In a world full of synthetic foods and artificial flavours, pure, all-natural Canadian honey has stood the test of time. Gathered as nectar from the blossoms of flowers by the humble honeybee, it is processed into pure honey by the bees before it ever reaches human hands.
Burke's Honey has been processing, packing and selling pure Canadian honey for over 100 years. With experience like that, you can be certain that you are purchasing a top quality product.
Three Generations of Top Quality Honey
FROM GRANDFATHER, TO FATHER, TO SON.
Burke's Honey got its start in 1909, three generations ago, as part of a farming operation near Omemee, Ontario.
Grandfather Huber Burke, as a young man, became interested in bees by watching his uncle. He bought his first beehive in 1908, and by the next year, he had produced a surplus of honey. He went to the local tinsmith and had some pails made, filled them with the honey, and made his first sales to his neighbours.
Over the following years the number of beehives increased, and he began supplying all the local stores. If there was still honey left over, he shipped it to the Ontario Honey Producers Co-operative in Toronto. They sold the honey from their members under the "Beekist" brand name.
All four of Huber's sons kept bees for a time, but it was Douglas Burke, father of current owner Brian, who took over the business.
He continued to increase the number of beehives, making a real effort to increase the number of stores supplied. In fact, they were selling more honey than could be produced, so they started buying honey from other local beekeepers, just to meet the demand.
By 1978, the business had grown to the point where Douglas needed some full time help. He approached his son Brian who was studying at the University of Guelph, and asked if he would consider it. Brian thought he'd seen enough bees to last him a lifetime, but the passing of a few years had given him some perspective, so together with his wife, he returned home.
Burke's Honey Limited is now a local, family-owned, all-Canadian company.
Our primary focus is to supply quality honey and maple syrup to the retail grocery trade, health food industry, food service distributors, and the bakery trade across Canada.
All of our sales are handled in-house, and through our network of independent regional distributors. Our honey is carefully selected, and must meet our strict standards for purity, flavour and colour.
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Some Interesting Facts
Canadian Honey
Canada is known for its mild flavoured, light coloured clover honey, but also produces unique flavours like dark buckwheat honey and deep golden wildflower honey. Wildflower honey's flavour can vary depending on the abundance of wildflowers in the area. Canada's honey has low moisture content, with Canada No.1 honey having a maximum moisture content of 17.8%. This, along with Canada's high quality standards and regulations, allows for high-quality honey that can be counted on year after year.
Honey Produces Energy
Honey is a natural sweetener with quick energy-producing value due to its high content of simple sugars. It requires little digestion and is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, making it a quick source of energy for all ages. However, it is not recommended for children under one year old and individuals with diabetes or other sugar-related medical concerns. Consult your doctor before consuming honey.
Honey is a Superfood
Honey contains a variety of healthy components including minerals, B vitamins, vitamin C, dextrins, amino acids, organic acids, protein traces, esters, aromatic compounds, and enzymes. Levulose, a sweet sugar found in honey, is difficult to obtain in pure form but occurs naturally in honey and fruits. Dextrose is another sugar in honey that crystallizes, causing honey to granulate. The size of the crystals in honey can vary, with finely crystallized honey being sold as creamed, spun, or even a spread.
Honey Bees
Honey bees, not wasps or bumble bees, produce honey. A beehive consists of a queen bee, drones, and thousands of worker bees. Honey bees work hard to collect honey, with one bee having to fly a long distance to collect just a pound of honey. Bees are important pollinators and can communicate with each other through various methods. Only worker bees can sting, while queen bees can lay thousands of eggs per day. Honey bees are generally docile and only sting when provoked.
More Honey Facts
Honey is a natural sweetener produced by bees collecting nectar from flowers. It contains no additives and comes in different colors and flavors depending on the flowers. Honey is a valuable energy food with simple sugars that are easily used by the body. It also contains minerals and vitamins. Liquid honey will crystallize over time but can be easily liquefied by placing the container in warm water. Honey should be stored at room temperature in a dry place, as refrigeration can speed up crystallization. Creamed honey is pure honey with a smooth creamy texture achieved through speeding up the crystallizing process.
Canadian Maple Syrup
Canada is the world's largest producer of pure maple syrup, with thousands of maple trees tapped each spring to collect sap. It takes 40 litres of sap to produce one litre of syrup. In the past, sap was collected in buckets hung on metal spiles hammered into trees, and then boiled down in wood-fired evaporators. Today, most operations use pipelines and evaporators fired by oil or propane for better control and quality. Canadian pure maple syrup is graded into five classes based on colour and taste, with the lighter grades commonly used for consumer products like pancakes and ice cream, and the darker grades used for baking and food manufacturing.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We've got A's for your Q's
What's the difference between Burke's liquid & creamed honey?
Creamed honey is made by mixing fine honey crystals into liquid honey and allowing it to granulate in cool storage, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture. Both liquid and creamed honey are pure honey.
How should I store my Burke's honey at home?
Both liquid and creamed honey can be frozen without harm, but it is recommended to store honey at room temperature as it is sensitive to high temperatures. Warm temperatures can cause honey to lose flavour and darken. Liquid honey should not be refrigerated as this can speed up the process of granulation.
Is Burke's honey pasteurized? Why or why not?
Burke's liquid and creamed honey are never pasteurized. Honey is pasteurized to kill sugar tolerant yeast in order to prevent fermentation, not bacteria like in dairy products. Pasteurization is done to prevent high moisture honey from fermenting and to keep liquid honey from granulating. Canada No.1 honey does not require pasteurization due to low moisture content. Overheating honey breaks down beneficial enzymes and alters its natural flavour.
Why does my Burke's honey granulate so quickly?
Granulation is a natural process that occurs in honey, with some types granulating quicker than others depending on the flower the bees collected the honey from. Heating honey can prevent granulation, but unpasteurized honey like ours will granulate faster, indicating its natural state. Granulated honey is still usable and can be used as is, in baking, or re-liquified by placing the container in hot water, not exceeding 50°C, and stirring until clear.
What is 'raw' honey?
Raw honey is unheated and unfiltered, often granulating quickly and containing specks of wax and pollen. The best way to obtain raw honey is in the form of honeycomb, which has not been processed and is still in the beeswax comb where it was sealed by the worker bees.
What is 'honeycomb'?
How can I use it?
Bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey, which they store in beeswax combs. The honeycomb can be chewed like gum, with the wax being spit out. The best way to eat honeycomb is to spread it on warm toast or muffin, as the warmth softens the wax and allows the fresh taste of the honey inside to come through.
Does Burke's sell bee pollen, beeswax or royal jelly?
While these items are interesting and beneficial byproducts of honey, Burke's does not sell them.
Burke's Own Honey Recipes
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Contact Us
Burke's Honey Limited
2097A Whittington Drive,
Cavan Monaghan, Ontario
Canada K9J 0G5
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