How To Tell If Mānuka Honey is High-Quality

Mānuka honey is one of nature’s most remarkable products, but because of its global reputation and premium price point, not all jars on the shelf promise the same quality inside. 

For both everyday consumers and commercial purchasers, the marketplace can become a confusing landscape when it comes to what the label claims, the various price points and the complicated grading systems. 

That’s why Midlands Apiaries is ready to help you discern what makes honey high quality, whether you’re looking for the unique raw honey benefits of premium retail Mānuka honey, or sourcing bulk Mānuka honey for your own brand. 

Let’s explore the clues and criteria that confirm whether your jar of Mānuka honey truly is the real deal, because this standard of product is worth the extra check-over. 

What Does ‘High Quality’ Actually Mean?

At its core, high quality honey is defined by its authenticity, its specific floral source and how little it’s been altered since leaving the hive. Pure, premium Mānuka honey should always be a direct reflection of the pristine New Zealand environment where it was gathered from. 

A primary marker of its value is the floral source, because high quality honey must be produced from the nectar of the Mānuka plant. Quality is also determined by a low water content; premium Mānuka honey is always naturally thick, whereas high moisture levels can lead to unwanted fermentation. 

Furthermore, minimal processing of Mānuka honey is a key hallmark of excellence, because it ensures that the honey hasn’t been excessively heated, protecting its natural compounds and keeping them active within the product. 

It’s also worth noting that true authenticity means honey that’s considered ‘clean’, which simply means it’s free from the dilution of any sugar syrups, or ultra-filtration techniques that often strip away the pollen and enzymes that identify the honey’s origin. 

Understand the Grading Systems

What makes Mānuka honey such an interesting product is the fact that its authenticity and potency isn’t decided by the people or companies who harvest or deliver it. The standard of quality is consistently high, but not all Mānuka honey is created equal.

Whenever you’re trying to determine how to pick high quality honey in the Mānuka honey category, you’ll want to start by looking beyond any claims of it being ‘pure’ (because, all Mānuka honey is pure), and prove it through what the jar’s label tells you. 

Every jar of Mānuka honey will provide a rating with either one or both types of grading systems - MGO and UMF. 

The MGO, or methylglyoxal level, measures the concentration of the key compound that’s responsible for Mānuka honey’s unique properties. The higher the MGO number, the more potent, or higher quality, the honey is. Alongside this, the UMF (Unique Mānuka Factor) rating system provides a comprehensive quality trademark that appraises purity and authenticity, including markers for Leptosperin and DHA. 

These ratings are both reliable and provide the gold standard for how to know if honey is pure and potent, because they require the product within to undergo rigorous independent laboratory tests before the jar can be certified. 

We’ve written numerous articles on the differences between MGO and UMF - differences between MGO and UMF.

Raw vs Processed Mānuka honey

When it comes to Mānuka honey, one of the most important factors in what makes honey high quality is the difference between raw and processed products. 

Understanding the difference isn’t just about texture, it’s about observing and testing the ‘living’ elements of Mānuka honey that provide its unique wellness benefits. See the table below to better understand the differences between both types:

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Practical Indicators of High-Quality Mānuka Honey 

Making things more practical - when you’re shopping for Mānuka honey, there’s a chance you’ll be holding a jar of physical Mānuka honey in your hand, by which point you’ll be able to determine some of the points in the table above. 

When you look at the jar of Mānuka honey in your hand, you’ll be able to use your senses to easily spot the key quality signals. The viscosity of the honey is a tell-tale sign of purity; high-quality honey is naturally thick and should move very slowly when the jar is tilted. 

You should also look for rich, dark cream that’s amber in colour, as authentic Mānuka honey typically has a denser hue than standard floral honeys. The aroma is equally telling; premium Mānuka honey should have a distinct damp earth and heather scent, rather than smelling of straight sugar - like other honey products. 

Also, when it comes to flavour (if you’re able to taste it), pure Mānuka honey offers a complex, almost slightly bitter taste with a little tang and a lingering finish, whereas poor-quality honey often lacks any depth and simply tastes like intense sweetness. 

Labelling, Certification and Traceability

For premium buyers and B2B partners, sensory cues may not be enough. You’ll need a pure honey checklist that’s based on hard data and New Zealand export regulations. 

To learn how to tell real honey from fake, you’ll first need to look at evidence of independent lab testing. Reputable suppliers can provide batch-specific lab reports that confirm the MGO levels and/or the UMF grade. 

Origin traceability is another benchmark, ensuring that you’re able to trace a specific jar of honey back to the New Zealand hive where it was first sources. You’ll want to check that the company you’re buying from confirms their Mānuka honey was ‘packed in New Zealand,’ which guarantees the product has met the Ministry of Primary Industries’ (MPI) stringent scientific definition for Mānuka honey. 

Home Tests vs Laboratory Tests - What Works?

There are several at-home honey purity tests that have since been shared online. While some can offer helpful indicators, they have significant limitations compared to professional honey authenticity testing.

A common method that’s encouraged online is the water test, which involves dropping a spoonful of Mānuka honey into a glass of water to see whether it stays together and sinks. Fake Mānuka honey will start dissolving immediately. 

The thumb test is another simple check, which involves placing a drop of Mānuka honey on your thumb to see if it stays in place or spreads and spills - which can suggest high moisture of syrups have been added to the mixture. 

Some buyers also use the heat or foam test, because pure Mānuka honey caramelizes quickly when it’s heated. However, none of these tests are a substitute for professional laboratory testing, which is the only true way to determine whether a Mānuka honey’s chemical make-up and MGO potency is 100% authentic. 

Knowing how to tell if honey is pure involves identifying some of the common marketplace risks and deceptions, which are common for a product that is as sought-after as Mānuka honey. 

Unrealistic pricing is often a major red flag; if a “premium MGO” honey is significantly cheaper than its competitors, it might be diluted with inexpensive syrups or be a ‘multi-floral’ blend, rather than ‘monofloral’. Visit our website to learn more about the concept of monofloral Mānuka honey. 

Missing information on the packaging is another concern. Buyers should be wary of labels that do not list a specific MGO or UMF rating, or the contact details of the New Zealand producer. 

Finally, an ultra-clear, runny appearance is a sign of trouble; if a Mānuka honey product looks like thin corn syrup and never shows signs of thickening, it has likely been heavily processed or over-filtered. 

How Midlands Apiaries Ensures Premium Mānuka honey

Investing in the right product is your way of ensuring you receive the full raw honey benefits of Mānuka honey, which includes the unique antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of MGO. 

For commercial buyers, sourcing by using a pure honey checklist is the safest way to protect your brand’s reputation, ensuring regulatory compliance and justifying the premium prices that customers should be paying for your product. 

Here at Midlands Apiaries, we take the guesswork out of how to tell if Mānuka honey is pure by implementing a rigorous quality assurance framework, which spans from the hive to the final shipment. As a leading New Zealand Mānuka honey supplier, our processes are designed to support premium positioning and build absolute trust with both consumers and commercial partners. 

Rigorous New Zealand Sourcing

Our commitment to high quality honey begins at the source. We utilise our extensive network of beekeepers across the pristine landscapes of New Zealand to ensure that our Mānuka honey is harvested from the most remote and floral-rich environments. 

By controlling the sourcing process, we guarantee the honey is authentic and meets the strict scientific definition of Mānuka honey that’s required for export. 

Comprehensive Testing for MGO & UMF

To provide a definitive answer on what makes honey high quality, every batch of our Mānuka honey undergoes strict laboratory analysis. 

We’ll test for key markers including MGO and UMF, to verify every batch’s potency, purity and shelf-life stability. These honey authenticity tests ensure that the product in the jar matches claims on the label, protecting the integrity of your brand and the health of your buyers. 

Full Traceability and Independent Verification

We know that when it comes to B2B and private label partnership, supply chain risk is a major pain point. Midlands Apiaries provides comprehensive “hive-to-jar” traceability, which allows for the possibility of tracking the origin of every batch to its original source. 

All of our results are independently verified by accredited New Zealand laboratories, providing an objective pure honey checklist that confirms the product is free from adulteration and hasn’t been diluted with sugar syrups. 

Strict Export and Compliance Standards

As an established authority in the industry, we adhere to the highest export compliance standards that are set by the New Zealand government. 

This ensures that our honey is not only of the highest culinary grade, but also meets the regulatory requirements of international markets. Our state-of-the-art packing facilities are designed to maintain the honey in its most natural state, preserving the raw honey benefits that our customers expect from a premium product. 

Ensuring High-Quality Mānuka Honey For Your Business

Identifying high-quality Mānuka honey requires a careful look at both the sensory cues and scientific validation. From its naturally thick viscosity and rich amber hue to the complex, bittersweet flavour profile, truly premium Mānuka honey is a product of minimal processing and pristine sourcing. 

However, the gold standard for authentic Mānuka honey always remains with reliable lab testing and independent grading through the UMF and MGO systems. Make sure that you choose a partner like Midlands Apiaries, who is able to reliably provide products that meet both of these standards, helping you bypass the risks of unclear labelling, export nightmares and products that don’t match the promise. 

Our commitment to full traceability, strict export compliance and hive-to-jar verification is our way of ensuring that every drop of Mānuka honey retains its natural compounds, delivering an authentic New Zealand experience that your brand deserves. 

If you’d like to purchase high-quality Mānuka honey that meets all the above criteria, visit our retail-ready brand PURITI and browse their stunning range of honey products - from Mānuka UMF 5+ all the way to ultra-rare 31+.

We also invite you to get in touch with one of Midlands Apiaries’ team members and learn how Mānuka honey could serve your customers. Our friendly experts understand the intricate details of the honey market and will guide you towards the products that would best suit your business.