From hive to heartland, Sioux Honey and Fareway Stores donate thousands of bottles of honey to help fight food insecurity in Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa, Sept. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — If you stacked every bottle of honey the Sioux Honey Co-op and Fareway Stores donated Wednesday, the 2,916-foot tower of golden honey would rise higher than:
- Two Empire State Buildings (1,454 feet each, with antenna).
- Four-and-a-half(!) Principal Buildings (630 feet each) in Des Moines.
- It would even top the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which stands 2,717 feet tall.
That’s the scale of sweetness the Sioux Honey Co-op and Fareway Stores delivered on Sept. 10 to the Food Bank of Iowa.
The donation – a load of three pallets with 540 cases holding 6,480 bottles of Sue Bee® honey – was part of the co-op’s ongoing “Share Sweetness” campaign and arrived at an ideal time: September is National Honey Month, when the National Honey Association shines a spotlight on honey and its natural nutrition, kitchen versatility and legendary shelf life.
This community effort between Iowa-based Sioux Honey (powered by 175+ beekeeper families across the U.S.) and Fareway Stores (with 142 locations across six Midwestern states) put real muscle behind the fight against food insecurity in Iowa.
“Fareway is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with Sioux Honey and the Food Bank of Iowa and the partners it serves, like the Johnston Partnership,” said Elias Johnson, vice president, corporate outreach & communications at Fareway Stores, which recently opened its new headquarters in Johnston.
“Our customers count on us to keep families fed and to support neighbors in need, and this partnership took that commitment to another level.”
Aimee Sandman, director of marketing at Sioux Honey, noted, “Our co-op was founded by beekeepers who believed in working together to make a bigger impact. Today, that spirit lives on in campaigns like ‘Share Sweetness,’ where every bottle represents the hard work of beekeeper families and the generosity of our partners.”
Earlier this year, Sioux Honey Co-op’s Sue Bee® and Aunt Sue’s® became the first honey brands to earn the U.S. Farmed™ certification, underscoring the co-op’s commitment to supporting domestic farming and sustainable practices. That same commitment is on display with the Share Sweetness campaign, ensuring Iowa families benefit directly from the work of America’s beekeepers.
Serving those who need it most
The Des Moines-based Food Bank of Iowa serves 55 counties and distributes millions of meals annually.
“Honey is all-natural, contains important minerals and amino acids, and adds flavor to many foods,” said Annette Hacker, Food Bank of Iowa’s chief communications and strategy officer. “On behalf of our partners and the Iowans we serve, we appreciate this sweet and special addition to our inventory.”
After-school programs
In addition to receiving honey through the Food Bank of Iowa, the Johnston Partnership received an activity kit from Sioux Honey designed for the children in the partnership’s after-school and weekend programs. The kit included colorful handouts about honey and honeybees, as well as a hands-on demonstration on honeybee pollination and cross-pollination.
Andrea Cook, executive director of the Johnston Partnership, said the gift offered both nourishment and knowledge.
“For children facing food insecurity, receiving honey is more than a sweet treat – it’s nourishment and a natural food with only one ingredient. And learning where their food comes from, how pollination works and why bees matter is a great opportunity to help fill their plates and expand their minds.”
The Johnston Partnership mentors students through its JUMP (Johnston Youth Mentoring Program) and provides more than 250 kids with meals each weekend of the school year.
Sweet stats at a glance
- 6,480 bottles donated (three pallets, 540 cases of Sue Bee® honey).
- Enough honey to drizzle on nearly 100,000 pancakes.
- Beyond breakfast, honey is one of the most versatile staples in the kitchen. It doesn’t need refrigeration, lasts without losing quality and finds its way into everything from baking recipes to coffee, tea and even a drizzle over pizza.
- 175+ (many multi-generational) beekeeper families are in the Sioux Honey Co-op.
- About 25 to 30 million pounds of honey is harvested each year by Sioux Honey beekeepers, which is nearly one-fourth of the U.S. commercial beekeeper honey total (134 million pounds was collected in 2024, according to the USDA).
DOWNLOAD EVENT ASSETS:
https://tinyurl.com/HoneyDonationRelease
ABOUT SIOUX HONEY CO-OP: In 1921, the Sioux Honey Co-op began as a small group of just five beekeepers. Located near Sioux City, Iowa, they shared equipment, marketing and processing facilities – all to help support one another. Today, Sioux Honey is still a co-op, but it has grown into 200+ beekeepers nationwide. Some have been members for decades – part of families who have passed down the trade for generations – and some have pioneered and started their own bee farms. Each member has a passion for producing a pure, quality product that customers can trust. Sioux Honey’s Sue Bee® and Aunt Sue’s® are also the first honey brands to earn the U.S. Farmed™ certification, underscoring the co-op’s commitment to domestic farming and sustainable practices. And the Co-op is proud to say it knows each of our beekeepers by name, because Sioux Honey has learned that’s how you produce the best honey for more than a century.
ABOUT FAREWAY STORES – Fareway Stores, Inc. is a growing Midwest grocery company currently operating 142 stores in a seven-state region. Fareway’s mission is to provide the highest quality products, while treating customers like family, and valuing dedicated employees. Its stores are known for their unmatched, full-service meat departments, farm-fresh produce and exceptional, to-your-car customer service. Fareway is a family-owned business, recognized as a top 10 employer in Iowa, and has more than 13,000 total employees.
ABOUT FOOD BANK OF IOWA – Established in 1982, Food Bank of Iowa provides nutritious food for Iowa children, families, seniors and veterans to live full and active lives, strengthening their communities. Serving 55 of Iowa’s 99 counties, Food Bank of Iowa delivers more than 27.3 million pounds of food (22.7 million meals) to 700 partners annually.
ABOUT JOHNSTON PARTNERSHIP – The Johnston Partnership is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to meeting both immediate needs and creating long-term opportunities for families in the Johnston area. Each month, the organization provides food, clothing and other essentials to more than 1,500 people, ensuring stability for households facing tough times. Its JUMP program mentors more than 100 students on the path to high school graduation, while Friday Friends ensures over 250 kids receive meals each weekend during the school year. The Partnership’s mission is to build positive relationships that help young people and families reach their full potential.
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