Honey Baked Ham aims to have the new store open in 2025, with a target date of no later than the second quarter of 2026.
MURRIETA-TEMECULA, CA — The Honey Baked Ham Company is opening a store in the Murrieta-Temecula area, and it could be in time for the winter 2025 holiday season, a company spokesperson confirmed Monday.
Honey Baked Ham officials are currently working on a lease opportunity and hope to have it inked shortly, according to Eric Edwards, director of development for the Georgia-based company.
Edwards did not share an exact location yet, but said the deal in the Murrieta-Temecula valley is nearly done.
"We're in the 11th hour," he confirmed.
An existing Honey Baked Ham franchisee has been selected for the location. Honey Baked Ham has just two other locations in Riverside County — one in Riverside and the other in Rancho Mirage.
The Murrieta-Temecula area is a prime spot for another Honey Baked Ham store, according to Edwards. When the company was strategizing new U.S. locations, the Murrieta-Temecula valley emerged as one of the top 10 locales, he said.
"It's a high priority" area for us, Edwards said.
Honey Baked Ham officials identified the Southwest Riverside County region as a growth-friendly, family-oriented community that is up-and-coming with significant potential — key factors in deciding store locations, according to Edwards.
Honey Baked Ham has a long history. In 1957, Harry J. Hoenselaar opened the first Honey Baked store in Detroit, Michigan. All these years later, the privately held company is still owned by members of the Hoenselaar family.
The company's centerpiece product is honey-glazed ham, which is touted for its unique curing and cooking process. The result is a gourmet bone-in ham with a sweet, crunchy glaze.
The Honey Baked Ham Murrieta-Temecula location will feature those iconic hams for sale and offer in-restaurant lunches, as well as to-go lunch boxes and catering services, Edwards said.
The store will hire 12 to 14 employees. The headcount will nearly double during the holiday seasons that include Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to Edwards.
Honey Baked Ham aims to have the new store open by 2025, with a target date of no later than the second quarter of 2026.
Edwards said there is much excitement at the company about the Murrieta-Temecula location.
"California is a fantastic market for us," he said.
Currently, there are 32 Honey Baked Ham stores across the Golden State. The Murrieta-Temecula location will make 33. The company is also eyeing Bakersfield for a late 2026 opening.
Nationally, the company has 455 stores in 48 states.