Hot Hunny is a new women-owned business creating locally sourced sweet and spicy honey, helping you add a little bit of heat to your favourite meals.
You may recognize them from their recent Instagram story shoutout from the Canadian band the Arkells or even on the shelves of your local small-owned business; either way -- you better stock up.
Founded upon friendship and the joy that comes with making and tasting great food, Catherine Ennis and Meredith Fear are longtime friends who have always aimed to start a food-related business together.
Hot Hunny was born out of a 2019 trip to New York City, where the duo got their first taste of spicy honey. After returning to Toronto and finding it challenging to get their hands on a bottle that was just right, they decided that the best solution would be to make their own.
"We made our first Hot Hunny batch in our kitchen in the fall of 2019. We bought some bottles in Kensington Market and printed some 'hot hunny' labels off a label maker. We kept a bottle for ourselves and gifted the rest to our close friends and family around the holidays," Ennis explains.
After making their first batch, the two didn't return to their passion project until a year later, in the Fall of 2020, when being in the thick of the COVID-19 lockdown meant they would have more time at home to get creative.
Hot Hunny is made in small batches with 100% raw unpasteurized Ontario honey, sourced from Circling Hawk Farm & Meadery located in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Complementing this sticky liquid gold are vibrant Thai chilies infused within, giving you an extra kick with every taste.
"We saw Hot Hunny as an opportunity to support a local farmer and learn more about honey and where it comes from. It was also important to us to make a product that was about taste and quality over quantity," says Ennis.
The duo also decided to donate 10% of their proceeds. "We want to acknowledge the privilege that it is to start a business in a global pandemic and also the privilege it is to make a non-essential food product. We feel supporting an organization that helps to fight food insecurity in the GTA was a start at this," she says.
FoodShare Toronto was an easy choice as the recipient of these donations as Ennis previously volunteered with FoodShare delivering their food boxes and experienced firsthand all the great work they do in addressing food justice and insecurity in the city.
Ennis and Fear guarantee that once you’ve got Hot Hunny in your kitchen, you won’t want to be stuck without it. Since their product is so versatile, you can add it to your favourite pizza or even drizzle it on top of a warm, creamy baked brie. The possibilities, savoury or sweet, are endless.
Right now, you can find Hot Hunny on the shelves of your favourite small-owned shops: Prairie Boy Bread, Runner Market, La Boulangerie and at the Collingwood Real Food Market or you can also order through messaging them on Instagram. Be sure to give them a follow and keep an eye out for other stockists near you!
