Meli

What Meli does

Meli LLC is a small privately-held beekeeping and honey production company based in Kailua, Hawaii, operating on the island of Oahu. The company produces and sells raw, creamed, and infused Hawaiian honeys sourced from specific Oahu locations and floral sources including Waimanalo, Kailua, Kaneohe, West Oahu, Ohia Lehua, Kiawe, Macadamia, Christmas Berry, and Hawaiian Wildflower, along with 100% pure beeswax blocks and candles. Products are offered in multiple sizes ranging from 2oz to 48oz, with unit prices from approximately $5.32 to $67.99.

The business operates a direct-to-consumer model through two primary channels: (1) physical presence at three weekly Oahu farmers' markets (Kailua on Thursdays, Honolulu at the Neil Blaisdale Center on the 1st/3rd/5th Wednesdays, and KCC on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays), and (2) an e-commerce website with shipping to the US mainland. Customers can preorder for market pickup, and a buy-4-get-1-free promotion is offered on 2oz jars. Meli emphasizes zero-waste packaging using biodegradable compostable labels and recyclable glass jars.

The company is owned and operated by Max Towey, employs 11-50 people, and shows no evidence of institutional investment or external funding. It participates in the 2025 USDA-funded Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program in partnership with Hawai'i Foodbank, accepting coupons from eligible low-income seniors. The business is positioned as a small-scale, community-oriented local producer emphasizing raw, minimally processed, micro-terroir honey with transparent grower-to-consumer relationships.

Name

Meli

Legal name

Meli LLC

Website

https://melillc.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Meli LLC is a small Oahu-based beekeeping company that produces and sells raw, creamed, and infused Hawaiian honeys, beeswax blocks, and beeswax candles directly to consumers through three weekly Oahu farmers' markets and a US mainland e-commerce website. It is owned and operated by Max Towey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Honey Production

NAICS

Apiculture (112910)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Honey Production & Extraction (AFAEAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Beeswax Production & Processing (AFAEAHAB), Value-Added Bee Products Manufacturing (Candles, Cosmetics, Supplements, Mead Ingredients) (AFAEAHAM)

Keywords

• Raw honey production
• Specialty honey varieties
• Beeswax products
• Local beekeeping
• Hawaiian honey

Headquarters

HQ city

Kailua

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Honey and Beeswax Product Sales: Meli LLC generates revenue through direct sales of honey products (raw, creamed, and infused varieties) and beeswax products (blocks and candles) primarily at Oahu farmers' markets and through an e-commerce online shop with shipping to the mainland US. Products are sold in various sizes (2oz, 8oz, 10oz, 44oz, 48oz) and varieties sourced from different Oahu locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Meli is a small Oahu-based beekeeping company that produces and sells single-origin raw, creamed, and infused Hawaiian honey varieties harvested from distinct micro-locations across Oahu (including Kailua, Kaneohe, Waimanalo, and West Oahu), alongside raw beeswax blocks and handcrafted beeswax candles. The company sells its products directly to consumers through three Oahu farmers' markets and an online store that ships to the mainland United States.

Product overview

Meli LLC is a small Oahu-based beekeeping and honey company operating as a single-product-line business with multiple SKUs. The core offering consists of raw, creamed, and infused Hawaiian honeys available in various sizes (2oz to 48oz), sourced from different Oahu locations including Waimanalo, Kailua, Kaneohe, West Oahu, Macadamia, Christmas Berry, Ohia Lehua, Hawaiian Wildflower, and Kiawe. The product portfolio extends to beeswax blocks (1oz and 1lb) and handcrafted 100% pure beeswax candles in various shapes (bears, skeps, flowers, hearts, honey pots). Products are sold through local farmers' markets (Kailua, Honolulu, KCC) and an online shop with shipping to the mainland. The company emphasizes zero-waste packaging with biodegradable labels and encourages jar recycling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single-Origin Raw Oahu Honey
• Hawaiian Wildflower Honey
• Kiawe Honey
• Macadamia Nut Honey
• Christmas Berry Honey
• Ohia Lehua Honey
• Creamed Hawaiian Honey
• Cinnamon Infused Creamed Macadamia Honey
• Beeswax Blocks
• Handcrafted Beeswax Candles

Named customers2 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hawai'i FoodbankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Meli LLC participated in the 2025 Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program in partnership with Hawai'i Foodbank. The program is a collaboration between Hawai'i Foodbank, the State of Hawai'i Office of Community Services, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service. Through this program, eligible seniors receive $50 worth of coupons to purchase honey and other nutritious foods from participating farmers and farmers' markets.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Y.S. Organic Bee Farms: Established US raw and organic honey brand with national distribution through natural food channels. Comparable in emphasizing raw, minimally processed honey and beeswax products at retail scale.
• Wedderspoon: Established premium honey brand (Manuka-focused) with national US distribution and retail presence. Comparable as a scaled raw/specialty honey brand operating in the premium honey category Meli targets, though at materially larger scale.
• Local Hive: Larger US raw and unfiltered honey brand with national grocery distribution. Comparable product positioning (raw, minimally processed, US-sourced honeys) but operates at significantly greater scale and channel breadth.

Direct peers

• GloryBee: Oregon-based honey and beekeeping supply company offering raw honeys and beeswax products through DTC and wholesale channels. Comparable in offering a multi-SKU raw honey and beeswax catalog with both consumer and ingredient-customer audiences.
• Hawaiian Queen Company: Long-standing Hawaii-based beekeeping operation producing honey, queens, and hive-related products. Comparable to Meli in operating within Hawaii apiculture regulations and offering both honey and beeswax/beekeeping-adjacent products.
• Royal Hawaiian Honey: Hawaii-based raw honey producer focused on single-origin Hawaiian floral sources. Direct comparable in product category and premium raw honey positioning.
• Nate's Honey: US specialty raw honey brand offering single-origin varietals to consumers, similar in product structure (varietal raw honey SKUs) and DTC orientation to Meli.
• Big Island Bees: Hawaiian honey producer based on the Big Island, offering single-floral and raw Hawaiian honeys with strong brand presence and broader distribution. Most directly comparable to Meli in terms of raw Hawaiian honey positioning and DTC orientation.
• Sandt's Honey: Pennsylvania-based multi-generational raw honey producer selling varietal and creamed honeys plus beeswax products direct to consumers. Comparable in being a family/founder-operated specialty raw honey producer with beeswax line extension.

Regional players

• Honey Pacifica: California-based raw honey producer serving West Coast consumers with varietal honeys. Comparable in product range (single-floral raw honeys) and DTC emphasis, though operating on the mainland US rather than Hawaii.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Meli