The Truth
Not All Manuka Is Manuka.
The industry has a fraud problem. Here is how to tell if what you are buying — or selling — is the real thing.
The Truth
The industry has a fraud problem. Here is how to tell if what you are buying — or selling — is the real thing.
The Problem
New Zealand produces under 2,000 tonnes of genuine Manuka honey per year. Over 10,000 tonnes are sold globally under the Manuka name. A European Commission investigation found nearly half of sampled honey products were suspected of being fraudulent — diluted with sugar syrups, blended with cheaper honey, or mislabelled entirely. If you stock or sell Manuka, this is your reputation on the line.
Your Guide
Not just "Manuka" or "Manuka blend." A real number — MGO 100+, UMF 5+, or higher. If there is no number, there is no guarantee of potency.
This means the honey has passed NZ government-mandated testing for 4 chemical markers + 1 DNA marker unique to genuine Manuka.
Australian "Manuka" comes from a different plant species. Only New Zealand Leptospermum scoparium contains the proven antibacterial compounds.
Can the supplier tell you which region? Which beekeeper? Which batch? If the answer is vague, the product probably is too.
Genuine high-grade Manuka is expensive. The bees only produce it for 4 to 6 weeks a year from a single plant species in one country. If the price seems too good to be true, it is.
We are not asking you to trust us. We are showing you the proof.
For Partners
They are reading labels. They are asking questions. When the fraud stories hit the news — and they do, regularly — the brands that cannot prove their claims lose shelf space. Nuka gives you a product you can stand behind with confidence. Every jar comes with documentation. Every batch is independently verified. Every question has an answer.