Dadant & Sons

What Dadant & Sons does

Dadant & Sons is a privately held, seventh-generation family-owned manufacturer and retailer of beekeeping supplies, founded in 1863 in Hamilton, Illinois, and operated continuously by the same family since inception. The company operates 10 branch locations nationwide and 4 manufacturing facilities, supported by 101-250 employees, and is positioned as the largest manufacturer of beekeeping supplies in the United States.

The company's core product portfolio spans Langstroth hives (in 10-frame and 8-frame configurations), protective clothing, bee smokers produced from the original Bingham design, honey extractors, frames and foundation (including its proprietary crimp-wired foundation introduced in 1921 and Duragilt foundation introduced in 1963), bee care products, and honey containers. Beyond equipment, Dadant publishes the American Bee Journal, the oldest English-language beekeeping journal, and maintains the largest private library of beekeeping literature. Adjacent product lines include natural beeswax candles, candle-making, soap-making, and wine/mead-making supplies. Historically, the company also extended into live genetics with hybrid queen bees developed in the 1950s.

Dadant's business model is multi-stream: (1) manufacturing and direct retail of beekeeping equipment and consumables, (2) recurring subscription revenue from American Bee Journal, including international subscribers, (3) sale of beeswax candles and craft supplies, and (4) sale of raw materials to hobbyist and commercial beekeepers. The customer base is split across hobbyist and commercial beekeepers with no named enterprise anchor customers, generating distributed volume across many small buyers. Distribution occurs through the 10-branch retail network, four manufacturing facilities, e-commerce channels, and direct publication subscriptions.

Name

Dadant & Sons

Legal name

Dadant & Sons, Inc.

Website

https://dadant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1863

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dadant & Sons is the largest US manufacturer of beekeeping supplies, founded in 1863 in Hamilton, Illinois, and operated by the seventh generation of the founding family. It serves hobbyist and commercial beekeepers through 10 nationwide branches, four manufacturing facilities, e-commerce, and the American Bee Journal publication.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Beekeeping Supplies and Apiary Equipment

NAICS

Apiculture (112910), Apiculture (11291)

akta.pro primary industry

Beekeeping Equipment Manufacturing & Supply (Hives, Frames, Tools, PPE) (AFAEAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beeswax Production & Processing (AFAEAHAB), Value-Added Bee Products Manufacturing (Candles, Cosmetics, Supplements, Mead Ingredients) (AFAEAHAM), Bee Health Management & Treatments (Mite/Disease Control Products & Services) (AFAEAHAK)

Keywords

• Beekeeping supplies
• Apiary equipment
• Honey processing equipment
• Beekeeping protective clothing
• Beeswax candle manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Beekeeping Supplies & Equipment: Core business selling beekeeping equipment including hives, tools, protective clothing, bee care products, honey harvesting equipment. Products sold via e-commerce catalog and 10 branch locations. Includes both one-time purchases (hives, tools) and consumables (feeds, medications, foundation).
2. Publications & Subscriptions: American Bee Journal - oldest continuous English beekeeper journal in print since 1861. Offers printed and digital subscriptions in various durations (3-month to 3-year terms). Also publishes books on beekeeping.
3. Beeswax Candles: Handcrafted natural beeswax candles for over 160 years. Includes decorative candles and religious candles. Products sold through dadantcandles.com separate website.
4. Raw Materials & Craft Supplies: Pure beeswax, candle making supplies, soap making, lip balm making, wine & mead making kits and supplies, creamed honey products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Dadant & Sons manufactures and retails beekeeping supplies and equipment (Langstroth hives, frames, foundation, smokers, protective clothing, honey extractors, bee care products), publishes the American Bee Journal (the oldest continuous English beekeeping journal, since 1861), and produces natural beeswax candles and adjacent craft supplies. The company sells primarily through its own e-commerce catalog, 10 U.S. branch locations, and phone/toll-free orders to hobbyist and commercial beekeepers across the United States and overseas.

Product overview

Dadant & Sons is a family-owned beekeeping supplies company founded in 1863, currently in its seventh generation of family involvement. The company operates as a manufacturer and retailer of beekeeping equipment and related products. The core product portfolio centers on beekeeping supplies including Langstroth hives (both 10-frame and 8-frame options in wood and BeeMax polystyrene), protective clothing (suits, veils, jackets, gloves, helmets), bee smokers, honey extractors, frames and foundation, and bee care products (feed, supplements, medications). The company also publishes the American Bee Journal, the oldest continuous English beekeeper journal, and manufactures natural beeswax candles. Adjacent product categories include candle making, soap making, wine and mead making supplies, and honey selling containers. The business model combines e-commerce retail through its website with 10 branch locations nationwide and 4 manufacturing facilities near Hamilton, Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 10-Frame Langstroth Hives Industry-standard Langstroth hives holding 10 frames, available in wood (Ponderosa pine) and BeeMax (polystyrene) materials in deep, medium, and shallow sizes for brood and honey storage; sold to hobbyist and commercial beekeepers nationwide.
• 8-Frame Langstroth Hives Narrower Langstroth hives with 8 frames, lighter and easier to move, with better winter clustering characteristics; intended for smaller spaces and backyard beekeeping.
• Beekeeping Protective Clothing Beekeeping suits, veils, jackets, gloves, helmets, and aprons including ventilated options, designed for beekeeper protection during warm weather and routine hive inspections.
• Bee Smokers Dadant bee smokers made in the U.S.A. using the original Bingham smoker design with stainless steel construction and a tough, flexible Naugahyde fabric bellow; known for excellent smoke output and durability.
• Honey Extractors American-made honey extractors ranging from hand-powered 2-frame units for hobbyists to electric-powered extractors that hold up to 84 frames for commercial operations; built as long-life processing equipment.
• Beginner Beekeeping Kits Complete starter kits (10-Frame Starter Kit, Medium Starter Kit, Master Pollinator Kit) containing a beehive, hive tool, smoker, gloves, hat and veil combo, instructional book, and assembly instructions for new beekeepers.
• Frames and Foundation Beekeeping frames and foundation in deep, medium, and shallow sizes; options include wood frames with wax foundation, plastic EZ Frames, and specialty foundation types such as Crimp Wired, Medium Brood, and Plasticell.
• Bee Care Products Bee feeds, supplements, medications, and pest control treatments such as Varroa mite treatments (e.g., VarroxSan at $36.95 and Formic Pro 10 Dose at $69.95) for maintaining healthy bee colonies.
• American Bee Journal (Subscription Publication) Monthly magazine covering beekeeping topics for beginners and commercial beekeepers, the oldest continuous English beekeeping publication since 1861; available as printed and digital subscriptions (3-month to 3-year terms, $6 to $122) including international airmail and surface mail options.
• Dadant Natural Beeswax Candles Handcrafted 100% beeswax candles including decorative and religious candle lines, marketed as clean, long-lasting, drip-less, and smokeless; sold through dadantcandles.com and the main Dadant website.
• Candle Making Supplies Complete candle making supplies including kits, books, wax, molds, and equipment for creating beeswax candles at home.
• Soap Making Supplies Soap making kits, books, and supplies for creating homemade soap products using beeswax and complementary ingredients.
• Wine and Mead Making Supplies Kits, books, and supplies for home wine and mead (honey wine) production, leveraging Dadant's access to honey from its beekeeping customers.
• Honey Containers and Selling Supplies Glass and plastic honey containers, squeeze bears, bulk containers, lids, labels, seals, and honey grading supplies for packaging and selling honey commercially.
• Top Bar Hives Horizontal top bar hives for natural beekeeping practices, used worldwide for centuries and offered to beekeepers favoring non-Langstroth hive styles.
• Observation Hives Specialty hives with observation windows for educational and display purposes, allowing viewers to see bees at work.
• Package Bees Package bees sold to customers for starting new colonies, complementing Dadant's hive equipment lineup.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mann Lake Ltd. One of the largest U.S. manufacturers and distributors of beekeeping supplies, offering hives, tools, protective clothing, and queen bees. Closest direct competitor to Dadant with a similar catalog breadth and dual hobbyist/commercial customer base.
• Brushy Mountain Bee Farm: Long-established U.S. retailer and manufacturer of beekeeping supplies, including hives, smokers, extractors, and protective gear. Comparable product mix and direct-to-consumer model targeting hobbyist beekeepers.
• Betterbee: U.S. beekeeping supplies manufacturer and retailer offering hives, foundation, tools, and medications. Similar full-catalog model with a focus on hobbyist and sideliner beekeepers, plus an in-person retail store.
• Kelley Beekeeping: Long-running U.S. beekeeping supplies company offering hives, tools, and apparel to hobbyist and commercial beekeepers. Directly overlaps with Dadant's catalog and customer base.
• GloryBee: U.S. supplier of beekeeping equipment plus honey, beeswax, and Apiary/Apothecary product lines. Comparable scale and direct-to-consumer model, with overlap in beeswax candles and craft supplies.
• Western Bee Supplies: U.S. retailer of beekeeping equipment and supplies, with a focus on Western U.S. customers. Offers similar hive, tool, and protective clothing products to hobbyist beekeepers.
• Blue Sky Bee Supply: Online and retail beekeeping supplies store carrying hives, protective gear, and honey extraction equipment. Overlaps with Dadant's catalog, particularly in the hobbyist and beginner segment.

Emerging players

• Apimaye (Tara Plastics): Manufacturer of insulated polystyrene (BeeMax-style) hives distributed in the U.S. and globally. Competes specifically in hive systems with a different material/technology angle versus Dadant's wood-focused catalog.
• BeeWeaver Apiaries: U.S. queen bee breeder and package bee supplier with selected beekeeping supplies. Overlaps with Dadant's package bee and queen bee offering and is comparable in the apiary genetics space.

Regional players

• Bijenhof (Dutch Gold Honey): European beekeeping supplies retailer and manufacturer serving hobbyist and commercial beekeepers. Comparable product mix but focused on European markets, illustrating international competition Dadant faces in its overseas book.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Dadant_and_Sons
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DadantBeekeeping
• Facebookfacebook.com/DadantAndSons
• Instagraminstagram.com/dadantbeekeeping

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Dadant & Sons