Goldfields Honey is on the cusp of opening up an export opportunity in China, bucking the trend of business caution during the global financial crisis.

Three trips to Beijing to showcase their locally-produced honey have paid off for the Lockwood family, who started the business in a small shed at the back of their home on Phoenix Mine Road.

It seems the Chinese love the taste of the Lucknow yellow box honey and plans are underway for the Lockwoods to open a shop in Beijing, stocking their honey supplemented by other Australian produce.

“There is so much doom and gloom out there and I don’t know whether it’s all justified but this is a wonderful opportunity for us,” said Vicki Lockwood.

Mrs Lockwood said the flavours in the Lucknow honey, produced through the variety of flora used by bees, particularly eucalyptus, appealed to the Chinese palate.

The doors were opened to the potentially huge marketplace of China when a consultant approached Goldfields Honey, offering the opportunity to produce for the Chinese.

“It may be seen as a niche market but it is huge for us,” said Mrs Lockwood.

The Lockwoods started their business 20 years ago and now have almost 6000 hives on farms in the area.

Bee producers have their good times and bad like any other business, according to Mrs Lockwood.

“We’ve just come out of a drought, honey has been scarce and then of course when you have a glut it is difficult to market,” she said.

To keep pace with the expansion of their business due to export opportunities Goldfields Honey is planning to build a new factory.

Their product is already on sale at local outlets and the Lockwoods used to be a regular stallholder at the farmers’ market in Orange.

“But with all the workload we’ve had getting ready for the China export, I just haven’t had time to go,” Mr Lockwood said.

l Do you have business success story? Email tracey.prisk@ruralpress.com