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Inventor | Katie Sanchez |
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Inception | 2012[1] |
Website | beefreehonee |
Bee Free Honee was an apple-based vegan alternative to honey that achieved recognition and funding from Shark Tank.[2] Produced from apples, lemon juice, and cane sugar, it could be used as a replacement for honey in recipes.[3] The product could be consumed by young children[4] and by people with an allergy to honey.[5] In 2019, the company went out of business.[6]
The product was accidentally developed in 1999 by Katie Sanchez while she was making apple jelly.[7] The company was established in 2012,[1] with a production facility in River Falls, Wisconsin.[8] After being featured on Shark Tank in February 2016,[2] sales quadrupled and the company moved production from Wisconsin to Texas.[1]
Company co-owner Melissa Elms claimed that by not using bees for production, the product was beneficial to honeybee populations, which she said were often exposed to unsuitable environments in commercial production.[9]
The main ingredients in Bee Free Honee were apple juice, cane sugar, and lemon juice.[4] Flavored variations included ancho chile, mint, and slippery elm.[4] The products were most often sold in stores that specialize in organic/natural foods, including H-E-B, Sprouts Farmers Market, Vitamin Cottage Natural Grocers, Wegmans, and Whole Foods Market.[1][9]
Bee Free Honee was featured at the Specialty Food Association's Summer Fancy Food Show in 2016[10] and Winter Fancy Food Show in January 2017.[11]