Mānuka honey is a special type of honey produced by bees that pollinate the Mānuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), which is native to New Zealand. Unlike regular honey, Mānuka is known for its distinct taste and naturally occurring compound called Methylglyoxal (MGO).

Our MGO Mānuka Honey has been rated to offer a guarantee to our customers that the products we sell are genuine. The “MGO” label is a quality rating system indicating the strength of Methylglyoxal within the honey, reflecting its authenticity and potency. This helps ensure that all certified Mānuka Honey in our UK shop is authentic and of the highest quality. Furthermore, Manuka Lab also operates a full traceability program from hive to home, using our expert scanning system.

Mānuka honey originates in New Zealand, where the native Mānuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) thrives in remote, rugged landscapes. For centuries, the indigenous Māori people valued the Mānuka plant for its natural healing properties, using its leaves and bark in traditional remedies. The unique honey we know today became possible only after European settlers introduced honey bees to New Zealand in the 1800s. Since then, bees have gathered nectar from Mānuka flowers to create this remarkable honey, now recognised worldwide for its purity, potency, and distinctive wellness benefits.

MGO stands for Methylglyoxal, which is the name of the chemical marker that gives Mānuka honey its unique antimicrobial activity. This helps ensure that all certified Mānuka honey are authentic and the highest quality.

Monofloral Mānuka honey is made primarily from the nectar of the Mānuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium). To be classified as monofloral, the honey must meet strict standards, showing high levels of Mānuka-specific markers and pollen. This results in a purer Mānuka flavour and a more consistent profile.

Multifloral Mānuka honey, on the other hand, is produced by bees that collect nectar from Mānuka flowers as well as other floral sources nearby. While Mānuka nectar is still the main ingredient, the presence of additional floral varieties gives multifloral honey a lighter Mānuka taste and a slightly different composition. Both types are genuine Mānuka honey, but monofloral is more concentrated and distinctive.

Ethical production is vitally important in all items we buy – this is why the Mānuka Lab shares equal percentages of honey sales between Mānuka resources owners, beekeepers and the honey processing company. By using a fair share benchmark that is higher than the industry standard, we can continually support landowners to guard, protect and nurture Mānuka plants, leading to a sustainable future together.

Our Ethical Honey Harvesting Programme also sets out clear quality policies and procedures for all harvest and apiary operators working with us. This programme’s aim is to protect the bees and hives from risk of contamination, to protect the environment during harvesting and to keep our people safe through the process.

All our Mānuka honey is produced and packed in New Zealand, we also have a hive scanner system which manages our batch traceability.

Yes, all MANUKA LAB® Mānuka honey is collected by our kiwi bees, harvested by our beekeepers from the untamed East Coast of New Zealand.