
Mānuka 101
What is Mānuka Honey?
Mānuka honey comes only from the nectar of the mānuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium), native to New Zealand. It’s thicker and darker than everyday honey, with a rich, earthy, caramel-like taste.
What sets it apart is MGO (methylglyoxal), a natural compound found in mānuka at far higher levels than in any other honey. The MGO number on every jar tells you its strength: the higher the number, the rarer the honey.
Egmont Honey began with a single hive, given as a gift. Today we care for 22,000 hives across the country, making us New Zealand’s largest beekeeper.
Growing hasn’t changed how we keep our bees. We leave them plenty of their own honey for winter, we’re regenerating native mānuka forest so they have room to forage, and we never hire our hives out for commercial pollination.




CHECK YOUR MGO
Scan & trace your honey
Every jar carries a QR code on the label. Scan it to see the independent lab results for your batch, including its certified MGO level.
Each batch is tested by a government-accredited laboratory in New Zealand, so you can check exactly what you’re buying.
The Egmont difference
Why Egmont Honey
Not all honey is equal. Ours comes from our own hives and is lab-tested for MGO batch by batch, so you know exactly what’s in every spoon.
Egmont Honey
Regular Honey
2,200 bioactive compounds
Naturally high in MGO
Every batch lab-tested & traceable
Raw & unpasteurised
Varies
Harvested, tested & packed in New Zealand
Varies
How we prove it’s real

MGO Tested
Every batch is lab-tested for MGO, the natural compound behind mānuka’s strength. The number on your jar is the guaranteed minimum.

NZ Fernmark
Licensed to carry the Fernmark, the New Zealand Government’s mark of genuine New Zealand origin.

UMF™ Licensed
Graded under the UMF™ system, which tests for the key natural markers of genuine mānuka honey, not just MGO.











