Area residents are swarming stores and farmers markets to purchase raw honey and related products from West Michigan producers. Here’s why.
The
BY marTY PrImEaU aND Emma HIGGINS PHoToGraPHY BY JoHNNY QUIrIN
buzz on local honey
A HONEY JAR IS ALWAYS ON THE counter at Kava House, a popular eastown coffee shop. But for the longest time, owner Pam Murray didn’t understand the appeal. “I never liked honey,” she admitted. “I really couldn’t fathom why people would ruin a good cup of coffee with honey.” And then she met John ebers of Michigan Bee Co., who offered the Kava House crew samples of his raw honey. one spoonful and Murray was a convert. “This stuff is really excellent,” she said. “It’s very mild and there’s none of that artificial taste.” No surprise to ebers, whose family has been in the honey business for 35 years, selling mainly to large honey-packing operations. Two years ago, the young man decided to do some marketing, visiting restaurants, bakeries and retail shops around Grand rapids. “When I talk to chefs one of the first things they ask is, ‘What’s different about your honey?’ So I tell them to try it. And I love to watch their facial expressions.” 64 GrmaG.com \ November 2012
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