Published
09/24/2026, 14:49Consumer preferences in the honey market vary significantly from country to country. This was explained by Emma Savitskaya, head of Dary-Tian Shan LLC.
According to her, in Kyrgyzstan, consumers mainly prefer mountain wildflower honey – honey with a distinct flavour and aroma. Meanwhile, the European market is more focused on white honey.
“For them, it’s a novelty. It’s very mild and delicate in flavour, and they really like it,” said Savitskaya.
European buyers, on the other hand, perceive mountain honey with its rich flavour quite differently. According to the entrepreneur, it may seem too intense and aromatic to them.
In Malaysia, the situation is the reverse: there, buyers actually prefer Kyrgyz mountain honey. White honey attracts less interest, as its colour and flavour – which are unfamiliar to local consumers – may be associated with sugar.
“Each market has its own demands, and we must adapt to each customer,” noted Savitskaya.
The company “Dary-Tian Shan” has been exporting honey for around 20 years. With the support of the UNDP project ‘Trade Facilitation in Central Asia’, the company obtained ISO 22000 certification and modernised its equipment.
According to the company, export volumes rose from 47 tonnes in 2023 to 73 tonnes in 2025.
