The Honey Man

Sioux City, IA

This is the VP of Research and Development at Sue Bee Honey.

You might be wondering what research and development would mean to a company whose only product is honey.  

Turns out, its more about developing more and better ways to ensure the purity of the honey, as more and more of it is imported from around the world - Argentina, Vietnam, India. (everywhere but China, he tells me). At one point,  honey imports were widely used to import contraband (the smell of honey masks whatever else might be hiding in the box, so Im told).  But those days are over as regulations have been stepped up, and the R&D department at Sue Bee continues to work tirelessly toward their mission of honey purity.

 And who is their biggest client for the honey once it's packaged?  The United Arab Emirates.  "They like honey over there... and bees don't do too well in the desert."   You can see SueBee's Arabic Label on the far left of this picture.  

From around the world, to Sioux City, Iowa and back again.

And for the record, Sue Bee treated us really well.  and even helped carry our equipment when the cameraman threw his back out.  Long live Sue Bee....