Black Bee Honey has surpassed £1m in annual turnover after revenue climbed 49 per cent year on year.

The Somerset-based honey brand, founded in 2017 by beekeepers Chris Barnes and Paul Webb, said the milestone reflected increasing consumer interest in provenance, quality and transparency.

Black Bee produces single-origin, 100 per cent British honey through its own Somerset apiaries and a network of more than 15 bee farmers across the UK.

Each jar carries the name of the beekeeper and location of the hive, which the business said allows shoppers to trace the product back to its origin.

The brand is now stocked by Holland & Barrett, Ocado, Booths and National Trust locations, and is also the sole supplier for Harrods’ British honey range.

Co-founder Paul Webb said: “Reaching £1 million in turnover is a huge milestone for us, particularly because we’ve built the business without compromising on what made us start it in the first place.

“The growth we’re seeing tells us that consumers are increasingly interested in the provenance of their food and in supporting businesses that do things differently.”

Black Bee was launched to offer an alternative to blended honey commonly sold in supermarkets, with the founders seeking to highlight differences in flavour and character between honey produced in different parts of Britain.

The business is also a certified B Corp and Living Wage Employer.

Since 2020, it has donated two per cent of turnover towards the creation and management of wildflower meadows through a partnership with conservation charity Plantlife.

Co-founder Chris Barnes said the company planned to use its continued growth to support more British beekeepers and habitat restoration.

“To reach £1 million in turnover is a brilliant achievement for the whole community around Black Bee,” he said.

“But for us, growth only really matters if we can use it to support more British beekeepers, protect more habitat and get more people excited about the incredible honey being produced here in the UK.”

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