Why Is Mānuka Honey So Expensive?

Why is mānuka honey so expensive in New Zealand?

Grading costs money — four laboratory tests and a licence per batch — and mānuka flowers for a few weeks a year in specific places. But the honest answer is that price varies far more between brands at the same grade than the testing could explain, and nobody outside those businesses can see why.

Last checked 16 September 2026 against UMF Honey Association

Updated 16 September 2026 · About 5 minutes to read · Written by NZ Mānuka Honey

How much does price actually vary at one grade?

A lot. On one day in September 2026, a 250 g jar of UMF™ 15+ ranged from about $30 to $156 across five licensed New Zealand brands. That is the same certified minimum MGO, leptosperin and DHA, at five times the price. The full table, with links to every page we read, is on the buying pillar.

What does the grading itself involve?

Four tests per batch — MGO, leptosperin, DHA and HMF — plus a licence from the UMF Honey Association and a certificate the batch number traces back to. UMFHA also runs in-market testing through laboratories in the United States, the United Kingdom and China. That is a real cost structure, and it is paid per batch by the licensee.

What about the honey itself?

Mānuka flowers for a short window, and hives have to be where it is flowering. Airborne describe rewarewa as a premium variety simply because the flowers may not bloom well each year — the same logic applies with more force to mānuka. Beyond that we are into figures we could not source, so this guide stops here.

Is the expensive jar better?

At the same grade, the expensive jar has met the same published minimums as the cheap one. It may test higher than the minimum, and there is no way to see that from outside. What we can say is what the grade guarantees and what you are paying per 100 g, which is why both of those numbers are on this site and neither is a verdict.

Frequently asked questions

Is cheap mānuka honey fake?

Not necessarily. Check the licence number against UMFHA's list; if it matches, the grade is certified regardless of what it cost.

Why is it cheaper overseas?

Sometimes it isn't — and the brands with US shops price in US dollars, which makes any comparison we made up misleading. We don't convert other people's prices.

Does a bigger jar cost less per 100 g?

Usually, but not always, and not by a consistent amount. That's why every price on this site carries a price per 100 g beside it.

Will your prices be cheaper?

We don't know, and we won't pretend to. We have no wholesale account yet, so we have no cost, so we have no price.