Honey and wax producer with shop supply

Independent grocers, health food shops, cafes, gift stores, market shoppers and online customers.

Wholesale sales to shops, retail sales at markets and online, and extras such as beeswax products or selling nucleus colonies. Income varies with seasons and flowering conditions, and most honey is harvested and sold in a few months of the year, so monthly income is uneven. With dozens of hives, average monthly revenue is modest; reaching the top of the range usually needs a good season and strong direct sales.

• Solid beekeeping experience
• Planning hive moves and seasonal work
• Packing, labelling and basic bookkeeping
• Building relationships with shops

• Beekeeper registration and any rules on moving hives, which differ by state and territory
• Food business registration and food safety requirements for processing honey, check with your local council
• Access to floral sources on public or private land, which may need permits or landholder agreements, check with the relevant land manager
• Weather, drought, bushfire and disease can sharply reduce a season's honey
• Public liability and product liability insurance, and workers compensation once you hire help
• Honey labelling and any claims such as raw or single-origin, which should be accurate, check current rules

Startup costs are typically around $15,000 to $75,000, depending on your hive numbers, extraction and processing equipment, and vehicles. These are estimates only, so price your own setup carefully before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,000, depending on your hive numbers, the season and your sales channels. Weather, drought, bushfire and disease can sharply reduce a season's honey, so plan for variable income.

Check beekeeper registration and hive movement rules for your state or territory, and food business registration and food safety requirements with your council. Also check any permits or landholder agreements for floral sources, and honey labelling rules.