The honey market - Italy (2024)

1.2 The Global Market

The size of the global honey market, in terms of production value, was about *.** billion in ****. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (***) of *.** percent over the forecast period ****-****, reaching a volume of **.** billion by ****. Honey is marketed as a natural sweetener, used domestically as a spread on bread, or as a sweetener for tea, cooking, or baking. it is also used commercially as a sweetener in the preparation of desserts. It is also a main ingredient in the production of mead, an alcoholic beverage. It is widely used as an immunity enhancer, and its consumption and sale have seen a marked increase over the historical period. Growing general awareness of the health benefits and medicinal properties of honey is likely to continue as a major factor in market growth. Its therapeutic properties have been known to mankind since time immemorial.

Global honey market value World, ****-****, in US$ billion ExpertMarketResearch

Global demand is expected to be highest in the Asia-Pacific region, which continues to be the largest and fastest growing market. Growth is expected to be quite robust in the coming years as well. China and India, the two largest global players in the ...

1.3 The European market

The value of the European honey market is expected to grow steadily from **** to ****. Starting from $*.** billion in ****, it is estimated to increase by **.*% to reach $*.** billion in ****, at a compound annual growth rate (***) of *.**%. The honey market in Europe by application is segmented into nutrition, medicine, and skincare & beauty. In ****, the nutrition segment dominated the market share, accounting for over **%. There has been an increase in awareness toward healthy eating habits and overall health; people increasingly prefer foods enriched with extra nutritional elements. By consuming honey, they can gain all these benefits. The nutritional content of honey helps improve the digestive system and meet the functional and metabolic needs of the body. As honey offers many health benefits and increases awareness among Europeans, its consumption for various applications is growing. The increase in the number of diseases increases the consumption of products based on nutritional value in Europe.

European honey market value Europe, ****-****, in US$ billion Aritzon

From **** to ****, European honey production showed a seesaw trend. In ****, production was ***.* thousand tons, followed by a significant decrease to *** thousand tons in ****. In the following two years, production remained relatively stable, with *** thousand tons in **** and ***.* in ****. In ****, there was a ...

1.4 The Italian market

Forecasts for the Italian honey market from **** to **** indicate steady growth. The value of the market is expected to increase from ***.** million euros in **** to ***.** million euros in ****, with an overall increase of **.* percent over the period, at a CAGR of *.** percent like that of Europe.

Italian honey market forecast Italy, ****-****, in millions of € Businesscoot elaboration

From **** to ****, the value of the Italian honey market showed significant fluctuations. In ****, the value was €***.* million, rising to €***.* million in ****. In ****, there was a marked decline to ***.* million euros, followed by a strong recovery in ****, peaking at ***.* million euros. In ****, the value dropped slightly to ***.* million euros. Overall, from **** to ****, the market value increased by **.* percent. The estimate was made by multiplying the annual apparent consumption (***) of honey.

Italian honey market value Italy, ****-****, in millions of € ISMEA, Businesscoot elaboration

From **** to ****, Italian honey production has shown considerable variations. In ****, production was ** thousand tons, increasing slightly to **.* thousand tons in ****. In ****, there was a significant increase to ** thousand tons, followed by a decline to ** thousand tons in ****. Production then rebounded to **,*** tons in ****, before falling again to **,*** tons in ****. However, in **** there was a significant increase to **,*** tons, the highest value in the ...

1.5 Imports and Exports

From **** to ****, Italy's exports of honey under HS code ****** showed a variable trend, rising from $**.* million in **** to a peak of $**.* million in ****, before declining to $**.* million in ****. Imports, on the other hand, increased consistently, starting at $**.* million in **** and peaking at $***.* million in ****, before declining slightly to $**.* million in ****. The coverage rate, which measures the ratio of exports to imports, has remained below * throughout the period, indicating that imports have always exceeded exports. This rate decreased from *.** in **** to *.** in ****, signaling an increasing dependence on imports, and then rose slightly to *.** in ****. These data show a persistent disparity between honey exports and imports in Italy, with an overall trend toward more imports than exports.

Exports, imports and honey coverage rate Italy, ****-****, in millions of US$ UNComtrade

In ****, Germany was the main destination for Italian honey exports, taking **.** percent of the total. Ireland and France shared the second position, each with **.** percent. The United Kingdom accounted for **.** percent of exports, while the United States contributed *.** percent. The Netherlands and Switzerland received *.** percent and *.** percent of exported honey, respectively. The "Other" countries category covered the remaining **.**%. These data show a diversification of Italian honey exports, with a strong presence in Europe ...

2.1 Overview of demand

From **** to ****, the apparent consumption of honey, which is expressed by (***), in Italy showed a swinging trend. In ****, consumption was **,*** tons, increasing to **,*** tons in ****. In ****, there was a significant drop to **,*** tons. However, in ****, consumption rose significantly to **,*** tons, the highest value in the period. In ****, consumption decreased slightly to **,*** tons. Overall, from **** to ****, apparent honey consumption in Italy increased by **.* percent, peaking in ****, suggesting variability in domestic demand for honey.

Apparent consumption of honey Italy, ****-****, in thousands of tons ISMEA

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From **** to ****, per capita honey consumption in Italy showed an uneven trend. In ****, consumption was *** grams, increasing to *** grams in ****. In ****, there was a significant decrease to *** grams, followed by a sharp increase in ****, when consumption reached *** grams, the highest value in the period. In ****, it decreased slightly to *** grams. Overall, from **** to ****, per capita consumption increased by **.* percent, with fluctuations suggesting variability in honey demand among Italians.

Italian per capita consumption of honey Italy, ****-****, in grams ISMEA

Italians are not large consumers of honey. AIPA estimates a per ...

2.2 Geographical distribution of demand

In ****, honey production in Italy showed considerable geographical variation. Piedmont was the main producer with *,*** tons, followed by Lombardy with *,*** and Tuscany with *,***. Calabria and Sicily produced *,*** and *,*** tons, respectively. Emilia-Romagna and Campania recorded *,*** and *,*** tons, while Sardinia and Lazio produced *** and *** tons. Veneto and Marche contributed *** and *** tons respectively, followed by Puglia, Abruzzo and Umbria with ***, *** and *** tons. Basilicata and Friuli-Venezia Giulia produced *** and *** tons, while Molise recorded *** tons and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol *** tons. Liguria and Valle d'Aosta/Vallée d'Aoste recorded no honey production. These data show a significant concentration of production in northern regions, with Piedmont leading the way, and a more limited distribution in southern and island regions.

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2.3 Demand drivers

In ****, the shares of honey sales in Italy are distributed mainly through supermarkets, which account for ** percent of the total volume. Discount stores follow with **%, while hypermarkets contribute **%. Free-service stores hold the smallest share at * percent. Shares of honey sales by volume by sales channel Italy, ****, in % ISMEA

In ****, the distribution of honey sales in Italy shows a predominance of the Northwest with ** percent of the total volume. The Center and Sardinia follow with ** percent, while the Northeast accounts for ** percent. The South and Sicily come in last place with **%. Share of honey sales by volume by geographic area Italy, ****, in % ISMEA

In ****, the breakdown of honey purchases in Italy by household type showed a significant prevalence among older couples and single elderly people. Older couples accounted for ** percent of the volume of purchases, followed by single elderly persons with ** percent. Post-family families contributed ** percent, while established families accounted for * percent of purchases. Pre-family and maturing families each contributed *%, while new families had the lowest share of *%. These data indicate that honey consumption is particularly high among older generations, while it is less common among young and new households.

Breakdown of honey purchases by household type (***) Italy, ****, in % ISMEA

From **** to ...

2.4 Trends in honey demand

The trend of online honey searches in Italy between **** and **** shows a significant fluctuation. Starting from an index of **.* in July ****, the highest peak was reached in December **** with an index of **.*. Thereafter, there has been a steady decline, reaching the lowest point of **.* in June ****. However, there is a slight recovery in July **** with an index of **.*. Over the period under consideration, there is a decrease of *.* percent between the initial and final values. In general, peaks tend to occur in the colder months, suggesting more honey seeking during winter.

The numbers represent search interest relative to the highest point on the graph in relation to the region and period indicated. A value of *** indicates the highest frequency of search for the term; ** indicates half as many searches. A score of *, on the other hand, indicates that not enough data were found for the term.

Trends in online searches for honey Italy, ****-****, index Google Trends, Businesscoot elaboration

Online searches for honey in Italy vary widely regionally. Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol records the highest value of ***, followed by Valle d'Aosta/Vallée d'Aoste with ** and Sardinia with **. The regions with the lowest online interest are Puglia (***) among the highest. These ...

2.5 New trends in demand

The honey market is experiencing a number of new trends in demand, influenced by various socioeconomic, environmental, and health factors. Health and wellness remain the main drivers of consumption, supported by increased environmental awareness and technological innovation. Global trends and local preferences are intertwined, creating a dynamic and ever-expanding landscape for the market. Here is a detailed description of the main current trends:

*. Growth in demand for organic and natural honey:

Health and wellness: There is growing interest in natural and organic products, driven by increased consumer awareness of health benefits. Organic honey is perceived as healthier and free of pesticides and chemical additives. Sustainability: Consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their purchases. Honey produced by sustainable, certified organic beekeeping attracts those who wish to reduce their environmental impact.

*. Honey as a functional ingredient:

Health properties: Honey is recognized for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. it is increasingly used as an ingredient in health-promoting food and beverage products such as yogurt, tea, energy drinks, and healthy snacks. Alternative to sugar: With increasing awareness of the risks associated with excessive consumption of refined sugar, honey is being used as a natural sweetener in many recipes and ...

3.1 Market structure and dynamics

From **** to ****, the number of honey production activities in Italy showed a significant increase for both self-consumption and marketing. Activities for self-consumption grew by ***.* percent, from **,*** to **,*** units, while those for marketing increased by **.* percent, from **,*** to **,*** units. The trend shows more growth in activities for self-consumption than those for marketing, suggesting a growing interest in personal honey production.

The number of beekeepers in Italy is growing steadily, in **** there are a total of almost ** thousand, **% more than in ****. Of these, over ** thousand are non-professional producers, and the remaining over ** thousand are professionals instead (***) and hold **% of the census hives.

The number of hives in the country in ****, again according to records in the National Beekeeping Database, is over *.** million: down *% from ****, -*% from ****.

Number of activities by production destination Italy, **** - ****, units ISMEA

There are over ** thousand "hobbyist" beekeepers, a considerable number increased by **% in * years. The constantly increasing presence of many "non-professional" beekeepers represents both an asset and a challenge. The positive aspect mainly concerns the pollination function for agriculture and the ecosystem. Beekeeping is receiving much media attention because of the crucial role of bees in the ecosystem and the threats to their survival. Every year more and ...

3.2 Value chain

The honey production chain is characterized by several steps, which are very important to maintain the quality of the product.

Source: ****

3.3 Distribution channels

In Italy, honey distribution channels are varied and well-structured, reflecting the country's beekeeping tradition and the growing demand for natural, quality products. Below is a detailed description of the main honey distribution channels in Italy:

Direct Sales from Producer to Consumer: Farmsand Farms: Many Italian beekeepers sell their honey directly to consumers at their farms. This method allows them to establish a relationship of trust between producer and consumer and maintain higher profit margins. Farmers' Markets andLocal Fairs: Farmers' markets and local fairs are very common in Italy and are an important distribution channel for small producers. These events are often held weekly in town and city squares. Grocery Stores and Supermarkets: Small GroceryStores: In Italy, small, often family-owned grocery stores sell local honey. These stores tend to offer higher quality products and often partner with local producers. Supermarkets and Hypermarkets: Large retail chains such as Coop, Conad, Esselunga, and Carrefour include honey in their assortments. In these stores, you can find both locally produced honey and imported honey, often at more competitive prices. Specialty Stores: Herbalist and Natural Products Stores: These stores specialize in selling natural and organic products. The honey sold in these businesses is often of high quality ...

3.4 The main players in the market

The main companies in honey production in Italy are as follows:

Ambrosoli: Founded in **** by Giovanni Battista Ambrosoli in Ronago, in the province of Como, it is one of the most historic and recognized companies in honey production in Italy. Giovanni Battista's passion for beekeeping began during World War I, when he purchased his first hives. The company developed rapidly through the adoption of modern techniques and meticulous attention to product quality, so much so that Ambrosoli soon began packaging honey in jars, making it accessible to consumers through widespread distribution and the use of radio advertising, a novelty at the time. Today, the company continues to innovate, launching new product lines such as Mielness energy supplements, which combine honey with other natural ingredients to offer healthy solutions to modern consumers(***).

Tenuta Il Ritiro: This is an Italian beekeeping company created in **** by Giacomo Acerbi, located in southeastern Piedmont. Specializing in the production of organic honey and the breeding of Buckfast queen bees, it is distinguished by nomadic beekeeping that covers the entire Italian territory, guaranteeing the purity of the product thanks to the careful selection of pastures, far from chemical contamination. It manages over **** hives and is dedicated to a ...

4.1 Typology of Honey's offerings

Honey is an all-natural substance produced by bees from nectar (***). Organically, honey is an extremely complex product: its average composition is given below.

Composition of Italian Honey on Average Source: ****

Honey is produced by bees born from the processing of nectar from flowers or the honeydew from plants, and generally, depending on the nectar or honeydew collected, the following are obtained varieties of honey different ones. Among different varieties, the values of sugars and water content remain fairly constant while, it is usual to vary the amount of trace substances; the amount and diversity of these substances therefore depend specifically on:

Botanical origin of the flora visited by bees during the nectar collection period. Type of soil in which this flora grew; Climate of the region; Altitude and the latitude in which the foraged area is located; Environmental pollution to which this area is subjected; Method of honey collection and processing by the beekeeper.

Honey is one of mankind's earliest foods; for millennia it was the only available sweetener. Egyptian paintings dating back to **** B.C. include the earliest evidence of beekeeping for honey production. Honey was purifying, antitoxic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, regulating, and healing, and other traditional medicines considered honey to ...

4.2 Substitutes and Derivatives

Substitute Products

In addition to its use in wellness and pharmaceuticals, honey is usually used as a sweetener or as a quick source of sugar. Several products have been devised on the market to replace honey (***). Below is a list of the main products used in the Italian market:

Source: ****

Derivatives from bees and honey

Protagonists of honey production are bees, and in their performance of this production activity, they are also able to provide other very useful materials for products used in food, healing and personal well-being. A beehive is also capable of producing products such as:

Source: ****

4.3 Price trends

The Consumer Price Index for the Whole Community of Jams, Marmalades and Honey in Italy showed a significant increase from June **** to June ****. In June ****, the index was ***.*, while in June **** it reached ***.*, marking an increase of **.* percent. During this period, a peak of ***.* was observed in August ****. However, thereafter the index decreased slightly, stabilizing around ***.*-***.* in the following months. This trend indicates a general increase in prices with some fluctuations, suggesting persistent inflation in this food sector.

Consumer price index for the whole community of jams, marmalades and honey [***] (***) - monthly data Italy, ****-****, index Istat

The Consumer Price Index for jams, marmalades and honey in Italy shows a significant growth trend from **** to ****. In ****, the index was ***.* and maintained a moderate increase until ****, reaching ***.*. In ****, there was a sharp increase to ***.*, and a further surge in ****, with the index reaching ***.*. Overall, from **** to ****, the index increased by **.* percent, showing significant price growth in this sector in recent years, with a particularly marked acceleration in the last two years. Consumer price index for the whole community of jams, marmalades and honey (***) - annual averages Italy, ****-****, index Istat

Average consumer honey prices in Italy show an upward trend from ...

4.4 Fraud in Honey

Fraud in honey can be divided into two major families:

fraud in product composition label fraud on provenance and value chain

Since **** now in Italy, as in the rest of the world, quality honey has become a commodity that is not so readily available due to the decimation in production closely linked to climate change. Precisely because of this, demand is not met and much of the market remains uncovered, giving way to phenomena such as falsification and fraud. According to the Report "On the Food Crisis, Fraud in the Food Chain and its Control (***)" by the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety of the European Parliament, honey ranks sixth among the ten foods most at risk of food fraud; for the same U.S. committee, it is in the top three. The most common adulteration of honey is the addition of sugary syrups to dilute the original content and obtain more of the same and increase profits, both by having the ability to lower the price and increase sales and the margin[***].

It is becoming more difficult to detect this form of adulteration. Those who produce syrups for this purpose can now manufacture "custom-made" goods that are ...

4.5 New supply trends

The honey market is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by several emerging trends that reflect changes in consumer preferences, technological innovation, and an increasing focus on sustainability, with a growing emphasis on quality, authenticity, sustainability, and innovation, responding to the needs of increasingly informed and aware consumers. Here is a detailed description of the new trends in honey supply:

*. Monofloral and Specific Origin Honeys

Diversification of floral origin: Consumers are increasingly interested in monofloral honeys, obtained from a single floral source (***), which offer unique flavors and distinctive properties. Geographic provenance: There is a growing demand for honeys from specific geographic regions, such as Manuka honey from New Zealand, Sidr honey from Yemen, and eucalyptus honey from Australia. This trend is often associated with perceptions of superior quality and health benefits.

*. Organic and Natural Honey

Organic Certification: Organic products are on the rise, with consumers seeking certified organic honeys that are free of pesticides and other chemicals. This trend is driven by increased awareness for health and environmental sustainability. Raw Honey: Raw, unpasteurized and minimally processed honey is increasingly popular for its purity and retention of natural nutrients and enzymes.

*. Product Innovations

Infused Honey: The market is seeing an ...

5.1 Regulatory framework

Regulation of the production and sale of honey is a crucial aspect of ensuring that the final product is of high quality and safe for the consumer. In the European Union, for example, there are several regulations that establish the composition requirements for honey, such as Directive ****/***/EC, which defines the physicochemical parameters, sugar content, moisture content and acidity of honey, as well as the presence of specific pollens. In addition, food hygiene regulations, such as Regulation (***) No. ***/****, are essential to ensure that honey is produced under proper sanitary conditions.

Honey can be classified according to its floral and geographical origin. For example, monofloral honey comes mainly from a single plant variety, while multifloral, or millefiori, honey is derived from several plant species. There is also organic honey, which is produced according to specific organic standards that include requirements on hive location, bee management, and disease treatments.

Honey labeling must follow precise rules to provide clear and transparent information to the consumer. The label must state the sales name, such as "honey," "flower honey," or "honeydew honey," and the country or countries of origin of the honey. It must also state whether the honey is pasteurized or raw, the expiration date, ...

6.1 Market segmentation

• Rigoni di Asiago
• Piemonte Miele
• Apicoltura Piana
• Ambrosoli
• Tenuta Il Ritiro
• Apicoltura Manfredini
• Apicoltura Messidoro Società Cooperativa Agricola
• Privitera Società Cooperativa Agricola
• Consorzio Nazionale Produttori Apistici Società Cooperativa Agri Cola
• Apistica Mediterranea Società Cooperativa Agricola