Black Bee Honey, the collective of beekeepers behind single-origin, 100% British honey, has reached a major commercial milestone, surpassing £1 million in annual turnover as revenue grew 49% year on year.

The Somerset-based business, founded in 2017 by passionate beekeepers Chris Barnes and Paul Webb, is experiencing strong growth as consumers increasingly seek greater provenance, quality and transparency in the food they buy.

Keeping British honey wild
Black Bee Honey was born from a desire to challenge the anonymous, blended honey found on supermarket shelves and reconnect consumers with where their food comes from.

Chris and Paul first met in a London office 20 years ago. A shared interest in beekeeping led them to the rooftops and gardens of the capital, where they cared for more than a million bees. It was there that they discovered the extraordinary difference between honey straight from the hive and the standardised honey commonly found on supermarket shelves.

Today, Black Bee Honey is based at its Somerset HQ, with its own apiaries in Somerset and a growing network of more than 15 British bee farmers across the UK. Every jar is stamped with the name of the beekeeper and the location of the hive, giving consumers full traceability from hive to jar.

The multi-award-winning honey is available nationwide, with customers including Holland & Barrett, the National Trust, Ocado and Booths, while Black Bee Honey is also the sole supplier for the Harrods British honey range.

Paul Webb, Co-Founder of Black Bee Honey, said:
“Reaching £1 million in turnover is a huge milestone for us, particularly because we’ve built the business without compromising on what made us start it in the first place. We set out to prove that British honey could be exceptional, distinctive and worth knowing where it came from.”

“The growth we’re seeing tells us that consumers are increasingly interested in the provenance of their food and in supporting businesses that do things differently. We’ve always believed British honey has been undervalued, and there’s a huge opportunity to change that.”

Sustainability has been embedded in the business from the beginning. Black Bee Honey is a Certified B Corporation and Living Wage Employer, reflecting its commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

Since 2020, the company has donated 2% of turnover to the creation and management of wildflower meadows through its partnership with Plantlife, helping restore vital habitats for bees and other pollinators.

Chris Barnes, Co-Founder of Black Bee Honey, said:

“We’ve never wanted to make honey that is tame, plain or disconnected from nature. Our whole reason for existing is to keep British honey wild – to work with great beekeepers, respect the natural cycles of the environment and let the character of each place come through in the honey.”

“To reach £1 million in turnover is a brilliant achievement for the whole community around Black Bee. But for us, growth only really matters if we can use it to support more British beekeepers, protect more habitat and get more people excited about the incredible honey being produced here in the UK.”