Trader Joe's does carry raw honey that is organic. Learn what honey they carry and is it real honey?
I decided to do a review of the different types of honey available at Trader Joe's.
I got a lot of feedback from people wanting to know if these honeys were raw or if Trader Joe's sells raw honey.
As being a blog that listens to it's audience, that means it's time to address this question in a brand spanking new post.
So here were are today asking the question - Does Trader Joe's Sell Raw Honey? And just for kicks, what about organic honey?
Does Trader Joe's Sell Raw Honey?
Some of the varieties at Trader Joe's are not labeled as raw honey - the Mostly Mesquite, Clover, and Turkish honey - do not say anything about being raw on the label.
Their producers do not consider them to be raw honey. If they were that would certainly be mentioned, as the word "raw" on a bottle of honey is a selling point, no one would miss out on (you would think). These aren't the only honeys they sell.
Raw Honey Available at Trader Joe's
My Trader Joe's (Ann Arbor, Michigan) sold 3 different jars of honey that were labeled "raw". These are TJ's Organic Wild Collected Raw Honey, TJ's Organic Raw Honey, and Michigan Bee Company Pure Raw Honey.
I imagine the Michigan honey is only sold in stores in Michigan and some surrounding states. Maybe other states have other raw honey options (leave a comment below if your location has one).
What is Raw Honey?
There is no federally regulated definition of the term, "raw honey". So there is no official standard. What is generally considered raw honey by people in the industry is honey that has not been heated.
A lot of honey I find on the market labeled as "raw honey" is thicker honey that doesn't flow out of the jar. But I have also seen honeys labeled "raw" that did flow out of the jar. To get the bottom line of what raw means, you need to read the label further or contact the producer to see how they handle honey and what their view of raw is.
What is Organic Honey
For honey to be labeled as organic it must be certified by certifying agency (Oregon Tilth is one). The weird thing is that there is no government standards for what is considered to be organic honey. If they are certified by agency that are use the word "organic".
The agency has to come up with their standards, which they usually use the same standards as for livestock. So even thought there are no official standards by the government, honey can still get the official USDA organic label.
Here is a list of things agencies look for when they are determining whether a honey is organic or not.
(This information is from the Brookfield Honey Farm website)
- Forage: What the bees eat and drink
- Where they live and what they live in and on.
- What the beekeeper feeds them
- How the beekeeper treats them for parasites
- How the beekeeper processes the honey they produce
- How the beekeeper labels that honey
- How the beekeeper keeps records
Does Trader Joe's Carry Really Raw Honey?
I have had a few people ask me if Trader Joe's carries the Really Raw brand honey. I have never seen at at my Trader Joe's ever.
Is the Raw Organic Honey at Trader Joe's Real?
With a lot of doctored honey on the market place, many people are concerned that the honey the are buying it legit honey. If the hoeny is organic then it must follow the organic standards. I feel rather safe with an organic honey.
Raw honey I would generally consider safe as well. The type of honey that gets doctored is clear, filtered honey, not what you would expect to find in a jar of raw honey.
If you enjoyed this post and wish to learn more about honey, give honey a HIVE FIVE! and sign up for our exclusive honey email list. Just enter your email address below.
This post includes affiliate links. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. These are products and services I recommend because I use or trust them. Cookies will be used to track the affiliate links you click.
Leave a Reply