How Traceability and Quality Control Ensures Premium Manuka Honey
09 September 2021
A product as precious as Mānuka honey requires substantial levels of traceability and quality control. However, according to IBIS World, a rise in health consciousness is forecasted to boost domestic honey consumption over the next five years. Thus, there’s never been a more opportune time to seek quality in a booming industry.
With Mānuka honey, the level of purity and authenticity is integral due to the well-studied health benefits and growing consumer awareness. However, seeking a comprehensive Mānuka honey production facility can be difficult in this current age due to counterfeit and fake products. Finding an apiary, packing and processing operation with effective traceability processes to ensure authentic Mānuka honey is vital to any discerning business and brand owner.
This blog will explain why sourcing honey from a traceable and quality-controlled facility is the best option. Acquiring a reputation as a world-leading producer of Mānuka Honey will require consistent testing and a dedicated commitment to authenticity.
Manuka Honey Is Meticulously Collected From Across New Zealand
A well-oiled Mānuka honey operation will require extensive resources and equipment. As the Mānuka flower is a native and rare plant within New Zealand, Mānuka honey harvesting requires meticulous processes.
An apiary that possesses a fleet of specialised beekeeping trucks will serve as a massive benefit. The ability to service, relocate and transport Mānuka honey is key to ensuring unmatched quality and healthy stock levels.
Hives must be strategically placed within dense Mānuka forests to ensure we target this specific type of nectar. Once they have returned to the hive, the bees then deposit their gatherings into the honeycomb. Here, a strong network of beekeepers then harvests the premium Mānuka honey.
Large-scale capacity and a network of suppliers across the country guarantee continuity of supply. Ensuring quality is maintained and delivered at any time.
Unique Extraction Processes
A dedicated purpose-built, state of art honey extraction facility is key to ensuring efficient undamaged honey collection and a quality-controlled Mānuka honey production process.
In New Zealand, the government has created licenses and certifications to ensure a strong focus on high-quality assurance standards. Some of these validations include RMP, the HACCP based Risk Management Programme and the SQF food production facility certification.
Furthermore, high grades of UMF™ require small batch production to ensure quality. Outside of standard larger scale production equipment, partnering with a producer who can meet these bespoke requirements will only serve to your business’s benefit.
Each step of Mānuka honey production is licensed and inspected by New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).
Quality Assurance
Quality is paramount for Mānuka honey. Therefore, seeking a facility with top quality assurance standards will benefit any growing business. Furthermore, knowing that the Mānuka honey received is of a consistently high standard will give confidence to your customers.
Moreover, your customers will be thrilled to hear that your business sells Mānuka honey that is UMF Registered. This internationally recognised certification guarantees that a buyer is receiving pure monofloral Mānuka honey. An independent accredited laboratory should test each batch to certify pure and Kiwi-made Mānuka honey. Additionally, Midlands Apiaries can deliver honey that is Halal and Kosher certified.
Lastly, traceability processes must be present to ensure the authenticity of raw materials. This benchmark will instil confidence in knowing that the final product is of the highest possible standard. Therefore, a crucial requirement when searching for an apiary is seeking one that prides itself on quality control and traceability systems. Midlands has the capabilities to ensure a consistent quality of honey from the hive to the table.
Partner With A New Zealand Producer Of A New Zealand Product
Place your brand with the experts. New Zealand prides itself on being the only nation with a legal definition of Mānuka honey. Although similar species of bush exist elsewhere, only New Zealand produces and crafts pure Mānuka honey. As the industry leaders of Mānuka honey production and supply, aligning your brand with a New Zealand producer will only serve as a benefit.
Additionally, New Zealand holds the most stringent requirements for Mānuka honey in the world. Adopting the UMF™ certification ensures all honey meets very high standards of quality. Your future customers deserve the best level of purity when they purchase one of your products.
Tested In Labs Every Step Of The Way
An experienced in-house lab will conduct a wide range of tests to meet national quality standards and those of the export markets. Ideally, tests should also be carried out by independent IANZ certified laboratories to ensure products comply with the most stringent quality standards.
Test results should be available via a certificate of analysis, validated against separate specifications alongside your customers. Subsequently, this protocol should lead to complying with high standards in both domestic and international markets.
State Of The Art Packing Facility
While aesthetically designed honey jars are an excellent feature for any brand, there is more to success than looks. An experienced honey packer should also be able to carry out the following:
- Honey blended to your specification
- Label design
- Retail-ready packaging
- Aware of import requirements
- Shipping documentation
- In-house laboratory testing
Nevertheless, as branding is an integral part of placing your stamp on the market, you’ll want to find a partner who can assist with establishing a unique look. Some all-encompassing facilities, such as Midland Apiaries, have in-house marketing teams who can help with getting the right tone for your product.
In conclusion, meeting production standards encapsulates everything from honey extraction to the arrival of a shipment. Ensuring a maintained level of quality right up until the jar is opened by your customer is what separates an okay brand from an incomparable brand.
Why Midlands Apiaries Is The Best Partner For Your Brand
Midlands Apiaries is this perfect partner. As one of New Zealand’s largest producers and suppliers of private label Mānuka honey and Mānuka honey in bulk - we know a thing or two about branding. We don’t just put honey in a jar; we provide a total honey solution. As one of the top Mānuka honey suppliers in NZ, our certified export honey can be branded and launched directly into your desired market.
Some of our existing retail brands include PURITI, Primal by Nature and Mount Somers. With each brand hitting a unique market from ultra-premium to affordable, we can accommodate your needs. In addition, we can offer versatile sizing on our standard range of products to best suit your customers.
We have built our business by developing long term partnerships with our customers. We create strong relationships, giving you the support and confidence you need to grow. We can craft, certify, and distribute retail-ready brands into your market.
Midlands Apiaries - Your Total Honey Solution
Midlands Apiaries is an independent, 100% New Zealand owned total honey solution, proud to bring the taste of New Zealand Honey to the world.
As New Zealand’s premiere honey producer and packer, our experienced beekeepers strategically place hives in the most pristine lands and forests of clean, green New Zealand. Set amongst a sustainable environment, our bees live up to their reputation as nature’s hardest workers.
We carry out a stable operation that leaves little to the imagination. With checks and balances along every step of the way, you’ll be sure that quality is our number one priority. Your new brand will be in excellent hands with our knowledgeable in-house marketing team and state of the art packaging facility.