start beekeeping bussines

[greeg2508]

Hello, I have some questions, I am new to the United Kingdom, I am a beekeeper and I have 9 years experience, I would like to start a beekeeping business here and I would like to know what the steps are, what should I do, where to I'm addressing, I live in Northampton

[Patrick]

Hi greeg2508

Welcome to the Forum and indeed to the UK!

Where is your experience to date based? Certainly around me in the South West of England there are a few beekeepers who run beekeeping based businesses, often combining queen rearing, nucleus or colony sales, beekeeping equipment sales and / or manufacture, lecturing, pollination, honey sales, associated value added hive products such as cosmetics / candles / soap etc.

There are many hobbyist beekeepers at several different scales of production in the UK who also sell varying amounts of their honey directly or through local outlets.

You may find contacting the Bee Farmers Association helpful to give you practical insights into the realities of running a bee based business in the UK.. Good luck with your researches.

[Chrisbarlow]

register it as a business with the taxman as well.

[AdamD]

You probably need to speak to an accountant with regard to that side of things; as far as beekeeping is concerned as Patrick has suggested the Bee Farmers Association is probably a good starting point; they may receive enquiries about pollinating services which could be beneficial. My local beekeeping association sends out newsletters and they do have apiary sites offered - so yours may do the same and good sites may take a while to locate. The same may be true for customers - if you sell through small outlets it may take a while to find good ones that are worth the effort of traveling there - or do you intend to sell honey wholesale and thus avoid the jarring up?
There are regulations concerning labeling of honey jars and food preparation areas too if you are going to do it as a commercial concern.

[DianeBees]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqGDD3i0rv4

A lecture given by Will Steynor at the 2017 National Honey Show entitled "Beekeeping as a Profitable Sideline".

[AdamD]

Honey regulations here:-
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1348/made

[DianeBees]

http://beefarmers.co.uk/membership/

Bee Farmers had their open day and AGM today apparently!

The map of their members is interesting!