US Honey Market Key Takeaways

• The US honey market size was valued at USD 2.50 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow from USD 2.61 billion in 2026 to USD 3.65 billion by 2032.
• The market is projected to register a CAGR of 5.76% during 2026–2032.
• By product format, pasteurized / regular honey dominated the market with a 69% share in 2026.
• By processing type, conventional type held a market share of 91% in 2026.
• The industry is fragmented, with the top five players collectively accounting for approximately 38% of the market share in 2026.

US Honey Market Size and Outlook

The honey market in the United States was valued at USD 2.50 billion in 2025 and is currently standing at USD 2.61 billion in 2026. The industry is projected to grow to USD 3.65 billion by 2032, showcasing a CAGR of around 5.76% during the forecast period, i.e., 2026–32.

The demand for honey continues to remain resilient in the US, as consumers increasingly prefer natural ingredients over artificial alternatives and manufacturers expand the use of honey across snacks, bakery, beverages, sauces, and wellness products.

Product innovation is further broadening the market by extending honey into new consumption occasions beyond conventional spreads and sweeteners. In June 2025, Beeup introduced honey-based fruit snacks through Target, increasing honey's visibility among younger consumers. This momentum continued in March 2026 when Nate's Honey, the country's leading branded honey company, launched a national range of nut butters and fruit spreads following extensive consumer testing. The expansion demonstrates how branded manufacturers are creating additional demand through value-added offerings while strengthening honey's position in everyday food consumption.

Government support and evolving trade policies are expected to shape the market over the coming years. The USDA Farm Service Agency introduced a new honey program covering crop years 2026 through 2031, providing nonrecourse marketing loans and loan deficiency payments at USD 1.50 per pound, while ELAP disaster assistance for beekeepers remains available through September 2026. At the same time, continuing antidumping duties and additional tariffs on major supplying countries are increasing import costs, improving domestic pricing conditions, and supporting income stability for US honey producers.

US Honey Market Key Indicators

• US honey retail sales reached $1.2 billion in 2025, with unit sales climbing 10.9% year-over-year, underscoring sustained shelf-level momentum for the category even as overall retail pricing eased slightly.
• Sugar and sweets prices, honey's direct CPI competitive category, rose 6.9% year-over-year through June 2026, with a full 7.2% annual increase forecast for 2026, signaling continued cost pressure across natural sweetener alternatives.
• According to the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS), U.S. per capita honey consumption reached approximately 1.9 pounds in 2025, nearly double the level recorded in 1990, demonstrating sustained expansion in domestic honey consumption. The increase in per-capita usage directly expands the addressable demand base for retail honey, food manufacturing, bakery products, beverages, and foodservice applications, thereby supporting the growth of the US Honey Market.
• According to USDA ERS, imports accounted for approximately 78% of the total U.S. honey supply in 2025, with India, Argentina, Brazil, and Vietnam among the major sources. Such high import dependence indicates that domestic honey demand substantially exceeds domestic production capacity, creating a significant role for international supply chains in meeting U.S. consumption requirements and supporting the overall market's supply availability.
• According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), U.S. honey production declined 14% to 116 million pounds in 2025, while honey-producing colonies decreased 7% to 2.41 million colonies and average yield fell 7% to 48 pounds per colony. The simultaneous contraction in domestic production and colony productivity increases reliance on imported honey to satisfy consumption, supporting import-led market supply while potentially contributing to upward price pressure.
• USDA NASS reported that the average U.S. honey price increased 27% to USD 3.05 per pound in 2025, compared with USD 2.41 per pound in 2024. The sharp increase in producer prices reflects tighter domestic availability and rising supply-side costs, encouraging beekeepers and honey processors to capture greater value from honey production while influencing retail pricing and market revenues.
• According to USDA NASS, pollination income from honey bees totaled approximately USD 225 million in 2025, while other honey-bee-related income reached USD 48 million. The continued commercialization of beekeeping beyond honey production provides an additional revenue stream for beekeepers, supporting investment in colony maintenance and apiary operations that are essential for sustaining the underlying supply base of the US honey market.
• According to the USDA ERS, U.S. producers spent more than USD 400 million on honey-bee pollination services across 1.728 million acres in 2024. Almond production alone accounted for approximately USD 325.8 million, or about 81% of total U.S. pollination-service receipts. The scale of commercial pollination demonstrates the economic importance of managed honey-bee colonies, which simultaneously support agricultural pollination and honey production, thereby influencing beekeeper economics and the long-term availability of honey-producing colonies.
• The U.S. bakery products market is projected to reach approximately USD 38.7 billion in 2025, expanding at a 3.5% CAGR during 2020–2025. Honey is widely used as a sweetener, flavoring ingredient, glaze, and moisture-retention component in bread, bakery snacks, pastries, and specialty baked products. Expansion of the bakery products sector therefore creates additional B2B demand channels for honey beyond direct household consumption.
• According to the USDA ERS, U.S. foodservice sales reached approximately USD 1.41 trillion in inflation-adjusted terms in 2025, representing a 73% increase from USD 818 billion in 1997. The expansion of restaurants, limited-service outlets, and other foodservice channels increases the addressable market for honey-based beverages, sauces, dressings, desserts, breakfast products, and other prepared foods, supporting demand for honey through commercial foodservice procurement.

US Honey Market Import–Export Analysis: 31x Higher Imports than Exports

The United States is structurally dependent on international honey supplies, with imports substantially exceeding exports. According to trade data for Honey, U.S. natural honey imports reached approximately 246 thousand tons valued at USD 691 million in 2025, compared with only 8 thousand tons valued at USD 25 million in exports. Consequently, import volume was approximately 31 times higher than export volume, while import value was nearly 28 times higher, highlighting the strongly import-oriented structure of the US Honey Market.

6.3% Import Value Growth Despite 3.5% Volume Decline

U.S. honey imports increased from approximately USD 650 million in 2024 to USD 691 million in 2025, representing 6.3% growth in import value. However, import volume declined from around 255 thousand tons to 246 thousand tons, a 3.5% decrease. This divergence indicates that higher import expenditure was primarily influenced by increased average import prices rather than volume expansion, creating upward pressure on procurement costs for U.S. honey processors and retailers.

70% Import Volume Concentrated Among Top 3 Suppliers

India supplied approximately 88 thousand tons, Argentina 55 thousand tons, and Brazil 29 thousand tons in 2025. Collectively, these three countries accounted for approximately 172 thousand tons, or nearly 70% of U.S. honey import volume, making international production, pricing, weather conditions, and export policies in these supplier markets critical to U.S. honey availability.

30% Export Decline Since 2022

U.S. honey exports declined from approximately 10 thousand tons in 2022 to 8 thousand tons in 2025, representing a 20% reduction. Canada remained the largest destination, receiving approximately 4.6 thousand tons, or nearly 58% of total U.S. export volume. The limited and declining export base reinforces the United States' position as a major honey-consuming and importing market rather than a significant global exporter.

US Honey Market Scope

US Honey Market Growth Drivers

Consumer Preference for Natural Sweeteners Expanding Honey Demand

The growing preference for natural and minimally processed sweeteners is becoming one of the strongest demand drivers for the market. Consumers are increasingly replacing refined sugar with ingredients perceived as more natural, while food manufacturers are reformulating products to meet clean label expectations. The National Honey Board's 2025 attitudes and usage study found that honey outperformed sugar across eight health-related perceptions and was also preferred for its taste, reinforcing its position as a leading natural sweetener.

This shift is encouraging greater use of honey across packaged foods and beverages. According to the National Honey Board in 2026, manufacturers increasingly value honey because it supports clean label claims while improving moisture retention, browning, texture, and flavour in food formulations. These functional advantages allow honey to serve as both a sweetener and an ingredient that enhances product quality, making it suitable for bakery products, beverages, sauces, snacks, and several other processed food categories.

This is also reflected in recent product launches and retail strategies. In 2025, Mike's Hot Honey introduced a beverage syrup designed for coffee, cocktails, and mocktails to capitalize on rising sweet and spicy flavour preferences, while Smithfield partnered with the brand to launch Mike's Hot Honey Bacon through a nationwide campaign. Looking ahead, Whole Foods Market identified products sweetened with honey and other natural ingredients as a major consumer trend for 2026, indicating continued opportunities for honey-based product innovation and long-term market expansion.