SummerGlow Apiaries, Hamilton, welcome the new Manuka Honey labelling guidelines.
Waikato-based Manuka Honey producers SummerGlow Apiaries are supportive of the new industry guidelines for the labelling
of true Manuka Honey but are wanting to take things further for their customers.
Over the past year the New Zealand MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries) have been undertaking a consultative process
with various stakeholders in the New Zealand Manuka Honey industry. Their goal was to develop labelling guidelines in
order to protect the world markets for all New Zealand Manuka Honey producers/sellers.
"We have seen many international markets negatively impacted by non-genuine honey with little to no backing to their
label claims, Labels that are misleading such as "Active 30+" or just simply "Active" honey do damage to those of us
that produce and certify that our honey is the real deal," says James Jeffery, of SummerGlow Apiaries
Last week MPI released an interim guideline document outlining to persons responsible for labeling and retailing Manuka
Honey and their customers how honey bearing the Manuka Honey name is to be quantified and labelled.
SummerGlow Apiaries supports the moves taken by MPI towards a clean industry where all companies are operating on a
level playing field and consumers can have confidence that they are getting what they pay for. “We urge the MPI not to
stop here, the job is only half done and emerging science has the answers that will level the playing field,” says James
SummerGlow Apiaries also lends its support to this cause through its active ties with the UMFHA (UMF Honey Association,
of which co-owner Margaret Bennett is a serving Executive Council Member) for further science and development in the
field of Manuka Honey identification. "The more we know and the more we can prove to our customers that they are buying
genuine product, the more our customers can benefit from this wonderful honey," says James Jeffery, of SummerGlow.
The UMFHA is undertaking the second sample collection phase of its Manuka ID project this summer and already the
results from last year’s testing is extraordinary in its ability to accurately define Manuka Honey.
"SummerGlow, whilst supporting the MPI in its initiatives, will never compromise when it comes to the purity of its
products and is always looking for better ways to offer this assurance to its customers," says James Jeffery.
UMF branded Manuka Honey is produced, packed, tested and marketed under the watchful eye of the UMF Honey Association
giving customers assurance and confidence that they are buying genuine Manuka Honey.
SummerGlow Apiaries have been beekeeping and producing Manuka Honey for more than 37 years, and specialising in high
activity UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) Manuka Honey for the past 18 years. In particular SummerGlow Apiaries specializes in
the highest quality UMF 10+ and superior UMF16+.
ends