The importance of Authenticated Honey

Did you know honey is one of the most illegally traded foods in the world? It’s true. Over the years honey has become a prime target for those looking to illegally broker and import the food into North America. This issue is just one of the reasons strict traceability and authenticity guidelines must be adhered to in order for honey to be True Source Certified.

Purity is key when it comes to honey. Illegally brokered honey may contain excessive water, lower cost sweeteners like corn or rice syrup or harmful chemicals. Bee Maid Honey supports the True Source Certified program because of our commitment to providing fully traceable, 100% authenticated honey.

Bee Maid Honey's Strict Authentication Standards

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A qualified lab completes authenticity testing protocols.
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All loads of honey recieved from a beekeeper over 30,000 lbs. are analyzed using industry recognized honey adulteration testing methods.
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In addition, 1/3 of all members whose honey does not meet the 30,000 lb. criteria above, will be randomly selected and analyzed using industry recognized honey adulteration testing methods.
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To ensure these standards are being met, Bee Maid Honey plants are subject to annual audits and unannounced surveillance inspections.
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All of these standards are in place to ensure the final, True Source® Certified, product is 100% pure and authentic honey.

All Bee Maid Honey is True Source Certified®

Whether in a tote for food manufacturing, in BeeMaid branded bottles, or packaged for one of our private label partners we guarantte it.
Where to Buy


What is True Source® Certified?

Developed by honey companies and importers from around the world, the True Source program provides an audited method for retailers and consumers to know where their honey comes from. True Source Certification was developed to address issues with illegally sourced honey coming into North America.

Bee Maid Honey was the first honey packer in Canada to become True Source® Certified and we source honey from our owners – providing true hive to home traceability



Benefits of Source® Certified Honey?

Assurance the honey is pure and ethically sourced in a transparent, traceable, and legal way.
Allows the Canadian beekeeping industry to stay vibrant and not be threatened by illegitimately sourced honey.
Consumers purchasing honey with the True Source® symbol can feel confident that they are getting pure, authenticated Canadian honey.

How the Honey is Traced

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By placing the True Source® Certified logo on honey containers, retailers are supporting the customer’s desire to know where their food is coming from.*
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Beekeeper extracts honey into barrels and ships to Bee Maid.*
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Bee Maid (True Source® registered packer) assigns barrel a lot number that identifies the lot and the beekeeper.*
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Honey is packaged with a Best Before Date that identifies the production date and lot. This date links back to the barrel and the beekeeper.*
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Bee Maid ships honey to stores and continues tracking based on the Best Before Date.**
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Consumers can login to the True Source website to see if their honey is True Source® Certified.

*Audited Stage by True Source®
**Tracked through Bee Maid’s traceability program.

True Source® Authentication