As consumers become increasingly mindful of their dietary choices, it’s logical that ingredients perceived as healthier, such as honey, will see a surge in demand. In 2010, honey consumption was just over 1.25 pounds per person, but it has since experienced a steady upward trend, especially during 2020 and 2021 when the COVID-19 pandemic encouraged healthier eating habits among many. According to USDA reports, the average individual consumed more than 1.75 pounds of honey last year.
With demand soaring, the U.S. has turned to imports to meet the shortfall, which accounted for nearly three-quarters of the nation’s honey supply in 2021, a significant increase from 27% in 1991. This rising popularity has prompted food companies to explore ways to incorporate honey into a broader range of products. For instance, Unilever offers Hellmann’s ketchup sweetened exclusively with honey, while Clif Bar & Company, soon to be acquired by Mondelēz International, features a product that combines peanut butter and organic honey. Additionally, brands like Kind and Häagen-Dazs have committed to sourcing some ingredients from bee-friendly farms or ensuring their harvesting practices are beneficial to bees.
Unfortunately, bees have been disappearing at an alarming rate due to colony collapse disorder and other environmental issues, including climate change and the use of pesticides targeting less desirable insects. If honey consumption continues on its expected trajectory while supply struggles to keep pace, it could drive the need for more sustainable production methods that do not rely on bees.
In response to this challenge, innovative companies like MeliBio are working to produce honey in the lab. This California-based food tech firm has raised $5.7 million in March to support its growth, utilizing plant science and precision fermentation—where nature’s blend of natural organisms, such as yeast, functions as factories to grow ingredients—to create honey alternatives. As the search for sustainable solutions continues, products like nature’s blend liquid calcium citrate may also find their place in this evolving market, offering consumers healthful options alongside their beloved honey.