Adee Honey Farms

What Adee Honey Farms does

Adee Honey Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned commercial beekeeping and honey production operation headquartered in Bruce, South Dakota, founded in 1957 by Richard and Stanley Adee after acquiring 1,500 hives from a retiring beekeeper. The company has grown to approximately 80,000 hives — described as the largest beekeeping operation in the nation — and operates a national logistics footprint that moves nearly 160 semi-truck loads of bees seasonally for pollination services. Today, multiple family members including Richard's sons Bret and Kelvin, daughter Marla, and grandchildren work full-time across the operation.

The company operates three distinct revenue streams: direct-to-consumer honey sales through a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront (adeehoneyfarms.com) offering Classic Honey, Creamed Honey, Honey Sticks, Honey Pouches with SimpliSqueeze drip-free technology, and curated Gift Boxes, with subscription/recurring-purchase options at 5–10% discounts; wholesale bulk honey distribution via drum and 5-gallon pail (~$345 per 60-lb pail) to food-service operators, craft brewers, and retail grocery outlets including in Aberdeen and Bruce, SD; and commercial pollination services for almonds, apples, onions, and vegetables across California and Washington.

The underlying technology stack is commodity e-commerce infrastructure — Shopify for storefront, order management, and payments, with Google Analytics for traffic analysis — overlaid on traditional, physical beekeeping operations. Distribution is multi-channel (own DTC storefront, wholesale, regional retail, direct enterprise pollination contracts) with no international shipping. The company has no external investors, no funding rounds, no patents, and no public certifications disclosed, and serves a diversified customer base spanning individual consumers, SMB/mid-market wholesale buyers, and enterprise agricultural operations.

Name

Adee Honey Farms

Legal name

Adee Honey Farms

Website

https://adeehoneyfarms.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Adee Honey Farms is a fourth-generation, family-owned commercial beekeeper in Bruce, South Dakota, operating approximately 80,000 hives — the largest in the nation. It sells premium honey direct-to-consumer via Shopify, wholesale in bulk drums and pails, and provides commercial pollination services across California and Washington.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Honey Products and Beekeeping Services

NAICS

Apiculture (11291)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAEAHAA

Honey Production & Extraction

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Apiculture (Beekeeping)

SECONDARYAFAEAHAG

Commercial Pollination Services (Hive Rental)

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Apiculture (Beekeeping)

SECONDARYAFAEAHAL

Honey Packaging, Bottling & Private Labeling

Agriculture & Food Production/Animal Production & Aquaculture/Apiculture (Beekeeping)

SECONDARYAFAKADAL

Honey & Natural Sweet Spreads Manufacturing

Agriculture & Food Production/Food Processing & Manufacturing/Condiments, Sauces, Dressings & Spreads Manufacturing

Keywords

• Premium honey products
• Commercial pollination services
• Bulk wholesale honey
• Family beekeeping operation
• Honey gift collections

Headquarters

HQ city

Arvin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Honey Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of premium honey products including Classic Honey, Creamed Honey, Honey Sticks, and Honey Pouches through their e-commerce website. Products are sold in various sizes and packaging options at retail prices.
2. Wholesale Bulk Honey: Bulk honey sales by drum or 5-gallon pail to businesses, food service operations, craft brewers (for mead/beer), and other commercial buyers at wholesale pricing.
3. Pollination Services: Commercial pollination services provided to agricultural operations for almonds, apples, onions, and vegetable crops in California and Washington.
4. Subscription/Recurring Purchases: Customers can sign up for recurring deliveries of honey products with discounts (10% off for monthly, 8% for every 2 months, 5% for every 3 months).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Adee Honey Farms produces and sells premium honey products including Classic Honey, Creamed Honey, Honey Sticks, Squeeze Pouches, Gift Boxes, and bulk 5-gallon pails through direct-to-consumer e-commerce, wholesale channels, and retail grocery stores. The company also provides commercial pollination services for almonds, apples, onions, and vegetables in California and Washington using its approximately 80,000 hives.

Product overview

Adee Honey Farms is a family-owned honey producer offering a portfolio of premium honey products. The core offerings include Classic Honey (available in plastic jar and glass jar), Creamed Honey (churned spreadable variety), and Classic Honey Squeeze Pouch (convenient eco-friendly packaging). Additional products include Honey Sticks (individual portions in gift boxes or bulk bags), 5-Gallon Pail for bulk buyers, and curated Gift Boxes in four varieties. The company operates one of the nation's largest beekeeping operations with approximately 80,000 hives and provides commercial pollination services for almonds, apples, onions, and vegetables in California and Washington. Wholesale options include bulk drums and 5-gallon pails. All products are available via the Shopify-powered online store with subscription delivery options for recurring orders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classic Honey Premium clover and wildflower honey harvested from the upper Midwest, available in 2lb plastic jar or 21.6oz glass jar. Smooth, golden, and subtly sweet, targeted at individual consumers and sold direct-to-consumer via the company's Shopify storefront, with subscription pricing available.
• Creamed Honey Churned honey with finely granulated crystals creating a smooth, spreadable texture that does not make a mess. Priced at $10.00 per jar and available with subscription options for individual consumers who want easy, spreadable honey.
• Classic Honey Squeeze Pouch Classic honey packaged in a convenient, eco-friendly squeeze pouch with SimpliSqueeze drip-free technology. Priced at $9.00, designed for on-the-go use, with subscription options available for individual consumers.
• Honey Sticks Individual honey straws containing 5-7 grams of honey each, sold as a 25-stick gift box ($5.00) or 75-stick bag ($15.00). Designed for travel, camping, exercise, or as a quick snack, and backstopped by 140+ customer reviews.
• 5-Gallon Pail of Honey Approximately 60 pounds of liquid clover honey in a sturdy reusable pail, priced at $345.00. Targeted at mead makers, craft brewers, bakers, and other bulk buyers needing large-format honey.
• Gift Boxes Curated honey gift baskets in four varieties — The Classic ($35), The Main Squeeze ($25), Creamy & Dreamy ($20), and From the Heart of Honey Country ($16) — designed for direct-to-consumer gifting.
• Wholesale Honey Program Wholesale bulk honey program offered via inquiry, with drum and 5-gallon pail formats at competitive wholesale pricing, packaged products with minimum order quantities, and nuc (nucleus colony) sales in spring. Targeted at businesses, food service operators, and craft brewers.
• Commercial Pollination Services Commercial pollination services for almonds, apples, onions, and vegetables across California and Washington. Backed by nearly 160 semi-truck loads of migratory hives deployed seasonally, the service is sold via direct inquiry and supported by Bret Adee's board role at the Pollinator Stewardship Council.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Honey Producers AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdee Honey Farms is a national leader in industry advocacy through this partnership, contributing to policy discussions and standards in the honey production and beekeeping industry.
• Pollinator Stewardship CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBret Adee serves as a board member of the Pollinator Stewardship Council, demonstrating the company's leadership in pollinator advocacy and agricultural stewardship.
• Pollinators Stewardship CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBret Adee serves as a board member, understanding the importance of honeybees to America's agricultural economy. The company provides commercial pollination services through this network.
• Hello Larsons CoffeeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRecommended as a complementary product pairing with Classic Honey in gift guide, suggesting a co-marketing relationship.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nature Nate's Honey: U.S. raw and unfiltered honey brand with strong DTC e-commerce presence and retail grocery listings. Directly comparable to Adee on premium honey positioning, DTC subscription model, and the 'pure honey' consumer value proposition.
• GloryBee: Family-owned U.S. honey producer and beekeeping supplier based in Oregon offering retail honey, bulk honey, and beekeeping supplies. Comparable to Adee as a vertically integrated family honey operation with both consumer and B2B channels.
• Dutch Gold Honey: One of the largest independent honey packers and suppliers in the U.S., offering bulk and retail honey across food service and grocery channels. Directly comparable to Adee as a large-scale U.S. honey producer serving wholesale, retail, and bulk buyers.
• Miller Honey Farms: Multi-generational family beekeeping operation producing honey and providing commercial pollination services. Comparable to Adee as a family-owned U.S. beekeeper with combined honey production and pollination revenue streams.
• Barkman Honey: Canadian family-owned honey company that packs and supplies retail and bulk honey across North America. Comparable to Adee on family ownership, multi-format honey packaging, and wholesale/retail distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Sioux Honey Association (Sue Bee): Major U.S. honey cooperative representing hundreds of beekeepers and marketing honey under the Sue Bee brand at retail scale. Comparable as a large-scale U.S. honey producer with grocery distribution and bulk capabilities, though structured as a cooperative rather than a single family operation.
• Mann Lake Bee & Ag Supply: Large U.S. manufacturer and supplier of beekeeping equipment, hive products, and supplies, serving both hobbyist and commercial beekeepers. Comparable to Adee in scale of U.S. apiculture footprint, though focused on equipment rather than consumer honey.

Emerging players

• Really Raw Honey: U.S. premium raw honey brand focused on unfiltered, minimally processed honey sold through DTC and select retail. Comparable to Adee on the premium 'pure honey' positioning and DTC channel mix, though at smaller scale.

Others

• Pollinator Partnership: Non-profit organization supporting pollinator health and habitat conservation across North America. Comparable as a pollination industry stakeholder that influences the regulatory and advocacy environment in which Adee operates its pollination services.

Regional players

• Bee Maid Honey: Canadian honey cooperative owned by Western Canadian beekeepers, packing and distributing honey primarily across Canada. Comparable as a large cooperative honey packer, though it primarily serves Canadian retail rather than U.S. distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/adee-honey-farms

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Adee Honey Farms