Keeping Product Integrity in the Growing Manuka Honey Market
The natural wellness market is soaring as people turn away from chemical-laden products and look to Mother Nature for clues on how to enhance their health. One such product enjoying its moment in the sun is manuka honey.
The manuka bush, including the honey made from manuka flower nectar, has traditionally been used as a wellness remedy, but only in recent years has it gained worldwide attention for its unique health and wellness benefits, creating a booming market for this limited natural resource.
What is Manuka Honey?
Manuka honey is made by bees pollinating the Leptospermum scoparium, commonly known as the manuka bush, native to New Zealand. The thick, creamy honey produced by these bees is typically dark brown in color and has an earthy, floral flavor.
Manuka honey, like all honey, has antibacterial properties. However, manuka honey has high levels of methylglyoxal, an antibacterial component that is found in only trace levels in other types of honey. The high quantity of this antibacterial component is due to the bees' specific collection of the manuka flower’s nectar. Manuka honey may also provide antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant benefits to users.
In order for honey from New Zealand to be labeled true “manuka honey”, it must pass chemical and DNA testing by the country’s Ministry for Primary Industries. Due to its booming popularity, the manuka industry has seen growth in fraudulent products. The New Zealand honey industry claims counterfeit manuka honey that is either falsely labeled for potency or produced outside of New Zealand from non-manuka sources is damaging their market and harming the integrity of the “manuka honey” label.
The Various Uses of Manuka Honey
Considered a superfood, honey made from the nectar of the manuka flower has a strong, complex flavor and can be used as a sweetener like other types of honey, dripped into tea, added to smoothies, drizzled over fruit, blended into yogurt, and more.
Manuka honey is also popular in bath and body products, including skincare. The honey is rich in vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and other nutrients to nourish, protect, and renew skin, making it an effective ingredient in these types of personal products.
Manuka honey came to popularity largely due to its ability to inhibit bacterial infections when placed on wounds and burns, giving it a reputation as a natural medicine. In order for manuka honey to be used for this or other therapeutic applications, it must have the highest levels of methylglyoxal. This type of manuka honey is often referred to as “Active Manuka Honey”. Levels of methylglyoxal in manuka honey are rated with a “unique Manuka factor or UMF. A UMF of 10 or higher means the honey contains useful levels of methylglyoxal.
While the honey applied to wounds is sterilized and considered incredibly high grade, the manuka honey in consumer pantries also has potential health and wellness benefits.
Traditionally, manuka honey has the following uses:
Wound dressing
Soothing sore throats
Promoting oral health
Improving digestive issues
Applying to scars
Treating skin blemishes
As an anti-inflammatory
Boosting immune system
As a purifying face mask
Despite these reported benefits, there is some doubt as to its true effectiveness. Clinical studies on the effects of manuka honey will help confirm or debunk any potential health benefits. Until then, anecdotal support for its effects has continued to drive sales of the honey.
Managing the Growing Manuka Honey Industry
The popularity of manuka honey has trended upward, with its application increasing worldwide. Although many consumers purchase pure manuka honey for its wellness benefits, it has also become a popular ingredient in many food products, as well as personal products such as shampoos and conditioners, skin creams, facial masks, blemish cream, and more. This rise in popularity has created global demand for manuka honey, increasing market value and putting a pinch on producers.
Because true manuka honey is made from a scarce natural source that grows only in specific regions of New Zealand, it retains a price tag high above that of other honey. Manuka flowers blossom for just 2-6 weeks a year, further limiting production and increasing demand. Limitations on real manuka honey production, combined with the sudden demand for the honey as an ingredient in a wide variety of wellness products, has created a market ripe for investment.
According to one report, “The worldwide market for manuka honey is expected to reach $1.6 billion in 2024, growing from an anticipated $940 million in 2019.” With this upward growth, the manuka honey industry is highly attractive for those looking to capitalize, as the industry still exists as a ground floor opportunity with room to grow.
However, this limited resource must be carefully managed to retain the integrity of manuka honey and protect the vulnerable ecological region where it is produced. Tight restrictions on labeling can prevent the spread of fake manuka honey throughout the market and help New Zealand’s honey producers to capitalize on this specialized product. Additionally, regulations on land use and production can protect the ecology in the region to ensure we continue to have access to manuka honey in the future.