How to read a New Zealand honey label

What should a New Zealand honey label tell you?

A New Zealand honey label must identify the food, give the net weight, name the producer or packer, and show a best-before date and country of origin. Beyond that, floral source names, “raw” and “pure” carry no single legal definition — except for mānuka, which is defined by a government test.

What must be there

• The name of the food, and the net weight.
• The name and address of the producer, packer or importer in New Zealand.
• A best-before date. Honey does not spoil like fresh food, but a date is still required.
• Country of origin, which matters more than people expect — some honey packed in New Zealand is not entirely from New Zealand.

Words with a definition behind them

“Mānuka” is the significant one. Honey may only be sold and exported as mānuka if it passes the Ministry for Primary Industries science definition, which tests chemical markers and a DNA marker. Grading systems such as UMF™ sit on top of that. Mānuka is the exception on a shelf otherwise full of undefined descriptors.

Words without one

• “Raw” — no legal definition in New Zealand. The producer's own description.
• “Pure” — implies nothing has been added, which is already required of anything sold as honey.
• “Natural” — carries no specific meaning for honey.
• “Multifloral” — regulated for mānuka, but on a bush honey it simply means mixed.
• Floral names other than mānuka — clover, rewarewa, kāmahi are descriptions of the dominant source, not certified grades.

Blended, and where it is from

A jar labelled “blend of New Zealand and imported honeys” is exactly that, and it is legal and clearly stated — but it is not a New Zealand honey. If provenance matters to you, the origin statement is the line to read, not the picture on the front.

Single-source honey from a named site is at the other end: one flow, one place, one season. It will vary from year to year, and that variation is evidence rather than inconsistency.

Batch numbers and tracing

Every jar carries a batch or lot code so the packer can recall it if needed. A few packers let you use it too: Airborne explains its six-digit batch format and lets you enter it online to see which apiaries the honey came from.

More guides

• Why honey goes hard, and how to bring it back
• Raw honey in New Zealand: what it means, where to buy it, what it costs
• How to store honey (and why it doesn't go off)
• Does honey expire? Best-before dates on NZ honey, explained
• Buying honey direct from a New Zealand beekeeper
• Clover, multifloral and liquid honey: what's the difference?
• Coromandel honey: what the bees work on the peninsula, and how to buy it
• The best honey in New Zealand, by what you want it for
• How much honey costs in New Zealand
• Creamed honey vs runny honey: what the difference actually is
• New Zealand honey by region: what each part of the country produces