LOGAN — After nearly a century of producing honey in Cache Valley, Cox Honeyland is changing ownership. A longtime honey supplier from Ogden Valley is stepping in, allowing the Cox family members to retire.
Jeremiah Johnson, owner of Miss Bee Haven Apiary located in Ogden Valley, is learning the ropes of the retail operation.
“I was eight years old when I started following my father around the bee yard,” he said. “Dad said eight years old was old enough to be useful. Dad is still working the bees to this day.”
Miss Bee Haven Apiary has hives all through Cache Valley, Morgan, Box Elder and Rich counties.
“My father helped manage the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bee operation in Ogden Valley years ago,” Johnson said. “We started as hobby beekeepers then migrated to commercial. Our goal is to be one of the big boys.”
Cox Honeyland is Johnson’s first retail store. He has been working with the Cox family for years.
“This is a great opportunity and a perfect fit for us,” he said. “Up until three years ago I was also involved in college athletics in Washington State and felt like it was time to come home to Utah.”
Maleesa Jacobsen, a member of the Cox family, has managed the business for the last 20 years.
“We remember Jeremiah coming into the store as a kid with his dad when they brought us honey,” she said. “We have raised bees and produced honey in Cache Valley since 1929.”
Along with providing honey for the store, they have supported and purchased honey from local beekeepers to keep up with demand as their business grew.
Her grandfather, Marion, came to Cache Valley from St. George and brought some bees with him.
“During the Depression, he would deliver honey on a bicycle,” Jacobsen said. “He was the foundation for the Cox honey empire.”
“In 1989 my mother wanted to try selling the honey to the public rather than sell it only wholesale,” she said. “She thought she could do more with honey if they sold it locally. They took the honey and mixed some creams and fruits and different berry flavors and turned their honey into gifts. Mom always wanted to make honey more of a gift rather than just a commodity.”
“It’s pretty amazing that one bee only produces 1/12 of a teaspoon in their lifetime,” Jacobsen said. “We go through about 200,000 to 300,000 pounds of honey a year.”
They have three main sources of honey: Logan Canyon, Cache Valley and the Bear Lake area, all giving the honey its own unique flavor.
“Locally, we deliver honey to grocery stores and to gift shops as far away as St. George,” she said. “We are the Beehive State, so honey makes a great souvenir.”
Cox honey can be found in local grocery stores, Gossner’s, Blue Bird Candy and other places in Cache Valley.
Next to the retail store is the warehouse where the magic happens. They fill different containers and bottles to be put out for sale. Jacobsen said everyone is welcome to come with their own container and fill it with honey for a price.
“At Cox Honeyland we are just trying to make Cache Valley sweeter, one drop at a time,” Jacobsen added. “We are so excited for the new owners to continue our legacy and grow it even more while serving the people of Cache Valley.”