3-Ton Honey Drop

Sioux Honey Co-op and Hy-Vee grocery stores deliver more than 6,000 pounds of sweetness to Kansas City nonprofits

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sioux Honey Co-op and Hy-Vee grocery stores delivered a weighty donation of honey to two Kansas City-area nonprofits on Wednesday – one that tipped the scales at 6,400+ pounds. That's more than twice the weight of the entire Kansas City Chiefs defensive roster, a fitting comparison for a team effort that is tackling hunger head-on.

For Harvesters Community Food Network, it was the largest single donation of honey ever received: three pallets with 540 cases holding 6,480 bottles of Sue Bee® honey. Add in another 2,160 bottles of Sue Bee that were delivered to the Starfish Project Foundation, a nonprofit in Olathe, Kan., and the total one-day honey haul for the Kansas City area comes in at over 3 tons – or, about the same weight as 29.4 million honeybees.

And the delivery during National Honey Month – when beekeepers across the country finish their annual harvest and celebrate the golden bounty before preparing their hives for winter – makes this week's delivery to Harvesters a genuine harvesters hootenanny.

"We're always thrilled to receive honey because it checks so many boxes for the families we serve," said Stephen Davis, president and CEO of Harvesters. "It's nutritious, has natural health benefits and it's one of those coveted pantry items that is in high demand. To have Sioux Honey and Hy-Vee step up with this kind of donation ensures more families in our community will have access to both nourishment and comfort."

A group effort
Sioux Honey, powered by 175-plus beekeeper families across the U.S., partnered with Des Moines-based Hy-Vee, which operates 570 stores across nine Midwestern states, to make this show of support possible. Together, these Midwest-rooted companies are helping ease food insecurity in Missouri and northeastern Kansas.

The donation was part of Sioux Honey's ongoing "Share Sweetness" effort, which has included making several large donations of honey to food banks and non-profits across the United States. The 104-year-old co-op harvested about 25 to 30 million pounds of honey last year, which was nearly one-fourth of the U.S. total (134 million pounds of honey harvested by commercial beekeepers in 2024, according to the USDA).

"When those five Sioux Honey beekeepers decided to form a co-op over a hundred years ago, they did so knowing that they could make a bigger impact if they worked as one," said Aimee Sandman, director of growth and community impact at Sioux Honey. "That conviction hasn't faded. It's alive in efforts like 'Share Sweetness,' where every bottle of honey is more than just a product – it's the harvest of our beekeeper families and a testament to the generosity of partners who help us extend that sweetness to communities in need."

John Lewis, store director at Hy-Vee's Overland Park location, added: "At Hy-Vee, giving back is part of our DNA – it's what we do in every community we serve. Partnering with Sioux Honey just makes sense because they share that same tradition of generosity and service. Together, we're proud to make a difference here in Kansas City and beyond."

Honey never spoils
For the Starfish Project, which redirects food and essentials to families in need, honey is a perfect partner in the fight against food insecurity: it doesn't expire, doesn't need refrigeration and remains as versatile as the day it was bottled. Need proof? The oldest known example of preserved honey was unearthed in Georgia in the Borjomi region near the village of Sakire, in the tomb of a noblewoman. The ceramic vessels containing remnants of honey dated back approximately 5,500 years.

"It's just one ingredient and it never goes bad," said Suzanne Phillips, food program manager at the Starfish Project. "It doesn't need to be refrigerated, it's endlessly versatile in the kitchen and a spoonful helps soothe kiddos' coughs and sore throats during the winter. Our goal at Starfish Project is to make sure food never goes to waste, and honey – with its remarkable shelf life – it can go a long way in nourishing our neighbors in need."

Sweet stats at a glance
The donation total was 8,640 bottles (four pallets, 720 cases of Sue Bee® honey), which is enough honey to:

• Fill 2,224 pairs (4,448 shoes!) of Travis Kelce's size-15 cleats – a sticky fit for KC's favorite tight end.
• Equal the weight (about 3.6 tons) to TWO full-grown adult hippopotamuses.
• Spread a honey glaze that could – with a very thin layer – coat the field at Arrowhead Stadium.

EDITOR'S NOTE: If you would like to interview a representative from Sioux Honey, Hy-Vee, Harvesters or Starfish Project, please contact Jim Minge, media/PR liaison for Sioux Honey Co-op, at 402-740-8188 or [email protected].

DOWNLOAD EVENT ASSETS: https://media.wayfinderpr.com/kc-honey

About Sioux Honey Co-op – Founded in 1921 by five beekeepers near Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Honey began with a simple cooperative model of sharing equipment, marketing and processing facilities. Today, the co-op has grown to more than 175 beekeeper families nationwide, some multigenerational and others just beginning their honey journey. Sioux Honey is proud to know each member by name and to produce pure, quality honey trusted for more than a century. Sioux Honey's Sue Bee® and Aunt Sue's® were also the first honey brands to earn the U.S. Farmed™ certification, underscoring the co-op's commitment to domestic farming and sustainable practices. For additional information, visit siouxhoney.com. 

About Hy-Vee – Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 550 business units across eight Midwestern states with sales of more than $13 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise, and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 5 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America's Top 3 favorite grocery stores. The company's more than 75,000 employees provide "A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle" to customers every day. For additional information, visit hy-vee.com.

About Harvesters Community Food Network – Harvesters is a regional food bank serving a 27-county area of northwestern Missouri and northeastern Kansas. Harvesters' mission is to mobilize the power of the Kansas City-area community to create equitable access to nutritious food and address the root causes and impact of hunger. Our vision is a healthy, thriving community where no one is hungry. We believe access to nutritious food is a human right and all people deserve to be treated with respect and dignity, and we believe it is our duty to create a safe, inclusive environment where diverse staff and volunteers feel trusted, valued, and engaged. For more information, visit harvesters.org.

About Starfish Project Foundation – Founded in 2014, the Starfish Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Olathe, Kansas, serving families across the Kansas City metro. The organization focuses on meeting the real needs of the community by rescuing thousands of pounds of perfectly good food from landfills and redirecting it to those facing food insecurity. Beyond food, Starfish partners with area schools to supply essentials – everything from weekend food bags and afterschool snacks to hundreds of full-sized toiletry kits for children and students. The nonprofit also provides shoes, clothing, and everyday household items to help individuals and families navigate times of need. For more information, visit starfishproject21.org.

CONTACT:
Jim Minge
Media/PR Liaison
OBO Sioux Honey
[email protected]
402-740-8188

SOURCE Sioux Honey