Certified Toitu Net Carbon Zero Organisation: What It Means for Manuka Honey and Why It Matters
20 October 2025
At Midlands, caring for the land is at the heart of everything we do. From the hives that dot New Zealand’s pristine landscapes to the jars of Mānuka honey enjoyed around the world, our business depends on nature. That’s why we’re proud to announce that Midlands Apiaries has been certified Toitū Net Carbon Zero Organisation, a milestone that reflects not just what we produce, but how we produce it.
For our global partners and customers, this certification represents more than environmental responsibility. It signals a commitment to traceability, transparency, and sustainable honey production, the same values that underpin every successful private label and retail branded honey.
What Is Toitū Net Carbon Zero Certification?
Toitū Envirocare is New Zealand’s leading carbon certification authority, internationally recognised for its science-based and independently verified programmes.
Its Net Carbon Zero certification aligns with ISO 14064-1 and the GHG Protocol, two of the world’s most trusted carbon accounting frameworks. Delivering a certification that is objective, credible and globally recognised.
Earning Toitū Net Carbon Zero Organisation certification means that Midlands has:
- Measured significant and mandatory greenhouse gas emissions across our operations, from beekeeping and honey processing to packaging and export logistics.
- Developed a verified reduction plan, outlining how we’ll continue to lower emissions year on year.
- Offset unavoidable emissions through certified carbon credits that support environmental restoration projects.
The certification is independently audited each year, ensuring accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement.
In short: we’re not just claiming carbon neutral honey production, we’re proving it.
Why Carbon Certification Matters in Honey Production
Honey may be one of nature’s simplest foods, but producing it at scale requires thoughtful management. From energy use and packaging materials to transport and export freight, every stage carries a carbon footprint. Understanding that footprint allows us to reduce it, and the Toitū framework gives us the roadmap.
For Mānuka honey producers, the stakes are particularly high. Mānuka’s global reputation rests on purity, provenance, and natural wellness, values that align directly with sustainable, low-carbon operations.
Our Toitū certification reinforces these attributes with measurable proof.
Across our honey production process, Toitū certification drives improvement:
Beekeeping and Apiary Management: We monitor emissions from hive movements, energy use, and equipment. This helps us identify efficiencies such as route optimisation, renewable energy use, and better waste management in the field.
Processing and Packaging: Our state-of-the-art honey facility is designed for energy efficiency. Toitū verification encourages us to continually reduce power use, manage waste responsibly, and explore lower-impact sustainable packaging options.
Export and Logistics: As one of New Zealand’s largest private label honey suppliers, we export globally. Freight is a significant contributor to emissions, so we’re working closely with logistics partners to find lower-carbon routes and offset what can’t yet be avoided.
Why It Matters to Retailers and FMCG Buyers
For modern FMCG buyers, sustainability has become a non-negotiable. Global consumers increasingly demand transparency and climate accountability from food brands. Partnering with a Toitū-certified honey supplier allows retailers to meet that expectation with confidence.
Recent reports show:
- 85% of consumers have shifted their purchase behaviour toward sustainability (PwC, 2024).
- 70% are willing to pay more for environmentally responsible food and beverage products (PwC, 2023).
Working with a Toitū Net Carbon Zero certified organisation like Midlands gives you:
- A marketing advantage in sustainability-focused retail environments.
- Credible, third-party verification for your sustainability claims.
- Alignment with global ESG and corporate responsibility goals.
For private label honey brands, this certification adds instant value, helping your customers connect your brand with climate action, natural health, and authentic New Zealand provenance.
Why Carbon Neutrality Strengthens the Mānuka Story
Mānuka honey is unique to New Zealand, a natural product deeply tied to place, purity, and wellness.
By achieving Toitū Net Carbon Zero certification, Midlands strengthens that story. It connects the purity of product with the purity of process.
For global buyers, this means:
- A verified sustainability story that enhances your brand narrative.
- Proven environmental integrity across every part of the supply chain.
- Partnership with a company investing in genuine, measurable impact, not greenwashing.
In a competitive natural health category, the carbon neutral honey story offers differentiation and trust. It’s a tangible signal that sustainability and science go hand in hand.
Continuous Improvement: Beyond Carbon Neutral
Becoming Toitū Net Carbon Zero certified isn’t a finish line; it’s the foundation for continuous progress.
Each year, we re-measure, report, and refine. Our goal is to keep reducing our emissions and improving operational efficiency across all business units.
Initiatives underway include:
- Expanding local native planting.
- Further electrification of vehicles and equipment.
- Enhancing traceability and sustainability data systems.
By connecting environmental goals with operational excellence, we ensure that our honey and our impact meet the highest standards year after year.
Partnering for a Sustainable Future
For our retail and private label partners, Toitū certification adds an extra layer of confidence to every jar that carries the Midlands name. Whether you’re developing a bespoke private label Mānuka honey or looking for a retail-ready sustainable honey brand, you can trust that verified sustainability credentials back your product.
We see sustainability as a shared journey, one that connects beekeepers, customers, and consumers through respect for nature and measurable climate action.
By choosing a Toitū-certified supplier, you’re joining us in building a more sustainable future for honey production and for the planet.
Discover how your brand can benefit from sustainable Mānuka honey
True sustainability begins with accountability and ends with better choices for people, the planet, and the future of honey.
Get in touch to explore our Toitū Net Carbon Zero certified range and see how Midlands can support your private label or retail honey ambitions.
References
PwC. (2023, June 26). Decision points: Sharpening the pre-purchase consumer experience. https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/consumer-markets/consumer-insights-survey.html
PwC. (2024, May 15). Consumers willing to pay 9.7% sustainability premium, even as cost-of-living and inflationary concerns weigh. PwC 2024 Voice of the Consumer Survey. https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/news-room/press-releases/2024/pwc-2024-voice-of-consumer-survey.html