Manuka honey - buzz or bust?

New Zealand's honey

You’ve probably looked on the supermarket shelves and spotted a jar of dark set honey with an eye watering price point, sometimes above and beyond the hundred-pound price point. Manuka honey.

A honey that is primarily grown in New Zealand, the honey comes from bees visiting the Manuka or tea tree, Leptospermun Scoparium.

Why is Manuka honey so expensive?

So, Manuka Honey is expensive because it tastes the best, right?

Well not really, at least not for customers wanting to eat it. What sets manuka honey apart is high levels of antibacterial compounds, especially methylglyoxal or MGO as you’ll probably see on the jar.

Medical dressings and bandages with manuka honey

Manuka honey is the only certified honey that can be used in medical dressings and bandages especially for burns following clinical trials. This has had the added effect of inflating the price because of its medical and cosmetic applications. This naturally means a higher price point for customers. There are other factors at play such as extensive marketing by the New Zealand Government, huge demand in China, media coverage and endorsed heavily by celebrities also help drive up the price point.

Bitter honey?

As a dark honey, Manuka is described as somewhat bitter and would best be described as an acquired taste. There are also similar honeys out there such as Ling Heather honey that have been touted as having similar properties to Manuka but for a much lower price point.