Sugar may be the cheap, go-to sweetener, but with prices rising, consumers increasingly are turning to honey, pushing consumption to record levels last year as sweets-lovers turned to it for perceived health benefits, sustainability and an overall indulgent feeling.
Producers told The Food Institute not only are they seeing their sales soar, they’re also seeing interest in the production process.
“In my 20-plus years in beekeeping, I’ve never fielded so many detailed questions from customers – they want to know about Varroa mites, what we feed our bees, how royal jelly is produced, and where we source our queens. This level of engagement shows people aren’t just buying honey; they’re investing in understanding the entire ecosystem that produces it,” Lisa Allen, owner of The Bee Society, told FI.
“The movement toward honey represents consumers seeking products that are both personally beneficial and environmentally responsible, driven by a genuine awareness that bee health directly impacts our food security.”
The USDA reported demand for honey in the U.S. has nearly doubled since 1990 while sugar consumption has remained relatively flat.
In 2024, honey consumption hit 688.6 million pounds, up 25% from 2023 and up more than 70 million pounds from 2021.
Honey long has been known for its medicinal qualities, from treating a cough or cold, to healing wounds, to managing infections. It has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
“We humans do love our sweet things,” said David M. Burrows, founder of Arkearth. “Honey provides us with a healthier alternative than pure cane sugar or artificial sweeteners, which are facing negative press lately.
“Most of our own customers are searching for local honey to help treat their allergies, which have gone into a year-round phase recently. There also is the altruistic perspective where purchasing honeybee products helps to ‘save the bees,’ and, therefore, they are doing good while sweetening their iced tea.”
Brian Brown, president and partner at Ingredient, said people are undeterred by honey’s higher price tag compared to sugar.
“It feels worth it for its health halo and the nostalgia it brings. Plus, honey fits perfectly as a little indulgence in the day that adds flavor,” Brown said.
Burrows noted honey prices have been relatively stable, which also may be contributing to the trend.
There is a possible downside to honey’s surging popularity: Increased demand could strain honey farming.
“Honeybees in commercial operations are still seeing large hive die-offs due to invasive mites and diseases, along with overdevelopment that’s shrinking wildflowers and other natural sources of nectar and pollen,” Burrows said.
Synthetic honey has entered the marketplace to take advantage of demand. Such products are made to taste like honey, but contain sugar and lab-created additives.
“Nature is very complicated and needs protecting. It’s like a wooden block Jenga stack where each block removed is equivalent to species going extinct, increased pesticide use, climate change and monocropping,” Burrows said.
“At some point, one of the blocks being removed collapses the whole thing. We’re at the point where we need to pay attention to avoid that in the very near future.”
The Food Institute Podcast
How will the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) impact your food business? Unraveling the implications of new legislation is never easy, but Patrick O’Reilly and Jeff Pera of CBIZ explain how provisions of the bill related to no tax on tips, depreciation and expensing of capital purchases, and research and development will impact the industry.
