Getting to know... Peter Taylor

In the latest instalment of Bdaily's Getting to know feature, which looks at the person behind the business profile, Peter Taylor, founder of Pocklington-based hard honey liqueur brand Honey Thief, talks about turning a side hustle into a thriving business, why he loves Yorkshire and how the Vikings led him to his partner in life...

We know you as the founder of Honey Thief, but who is the person behind the title? Tell us a little about what makes you tick…

I’m an adopted Yorkshireman, history buff, mead-maker and someone who’s happiest bringing people together over food, drink and a good story. 

My background includes the military, Viking re-enactments and, more recently, a wild ride into drinks innovation.

I live with ADHD, which means when I find something I love, I dive in headfirst, whether that was mead-making in my bathtub during lockdown or launching Honey Thief. 

What makes me tick is that blend of creativity and connection – sharing something I’ve made and watching it spark joy.

Did you always want to work in the hospitality world?

I started making mead as a side hustle in 2020 after being inspired by my mother-in-law, who’d been doing it for years. 

From there, things snowballed.

A chance encounter led to the Jorvik Viking Centre becoming our first customer, and suddenly I was on this path. 

Looking back, it feels like I was destined to work in the drinks industry because I’ve always loved how it brings people together.

What’s the best bit about your job? And the worst?

The best bit is still the moment someone tries Honey Thief for the first time – that look of surprise when they realise it’s unlike anything they’ve tasted before. 

Launching the UK’s first hard honey liqueur and seeing it on shelves in bars, supermarkets and even exported abroad has been surreal. 

The worst bit? Like any founder, it’s the juggling act: the long nights, paperwork, logistics and the moments where you feel like you’re fighting a hundred battles at once.

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?

Appearing on Dragons’ Den last year was a huge moment.

Even though I didn’t secure investment, the experience gave me a massive confidence boost, and the business has only grown stronger since. 

But my proudest achievement is creating a brand that feels authentic, bold, sustainable and unapologetically different.

Building it from my kitchen table into a £3 million company producing 50,000 bottles a year has been an incredible ride.

How do you relax outside of work?

The Yorkshire Dales are my happy place – wide skies, rolling hills, a picnic and a can of Honey Thief is my ideal switch-off.

I love cooking, live music and spending time with my wife, family and friends. 

What makes Yorkshire such a great place to live and work?

Yorkshire is unbeatable.

It’s got the heritage (perfect for a history nerd like me), the creativity and a real sense of community. 

People here want to support local, try new things and they do it all with humour. 

From the energy of York to the peace of the countryside, it’s a constant source of inspiration and the perfect place to brew up something as different as Honey Thief.

Tell us something about you we didn’t know…

I met my wife at the Battle of Stamford Bridge – a Viking re-enactment, of course. 

The funny part? On that particular day, I killed her dad on the battlefield! 

We went on to have not one, but two weddings – one of them a full replica Viking wedding with a pagan hand-tying ceremony over a sword. 

It’s a story I can’t wait to tell the grandkids.

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