Rivalry between Manuka Honey from New Zealand and Australia

Currently, New Zealand is making a bid for a Manuka trademark in China, where the honey is very popular due to antibacterial properties. This would mean that only New Zealand Manuka honey can enter the Chinese market, disadvantaging Australia, which also produces Manuka honey. The New Zealand honey producers are backed by the New Zealand government, but the Australian government is not willing to partake in the dispute so far.

Producing Manuka Honey

Mānuka honey is a specific variety of honey that originates from New Zealand and Australia. It is made by bees that get their nectar from flowers from the Manuka bush, which is indigenous to New Zealand. The honey from the Manuka bush is claimed to contain powerful non-peroxide antibacterial properties. The bushes usually grow on a mountainside, so Onuku Honey, a New Zealand producer of Manuka honey, explains that the hives are transported up and down the hill. Manuka honey is sold as premium honey in the international market by New Zealand and Australia.

According to Onuku Honey, the honey from New Zealand has to comply with strict standards in order to be called Manuka. The honey undergoes frequent testing to ensure that the product is un-adulterated Manuka honey only. When the honey is labeled Manuka, it receives the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) from the UMF Honey Association (UMFHA). Without the license, honey cannot be exported as Manuka honey. 

The Difference Between New Zealand and Australian Manuka Honey

Both New Zealand and Australia produce Manuka honey, but the countries dispute over who can officially call it Manuka honey. The difference between Australian and New Zealand Manuka honey mainly stems from the plant the honey is made from. In New Zealand, Manuka honey is derived from a plant called Leptospermum scoparium, which is part of the larger plant family Leptospermum, of which there are over 80 different species. In New Zealand, in order to be called Manuka, the honey can only be derived from the Leptospermum scoparium. Australian Manuka honey, on the other hand, is derived from multiple species of the Leptospermum plant, as the plants are often grown side-by-side. Australian Manuka honey is slightly darker than its New Zealand counterpart. 

New Zealand producers claim that Australian Manuka honey cannot call itself Manuka honey, as it is derived from multiple species of the Leptospermum. Australian producers, on the other hand, assert that Australian Manuka Honey has powerful antibacterial properties, as several of the Leptospermum species from which Australian honey is derived have extremely high antibacterial properties. 

New Zealand producers have made a bid for an official trademark in China, which is one of the biggest growth markets for Manuka honey. The trademark would protect New Zealand Manuka honey and would not allow Australian Manuka honey to be imported into China. This would severely disadvantage the Australian producers. 

Increasing Demand in East-Asia

Manuka honey is popular in the United States and is gaining popularity in Asia. In the US, it is marketed by Wholefoods as a non-GMO product. The demand for non-GMO products is growing in the US, so many New Zealand exporters have received non-GMO accreditation recently, such as Onuku Honey. In Asia, Manuka honey is gaining popularity due to its antibacterial properties and it is often marketed as a medicinal food product in this region. In Europe, however, the demand for Manuka honey is not yet high. This is mainly due to strong competition in the European market: there are many different mono-floral honey and honeydew honey varieties in Europe, making it hard for Manuka honey to penetrate the market.