🍯 Frequently Asked Questions
About Our Honey
What makes Crawley Bees honey raw?
Our honey is completely raw and minimally processed. After harvesting from our own Sussex apiaries, the honey is gently strained to remove natural wax particles while preserving pollen, enzymes, and flavour.
Unlike commercial supermarket honey, our raw Sussex honey is never pasteurised, blended, or overheated, allowing it to retain its natural character exactly as produced by the bees.
Crawley Bees Honey — Frequently Asked Questions
- Is your honey locally produced?
- Where can I buy local honey near me?
- Do you blend your honey?
- Why is local Sussex honey different from supermarket honey?
- Why does your honey look or taste different throughout the year?
- Does raw honey crystallise?
- Is your honey eco-friendly?
- Do you move your bees for pollination?
- Do you offer local delivery?
- Is your packaging recyclable or eco-friendly?
- How should I store honey?
- Does honey expire?
- Are your beeswax products natural?
1. Is your honey locally produced?
Yes — all Crawley Bees honey is produced by our own bees located across Crawley and the wider West Sussex countryside.
I am a local beekeeper, harvesting small seasonal batches depending on local forage, weather conditions, and flowering plants. This means every jar reflects the landscape and season it was produced in.
2. Where can I buy local honey near me?
You can buy our raw, unblended local honey directly from our online shop with UK delivery, or through local collection and delivery within Crawley and surrounding Sussex areas.
Our honey comes exclusively from our own apiaries, meaning you are buying genuine Sussex honey from independent beekeeper rather than imported or blended honey.
If you’re searching for a beekeeper near me, honey farm near me, or locally produced honey you can trust, Crawley Bees offers seasonal honey harvested from locations including Ifield Woods and nearby Sussex forage areas.
3. Do you blend your honey?
No. Each batch of Crawley Bees honey is kept separate and unblended.
Many commercial honeys mix honey from multiple countries to maintain uniform taste. We believe local honey should reflect its natural origin, so every jar comes from a specific harvest and season.
4. Why is local Sussex honey different from supermarket honey?
Supermarket honey is often blended from multiple countries and heat-processed to maintain a uniform appearance and long shelf life.
Crawley Bees honey is raw, unblended Sussex honey produced in small batches from local forage areas. Because it comes directly from a working local beekeeper, each harvest reflects the natural flowers, seasons, and environment of Sussex rather than a standardised commercial blend.
Many customers searching for local honey choose small-scale producers to ensure authenticity, traceability, and natural quality.
5. Why does your honey look or taste different throughout the year?
Honey naturally varies depending on which flowers the bees visit.
Spring, summer, and late-season Sussex honey all have different colours, textures, and flavours. These variations are a sign of genuine raw honey and seasonal local production.
6. Does raw honey crystallise?
Yes — crystallisation is completely natural and a sign of real raw honey.
Because our honey is unprocessed and unblended, it may set over time. This does not affect quality or taste. Simply place the jar in warm water to return it to a runnier consistency if preferred.
Sustainability & Beekeeping
7. Is your honey eco-friendly?
Sustainability is central to how we keep bees.
Our apiaries are managed with bee welfare and environmental responsibility in mind, supporting local pollination across Sussex habitats including woodland, gardens, and wild forage areas.
We avoid unnecessary processing and focus on small-scale, sustainable honey production.
8. Do you move your bees for pollination?
My bees are primarily kept within local Sussex locations to forage naturally rather than being transported long distances for commercial pollination contracts.
This helps reduce stress on colonies and maintains true local honey characteristics.
9. Are you a real beekeeper?
Yes — Crawley Bees is independently run by a single local beekeeper managing multiple apiary locations across Crawley and the wider Sussex countryside.
All honey is personally harvested, extracted, and packed by me, ensuring full traceability from hive to jar. This small-scale approach allows complete control over bee welfare, honey quality, and sustainable beekeeping practices.
When you buy from Crawley Bees, you are purchasing genuine Sussex honey produced directly by a working local beekeeper — not a distributor or reseller.
Ordering & Delivery
10. Do you offer local delivery?
Yes. We offer delivery across Crawley and surrounding West Sussex areas, alongside nationwide UK shipping through our online store.
Many customers searching for local honey delivery choose Crawley Bees as an alternative to imported supermarket honey.
11. How should I store honey?
Honey should be stored at room temperature with the lid sealed.
There is no need to refrigerate honey — refrigeration can actually speed up crystallisation.
12. Does honey expire?
Pure raw honey does not spoil when stored correctly. Archaeologists have even discovered edible honey thousands of years old.
Over time, texture and colour may change naturally, but quality remains unaffected.
Beeswax & Other Products
13. Are your beeswax products natural?
Yes — our beeswax candles and products are made using wax produced by our own colonies wherever possible.
Beeswax burns cleanly and naturally, producing a subtle honey aroma without synthetic additives.
Still Have Questions?
If you would like to know more about our honey, beekeeping practices, or products, please contact us — I’m always happy to talk about bees and local honey production.