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Honey jars, bottles and labels

Glass and plastic honey jars, Queenline-style squeeze jars, honey bears, Muth jars, labels, seals and comb honey packaging, by listed size and count.

Best honey jarsHoney labeling rulesSelling at marketsLaws by stateHoney yield calculator
Shelves of filled queenline honey jars lit from behind
Photo: Jo Anna Barber from Hillsborough, NC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Honey yield and profit calculatorEstimate pounds of honey, how many jars it fills and what is left after your costs. You enter yield per…

How to choose honey jars and bottles

Honey jars and bottles are the last step before your honey reaches a table or a market stall. This category covers glass jars (skep, Muth, hex-style and bear shapes), PET squeeze bears and inverted squeeze jars, mini 2 oz bears for samples and favors, comb honey cassettes and boxes, and labels and tamper-evident seals, from Mann Lake, Little Giant, Foxhound Bee Co, Patelai, Avery and others.

Key specs, explained

  • Honey weight vs volume: honey is sold by net weight. A “12 oz” bear usually means 12 oz of honey, about 8 fl oz of volume (Nakpunar lists its 8 fl oz bear as holding 12 oz of honey). Read the size line carefully before you print labels.
  • Glass or plastic: glass (Little Giant skep, Nakpunar Muth, Patelai bears) looks premium and can be reheated gently when honey crystallizes; PET or PETE squeeze bottles (Mann Lake CN530, CN235) are light and do not break at markets.
  • Lid: flip-tops and valve closures (Mann Lake's 38 mm valve) reduce drips; metal lids and cork stoppers suit gift jars. Corks are not airtight for long storage.
  • Count: packs run from 6 to 120. Match the pack to your expected harvest so you are not storing hundreds of empties.

Jar sizes in the Hive & Frame catalogue

Size (as listed)ExamplesTypical use
2 ozKEJJNYER 50-pack, Patelai 120-packSamples, wedding favors
4 ozRetroPak Muth (4 oz honey), Patelai glass bearGift sets, tasting flights
12 oz honeyMann Lake CN530, Little Giant, Bekith glass bearThe classic squeeze bear
16 oz / 1 lbMann Lake CN235, Little Giant glass skep, Nakpunar MuthStandard retail pound
32 ozLayhit 20-packBulk and repeat buyers

Source: Hive & Frame catalogue (maker and seller listings)

Before you bottle: best honey bottling buckets and manual vs electric extractors.

Packaged food labels generally carry the name of the food, its net weight and the packer's name and address. The FDA guidance on labeling honey adds that pure honey is labeled “honey” (optionally with its floral source), while blends with other sweeteners must not be called pure honey. State rules on cottage food, licensing and nutrition labels vary, so check with your state department of agriculture. Our US honey labeling rules and laws by state guides go further.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Printing “12 oz” on a jar that holds 12 fl oz. Weigh a filled jar first.
  • Bottling before checking moisture. See honey harvest gear for refractometers.
  • Calling infused or blended honey “pure honey”.
  • Skipping tamper-evident seals at markets where buyers handle jars.

Count jars from your expected harvest with the honey yield calculator, and see selling honey for the full sideline setup.

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Bottling & selling: questions

What size jar is a pound of honey?
A jar sold as 16 oz or 1 lb of honey. Because honey is dense, that is less than 16 fluid ounces of volume, so buy jars sized by honey weight.
Glass or plastic honey jars?
Glass looks premium and can be gently warmed to re-liquefy crystallized honey. PET squeeze bottles are lighter, cheaper to ship and safer at busy markets.
What must a honey label say?
At minimum the product name, net weight and the producer's name and address. FDA guidance covers how to name pure honey and blends; states may add rules. See our honey labeling rules.
Do you need a license to sell honey?
It depends on your state and how much you sell. Many states have cottage food or small-producer exemptions. Check your state department of agriculture.
Can you put warm honey in plastic bottles?
Bottle at a gentle warmth, not hot. Check the bottle maker's guidance for its plastic; PET is not meant for hot filling.
What is a Muth jar?
A classic straight-sided glass honey jar sealed with a cork, popular for gifts. Corks are decorative rather than airtight.