Lithuanian honey goes to the world: selected participants of the Apimondia 2025 congress

Lithuanian Beekeepers' Union has completed the national selection of Lithuanian honey for the prestigious international exposition „The Global Honey Bar“, which is being organised on 23–27 September this year during the World Beekeeping Congress „Apimondia 2025“ in Copenhagen.

From more than thirty samples submitted, nine exceptional samples of Lithuanian honey were selected, reflecting the diversity of our country's vegetation, seasonality and beekeeping traditions:

• Spring honey, Gintautas Končius, „Bitidė“;

• rape honey, Darius Keturakis, „Barrel of honey“;

• summer honey, Petras and Ilona Daunorai, „Daunorų bitynas”;

• linden honey, Dainius Noreika, „Balsiai medus“;

• Sosnowski's borsch honey, Algirdas Amšiejus;

• forest honey produced by dark bees, Lina Grimutienė, „Grimuty medus“;

• urban honey, Paulius Chockevičius, „Urban bee“;

• cavity honey, Dzūkija National Park and Čepkelių State Nature Reserve Directorate;

• buckwheat honey, Laimonas Galvonas, „Honey House“.

Selection criteria and purpose

Lithuanian honey was selected in accordance with international standards for sensory analysis: taste, aroma, texture, colour, botanical origin and authenticity of nectar. The evaluation was carried out in a blinded manner to ensure complete objectivity. The selection was carried out by a team of certified honey sommeliers: Rasa Nabažaitė, Ilma Paluckė, Rokas Rutkus and Jolita Smaidrienė.

Each carefully selected sample – is a calling card of our country's nature, telling about the diversity of plants, the seasons and the skill of beekeepers.

Lithuanian honey is unique in the world

Lithuania offers not only the well-known types of honey (lime, buckwheat, rapeseed), but also rarer, unexpected flavours: cavity honey, forest honey, honey produced by the local dark bees, city honey. This diversity comes from the clean environment, the abundance of seasonal vegetation and the beekeeping traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation in Lithuania.

This selection is a kind of response from the beekeeping community to the recent cases of honey adulteration on the market. We want to show that we still have clean, quality, clearly sourced honey in Lithuania, worthy of the highest international recognition.

Public tasting – during Žolines in Stripeikiai

The selected honey samples will first be presented to the Lithuanian public – a public tasting will take place on 15 August at the Beekeeping Museum in Stripeikiai (Ignalina district). This is an opportunity for visitors to taste the honey that will soon represent Lithuania in the world.

„Apimondia“ – the global beekeeping scene

„Apimondia“ – is an international beekeeping organisation, founded in 1895, which organises world congresses every two years in different countries. More than 10,000 beekeepers, scientists, gastronomy experts and journalists from all over the world participate in the events.

„The Global Honey Bar“ in Copenhagen, Lithuanian honey will be presented in the original beekeepers' packaging, with QR codes, and will also be featured on the official website of the congress „Apimondia“.