producing honey that is taking up valuable shelf space on our local grocery store shelves. The pricing is attractive because they are mass producing honey, often blending it with Canadian honey and packaging it here in Canada.
The “Canada Number 1” CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency) label can lead consumers to think the honey is Canadian, but that would be wrong.
While Canada has the highest food safety inspection standards in the world, this term simply confirms that the honey was graded using Canadian standards; it does not mean the honey is from Canada. [SB1]
The best way to know where your honey is really from is to read the back label and find the Product of Canada notation.
Choosing grown and produced in Canada brands means you are directly supporting the local and national economy.
Founded in 1954, and owned by over 300 Western Canadian beekeepers, Bee Maid has been packaging honey for nearly seven decades. Year after year each owner is proudly dedicated to providing the finest honey for you to put on your table.
With Bee Maid, you can enjoy the sweet delicate taste of high quality honey that Canadian beekeepers are known for.
When you buy 100% Canadian honey, you are receiving a product that meets or exceeds the highest food safety standards. Buying Canadian also means reducing your carbon footprint. Products that travel shorter distances to market help lower emissions. You also make a meaningful contribution to responsible greenbelt development by keeping farmland viable.
Not only does buying 100% Canadian honey support our land, but it also supports our economy. For example, did you know that every dollar spent on locally grown and made in Canada products puts 2.6 times as much money back into the local economy? Buying Canadian re-injects money into the local economy through wages earned that are then spent on housing, food, gas and other necessities. Local business operating expenses, as well as property and income taxes, also benefit from direct consumption.
Now more than ever, supporting your homegrown agricultural producers and beekeepers is critical.
Currently supply chains are under lots of stress as products moving between countries may experience restrictions due to the pandemic. With farmers markets and community markets in limbo, choosing locally sourced items becomes even more important.
So look for Canadian honey the next time you order from or visit your grocery store. You can buy with confidence knowing the benefits of shopping local supports your country and community. And at a great, high-quality taste to boot.
We’re Canadian beekeepers who produce, pack and distribute our own honey.
We’re committed to beekeeping in Canada, supplying a 100% pure product and caring for the bees that provide us with their honey.
