LONGMONT, Colo. — The National Honey Board (NHB) has released its 2020 Annual Report in video format with highlights of nutrition professionals’ outreach, bee health research and marketing campaigns across retail, foodservice, consumer and ingredient verticals. From in-store and online shopper promotion programs to advertising campaigns, virtual honey summits and more; 2020 was a strong year for the honey industry and the NHB despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.
Ranking as the most impressive achievement for 2020, honey secured the #1 spot as American consumers’ most preferred sweetener, overtaking sugar for the first time ever. The ranking, revealed by the NHB Consumer Attitudes & Usage Study 2020, asked consumers to choose their favorite from several popular sweeteners, including white sugar, brown sugar, and several non-calorie sweeteners, among others. In addition, strong retail sales in 2020 illustrate unprecedented demand for honey as a wholesome, all-natural culinary staple that provides consumers with a feeling of comfort, familiarity, and the assurance that they can feel good about feeding it to their family.
In 2020, the NHB adapted and focused its efforts on driving demand for honey by reminding consumers of honey’s unique journey as an ingredient that is crafted in nature, as well as by exploring the vital role of honey bees to our planet and global food supply. To tell this story, the NHB expanded its sustainability program with the addition of four new Celebrating Beekeeping videos that promote the role of beekeepers as the stewards of both the bees and the land.
“Americans’ love for honey only grew stronger in 2020. As consumers stayed home and cooked more, they looked for simple, nutritious ingredients to stay well.” said Margaret Lombard, Chief Executive Officer. “Honey’s popularity has never been greater. In fact, for the first time ever consumer surveys ranked honey as the number one preferred sweetener. We certainly want to thank all the hardworking folks along the supply chain and, most importantly, our beekeepers for making sure honey was readily available during difficult times.”
National Honey Month in September debuted a new program, Honey Saves Hives, a campaign designed to create buzz through national brand partnerships and key influencers. This program contributed more than $75,000 for bee health research programs in partnership with organizations dedicated to protecting these important pollinators, like Project Apis m.
The NHB also continued its commitment to research. In 2020, the Board invested nearly $1 million and gathered key insights from 10 different studies. From Consumer Attitudes and Awareness, new product introductions, menu tracking and trends, honey bee health, ongoing nutrition research, and more, the Board leveraged these findings with industry partners for the overall goal of shared success.
To view the complete video report, please visit the NHBÂ website.
–National Honey Board
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