2.5 Tons of Honey Donated to St. Louis Hunger Relief Nonprofit

6,480 Bottles of Honey Will Help Fuel Fresh Meals For Those Facing Food Insecurity Across St. Louis Area and Beyond

Mar. 19, 2026 at 3:03pm

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The Sioux Honey Co-op and Dierbergs Markets donated 4,860 pounds of Sue Bee® honey to Operation Food Search, a nonprofit hunger relief organization in St. Louis. The donation will help supply families across Missouri and Illinois with a versatile food staple that requires no refrigeration and has a long shelf life.

Why it matters

In St. Louis, an estimated 18.4% of residents are experiencing food insecurity, a figure that stands above both state and national averages. This donation of shelf-stable honey will help Operation Food Search provide nourishing food to families in need through its various programs, including the MetroMarket mobile farmers market.

The details

The 2.5-ton donation of Sue Bee® honey comes as Operation Food Search prepares for a busy season of fresh produce from area farmers. The honey will be paired with the fresh fruits, vegetables, and pantry staples stocked on the MetroMarket, giving families simple, budget-friendly ways to stretch ingredients into meals. This donation also highlights the deep community roots of Dierbergs, which has partnered with Operation Food Search for over 40 years to support hunger relief efforts in the St. Louis region.

  • The donation was made on March 18, 2026.

The players

Sioux Honey Co-op

A cooperative of American beekeeping families that has donated almost 80 tons of honey to food banks and community pantries across the U.S. in the past two years through its 'Sharing Sweetness' program.

Dierbergs Markets

A Missouri-based grocery store chain that has partnered with Operation Food Search for over 40 years, donating nearly $65 million worth of product and more than $1 million in monetary contributions to support hunger relief efforts in the St. Louis region.

Operation Food Search

Missouri's largest independent food bank, serving more than 200,000 people each month through a network of 600 community partners spanning 24 counties in Missouri and Illinois.

Aimee Sandman

Director of growth and community impact at Sioux Honey Co-op.

Kristen Wild

President and CEO of Operation Food Search.

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What they’re saying

“In the past two years, our beekeepers have donated almost 80 tons – more than 160,000 pounds of honey – of our Sue Bee® honey.”

— Aimee Sandman, Director of growth and community impact at Sioux Honey Co-op

“A donation of this size is helpful to many OFS programs. It gives us the ability to provide free, nutritious food via OFS MetroMarket to families enrolled in our Operation Backpack and Food is Medicine programs, and for use in our teaching kitchen and nutrition education classes.”

— Kristen Wild, President and CEO of Operation Food Search

What’s next

Operation Food Search is nearly doubling the number of MetroMarket events to more than 650 in 2026, so the organization will continue to accept donations of honey and other shelf-stable pantry items to pair with the fresh produce it distributes through the mobile farmers market program.

The takeaway

This donation of 2.5 tons of honey highlights the power of community partnerships to address food insecurity. By working together, Sioux Honey, Dierbergs, and Operation Food Search are able to provide nourishing, shelf-stable food to families in need while also supporting local agriculture and beekeeping families.