9,720 bottles of SUE BEE® honey for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank

SUE BEE® Honey Donation to Central Pennsylvania Food Bank

Sioux Honey Co-op and Weis Markets donated 4,860 pounds of SUE BEE® Clover Honey to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on September 30, 2026.

HARRISBURG, PA, Sept. 30, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- September is bowing out on a sweeter, more substantial note in central Pennsylvania, as Sioux Honey Co-op and retail partner Weis Markets donated 4,860 pounds of SUE BEE® Clover Honey to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank today, the final day of National Honey Month and Hunger Action Month. 

The three-pallet shipment, delivered to the Food Bank’s Harrisburg Healthy Food Hub, included 9,720 eight-ounce bottles. It comes as neighbors across the Food Bank’s 27-county service area struggle with food insecurity – 1 in 8 people and 1 in 5 children. 

“The fight against hunger requires both scale and consistency,” said Shila Ulrich, CEO of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. “In 2025, our network distributed more than 70 million pounds of food and helped 596,000 neighbors across 27 counties. This donation gives nearly 1,100 partner programs a versatile product that can move quickly from our Healthy Food Hubs to family kitchens throughout the region.” 

The delivery continues the ongoing “Sharing Sweetness” initiative for Sioux Honey, which brings the co-op together with retailers, community food banks and nonprofit organizations to help neighbors facing food insecurity. With today's delivery, Sioux Honey's large-scale honey donations have surpassed 109,000 pounds of honey over the past two years. 

“National Honey Month is a chance to recognize both the wonder of honey and the 180-plus beekeeper families who own Sioux Honey Co-op that make this work possible,” said Aimee Sandman, Director of Growth and Community Impact at Sioux Honey. “A single worker bee produces only about one-twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime, which means it took more than 3.7 million honeybees to produce the 4,860 pounds of honey donated today.” 

Sandaman added that honey's exceptional shelf life makes it an especially useful food bank item. It requires no refrigeration and can be used in breakfasts, beverages, cooking and baking. 

The donated honey will be an ideal item for the Food Bank's free, neighbor-centered Nutrition Education program. 

“For nearly two decades, our customers, associates and business partners have worked together through our Fight Hunger program to help food banks address food insecurity in the communities we serve,” said Maria Rizzo, Weis Markets Vice President of Marketing and Advertising. “We’re pleased to partner with Sioux Honey on this donation, and we’re grateful to the more than 200 beekeeper families who helped make it possible.”  

“This honey gives our nutrition educators a versatile ingredient for workshops and recipe demonstrations, helping neighbors prepare affordable, healthy meals with confidence,” Ulrich said. “And a little sweetness can make any lesson easier to remember.” 

DOWNLOAD EVENT PHOTOS AND VIDEO: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15_E3RJjNhptP7klx5lP7vAhFvdQgxmiH?usp=share_link 

MEDIA CONTACT 

To interview Shila Ulrich or Aimee Sandman, contact Jim Minge, media relations for Sioux Honey Co-op, at 402-740-8188 or jim@wayfinderpr.com. 

To interview Maria Rizzo from Weis Markets, contact Dennis Curtin, Director of Public Relations at 570-847-3636 or dcurtin@weismarkets.com.  

ABOUT THE CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FOOD BANK 

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a nonprofit organization committed to ending hunger in 27 counties across central Pennsylvania. By working with nearly 1,100 local agencies and programs, it serves more than 278,000 people in need each month through three Healthy Food Hubs in Harrisburg, Williamsport and Hollidaysburg. Learn more at centralpafoodbank.org. 

ABOUT WEIS MARKETS 

Founded in 1912, Weis Markets, Inc. is a Mid-Atlantic food retailer operating 202 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, West Virginia and Virginia. Learn more at WeisMarkets.com or Facebook.com/WeisMarkets. 

ABOUT SIOUX HONEY CO-OP 

Founded in 1921 by five beekeepers near Sioux City, Iowa, Sioux Honey is a beekeeper-owned cooperative representing more than 200 family beekeepers nationwide. Its members produce quality American honey under SUE BEE® and AUNT SUE'S®, the first honey brands to earn U.S. Farmed™ certification. Through Sharing Sweetness, Sioux Honey works with retailers, food banks and community organizations to place shelf-stable American honey in the hands of people facing food insecurity. Learn more at siouxhoney.com.