»10 Steps To Move From a Hobby To A Commercial Beekeeper«
If you are an aspiring hobby beekeeper looking to break into the commercial world number one time beekeeper, note that bee keeping consumes your entire life so to start, commitment is key.
To be a commercial beekeeper, you need to be as efficient as possible, have a strategy and know that money is involved. It is not a cheap business to get into and the capital expenditure is quite high but there is good money to be made in beekeeping. Numerous legislations also come with moving from a hobby beekeeper to a commercial beekeeper. Health, safety at work, food hygiene and labelling legislations among many other acts come in commercial beekeeping. The need for insurance is a major factor in commercial beekeeping
Insurance
You need to have a product and public liability insurance. The insurance does not cover you as a commercial outfit, therefore you need to get a separate insurance from specific organizations that offer the cover.
You also need to work out a marketing strategy that at least lets you compete with the major players in the industry.
Marketing strategy
Look at how you are going to sell your honey after harvest by identifying whether you are going to sell it in buckets, drums, small packages, tiny jars and create a market link to use.
Identify the avenues you are going to use for your marketing, your core customers base and target them effectively. Ensure that social media platforms for your sales and other compliance elements are in place before diving into the business.
Operations
As a commercial beekeeper, streamline your operations. This comes to the element of time and money. Always work on ways to have a return on investment.
Have a business plan with targets and goals along the way. Measure your success and identify areas where you are going to grow. Do not rush into business and end up in debts but rather have a clear business plan.
