Manuka Honey Industry Terms

You may be a business that is interested in Mānuka honey for your products and is looking for the right supplier. Firstly, Midlands Apiaries will be your ideal business partner as we run a complete turnkey operation that can provide you with everything you’ll need. However, as you join us on this journey, you should become familiar with the language and jargon that is frequently used within the honey industry. 

This article will go through the ins and outs of honey terminology to ensure that you understand the language frequently used within the Mānuka honey industry. When we partner with a growing business, we want them to know about the pure Mānuka honey we produce and supply. 

Honey: 

For Mānuka honey to become “Monofloral Mānuka honey,” the bee product must test positive for all five unique attributes. These factors include four chemical markers and one DNA marker. 

Nectar: 

Nectar is extracted from the Mānuka flower to create this unique honey then. As the raw form of honey, this is the essence of which the bees then “work” to produce the honey we all know. The bees will then store this processed nectar in the honeycomb cells. 

Honeydew: 

Different to honey, honeydew occurs when bees collect the secretions from plant-sucking insects while collecting nectar. With a comparatively stronger flavour profile compared to Mānuka honey, this sweet treat is sold by many as a variety of honey. 

Honeycomb:

Honeycomb refers to the network of honey-filled cells where bees deposit their “worked” nectar. Honey is eventually harvested once the honeycomb has become large enough that Midlands Apiaries oversees a complex operation that ultimately sees the pure Mānuka honey pouring into to the jar. 

Honey Capping: 

When a cell within the honeycomb is filled with cured honey, the bees will add a thin layer of new wax over the top, like a cap on a bottle. This cap is made from beeswax. 

Monofloral: 

Monofloral Mānuka honey refers to honey that is derived from nectar only from the Mānuka flower. The pollen count is usually used to identify the key biomarkers that determine genuine Mānuka honey. Only Monofloral Mānuka honey can be considered pure Mānuka honey. 

Monofloral Mānuka honey refers to honey that is derived from nectar only from the Mānuka flower. Only Monofloral Mānuka honey can be considered pure Mānuka honey. 

Multifloral:

Multifloral Mānuka honey refers to honey that contains a fraction of Mānuka nectar but is also compiled of several other species of nectar. Multifloral Mānuka honey can still showcase a similar appearance as monofloral Mānuka honey - an amber, opaque and highly viscous honey. 

Extraction: 

One of the most common processes in honey production, extraction occurs when uncapped honey (beeswax and honey) is spun around in a chamber, and the centrifugal force separates the beeswax from the honey. The result is 100% pure New Zealand Mānuka honey. 

Pressing: 

Ensuring that most of the Mānuka honey is extracted from the honeycomb, pressing is the process of pressurising the honeycomb so that all of the honey in the cells is harvested. 

Creaming: 

A method of processing where crystallised honey and liquid honey are churned together and cooled. Here, an opaque and thick substance is produced, which is easily spreadable. 

Crystallising: 

This naturally-occurring process refers to the formation of crystals from the liquid Mānuka honey form. The sugars form a network and separate from the water leading to a solid, crystalline structure than will return to a viscous liquid state when warmed. 

Drying: 

Drying Mānuka honey causes the viscous liquid to be reduced to powder homogenisation. This process created powdered honey, which is commonly used in baking.

Pasteurising:

The process by which heating destroys the yeast and glucose crystal formation. This process makes for a darker and more preserved honey variety. Any Mānuka honey that is pasteurised cannot be considered raw Mānuka honey. 

Midlands Apiaries Can Provide You With 100% Pure New Zealand Mānuka Honey

Midlands Apiaries is the perfect partner for your brand. Wherever your business sits in a specific industry, i.e. skincare, natural foods or genuine Mānuka honey provider - we have all the latest technology and expertise to deliver what you want and when you need it. In addition, our widespread Mānuka honey supply and production operations can work with you to achieve your goals. 

We also offer the services of a highly knowledgeable sales & marketing team. So if you’re looking to bring a fantastic brand to market, our team of professionals can plan a pathway to your launch. With an extensive network of honey supplies and laboratories - Midlands Apiaries can provide your business with everything it needs.

Additionally, as the largest New Zealand supplier of wholesale Mānuka honey globally, Midlands Apiaries knows a thing or two about quality. An accredited, independent laboratory tests each batch of Mānuka honey from Midlands Apiaries for certification. We are very aware of the stringent requirements set forth by UMF™HA (Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association). Our undeniable expertise in crafting Mānuka honey will give your business the necessary confidence to consistently deliver quality products. 

Get in touch with us today for more information about how Midlands Apiaries can make for a beneficial partner in your budding business.