Here at BatesMeron, bees and honey are something we hold close to our collective heart. They’re a symbol for our hard work, team work and knack for creating buzz for our clients’ brands. However, meaning to us aside, honey is a truly incredible substance. It’s not only integral to keeping a beehive heathy and thriving, it’s also a highly nutritious food for humans that provides us with a variety of health benefits and medicinal qualities.

Honey is such an illustrious substance, it has been inspiring designers all over the globe to create jaw-dropping honey packaging to market it. Some of these designs are only conceptual, while others are products you can take home with you today. Let’s take a look at some of the most beautiful packaging concepts for this delicious liquid gold.

I love this extraordinarily simple concept packaging design by Russian designer Maks Arbuzov. The vibrant color and bubbles of the honey are displayed front and center in these hexagon stacking glass containers that mimic the classic honeycomb shape. I love the way the honeycomb spoon becomes a central design element, suspended behind the typography like a focal point.

Another stand-out conceptual design, this time by Serbian designer Tamara Mihajlović. This piece features a stunning sculptural crystal bottle. With it’s abstract shape, the bottle highlights the honey’s hue, letting the light catch it in a way that adds depth and texture. The seemingly random design has the look of modern art (but much, much sweeter).

Melitheon Honey is called the “Honey of Gods,” a real honey product from Greece. I love the minimal, ultra classy branding and packaging. The drip off the left side of the ‘M’ is gorgeous when printed in black over the honey’s natural hue, and it works just as well when written in gold on the black box. The photograph of the fir tree on the inside of the package is a nice yet unexpected element that ties directly back to the honey’s origin. All together, this packaging is just as luxurious as the honey inside.

This one may be my favorite of the bunch. Fortnum & Mason’s International honey range teamed up with book cover designer Coralie Bickford-Smith with the goal of making each honey label read like the cover of a book. The classic gold-topped jar is covered in a variety of label colors and foil printing, each with charming illustrations that feel as though they came from the pages of a storybook. It’s a match made in honey heaven.

This next honey packaging concept was designed by gen design studio in Portugal. The brilliant design bridges the gap between science and art magnificently. Minimal, almost sterile design is elevated to contemporary art by utilizing a frosted milk carton outer container. The way light passes though the carton and illuminates the golden honey inside is utterly genius.

I adore this simple stamped packaging designed by Tokyo Design Agency Akaoni. I’m a sucker for anything hand-stamped, and these stamped single-color illustrations on kraft paper are fun, yet sophisticated. I love how they reused the stamp on the circular lid label as well. Working together, the jar and the paper give this package the feel of a personalized creation. Perfection.

This sweet and simple fill-it-in label from Anton Honey in Slovenia is refreshing while maintaining the quintessential honey jar look. It’s perfectly polished with clear attention to detail, yet still feels small-batch and handmade in the classic mason-jar style. The white string-tied jar bags give the impression that this honey could be picked up from your local farmers market, and the gift tag is a cute prompt to share this sweet treat with others.

Last but not least, these lovely tall jars from Mellifera Bees in Vancouver use natural infusions in their honey that provide a majorly stunning shelf-presence. The single long band of type that runs vertically down the jar is simple and effective, while the unique infusions feel like a scientific specimen suspended in the amber honey.

It’s clear that honey packaging has come a long way from the iconic bear bottle. I wish I could have each and every one of these beautifully crafted jars on my kitchen shelf. Have you seen or tasted any delectable honey lately, or have any packaging designs of your own? We’d love to see some more sweet inspiration!