Manuka Honey Price Guide: Why It Costs More and Is It Worth It?

The short answer

Manuka honey costs more than other honey because it only comes from New Zealand, where the Manuka bush flowers for just two to six weeks a year, often in remote country, and every batch is lab tested before it can carry an MGO or UMF™ grade. Within that, the price rises with the MGO number. MGO is the main driver of Manuka honey's antibacterial activity, and the higher the number, the stronger the honey. Higher grades are also rarer, so they cost more.

If you've wondered why a jar of Manuka honey costs what it does, here's what goes into the price, how it changes from one grade to the next, how to compare jars fairly, and how to get good value when you buy.

No single thing makes Manuka honey expensive. It's a mix of nature, distance and testing, and each one limits how much honey reaches a jar.

• It only comes from New Zealand. Manuka honey is made from the nectar of the Manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), which is native to New Zealand. We only consider honey from New Zealand to be Manuka honey.
• A very short flowering season. The bush flowers for only two to six weeks each year, usually between late November and early February. Beekeepers have one chance a season to catch it.
• The weather decides the harvest. Heavy rain keeps bees in the hive, drought means less nectar, and a cold snap can cut the flowering short. In a poor season there is simply less honey.
• Remote hives. Much of the Manuka grows on steep hillsides and in isolated valleys far from roads. Reaching the hives takes time and effort, and some sites are reached by helicopter.
• Every batch is tested. MGO can't be seen or tasted, so it has to be measured. Each batch goes to an independent lab before it can be graded and sold, and UMF™ honey is also tested for leptosperin, DHA and HMF.
• Not every harvest makes the grade. Some honey from each season tests below the levels needed to be sold as graded Manuka honey, and only a small share reaches the top grades.
• Packed and licensed in New Zealand. To carry the UMF™ mark, a producer needs a UMFHA licence, and the honey must be packed and labelled in New Zealand.
• Demand around the world. People in many countries want genuine Manuka honey, but the supply can't simply be scaled up. You can't plant more bushes and harvest them the next year.

Put together, this is why Manuka honey costs more than regular honey.

The biggest thing that changes the price of one jar against another is its MGO grade. The number on the jar is milligrams of MGO per kilogram of honey, so MGO 573+ means at least 573 mg/kg. The higher the grade, the less of it each season produces, and the more it costs.

We group our jars into three tiers by MGO:

• Everyday (under MGO 400): the most affordable way to enjoy genuine Manuka honey, and the easiest to keep in the pantry.
• Premium (MGO 400 to 799): a step up in strength and in price.
• Superior (MGO 800 and up): our rarest grades, and the most expensive. See our guide to the highest MGO Manuka honey.

Within one brand's range, the price climbs steadily with the MGO number. Between brands, the same grade can be priced a little differently, so it pays to compare like with like (more on that below).

One brand, three tiers

Here's how it looks across one range: Manuka Health MGO 263+ (UMF 10+), Manuka Health MGO 400+ (UMF 13+), Manuka Health MGO 573+ (UMF 16+) and Manuka Health MGO 850+ (UMF 20+) Limited Edition, all in 250g jars. Each card shows the price in your currency.

Two jars can look similar on the shelf and still be very different buys. Before you compare prices, check these four things.

1. Compare the price per gram. Jars come in different sizes, so divide the price by the weight (or work it out per 100g). A 500g jar that costs a little less than two 250g jars is the better buy.
2. Compare the same MGO. An MGO 263+ jar and an MGO 573+ jar are different strengths, so a straight price comparison doesn't tell you much. Line up jars of the same grade.
3. Don't mix up MGO and UMF™. They are two scales for the same thing. UMF 10+ is about MGO 263+, so a UMF 10+ jar is much stronger than an MGO 100+ jar, even though "10" looks smaller than "100".
4. Check monofloral or multifloral. Multifloral Manuka honey comes from a mix of nectars and has lower MGO, so it usually costs less than monofloral.

To turn any UMF grade into MGO, or back, use the converter:

Or read more in our MGO and UMF guide.

Check it's genuine

A low price only counts if the honey is the real thing. Look for these on the label:

• From New Zealand, clearly stated.
• Packed in New Zealand, not repackaged overseas.
• A UMF™ grade with a licence number, or a clearly stated MGO rating.
• Monofloral or multifloral on the jar.
• A batch or lot number, so the testing can be traced.

Words like "Active", "Bio Active" or "TA" on their own are not a UMF™ or MGO rating. If a high grade is priced far below similar jars, check the label twice. Our Manuka honey jar checker walks you through it.

That depends on how you'll use it. You're paying for a rare New Zealand honey with a rich, earthy, caramel-like flavour and a tested, graded strength. The trick is to pay for the strength you'll actually use. A higher number does mean a stronger honey, but higher isn't automatically better for everyone.

• Honey for tea, toast and yoghurt? An Everyday grade gives you the Manuka flavour at the friendliest price.
• Taking a teaspoon of Manuka honey a day? A Premium grade is a good middle ground between strength and budget.
• Want the strongest, or a special gift? Superior grades are rarer and priced to match. They also taste more intense, with a bolder, more bittersweet finish.

Still not sure? Our quiz suggests a jar in a few questions, or see our 10 best Manuka honey jars.

At Manuka Hut, every jar we sell is New Zealand Manuka honey from Egmont Honey, Manuka Health and Comvita, and every product page shows its MGO grade, so you can compare at a glance. A few easy ways to make your honey go further:

• Choose a bigger jar. If you use Manuka honey often, a 500g or 1kg jar usually works out a little cheaper per gram than a 250g jar. Manuka Health MGO 400+ (UMF 13+) and Egmont Honey MGO 265+ (UMF 10+) both come in a 1kg size.
• Buy a multi-pack. Our bundles and multi-packs usually cost less per jar than buying jars one at a time. For example, Manuka Health MGO 850+ (UMF 20+) Limited Edition comes in a 3 pack, and Egmont Honey MGO 1046+ (UMF 23+) in a 2 pack and 3 pack.
• Check our current offers. We often run free honey deals, and they change from time to time and from country to country. See what's on now on our offers page.
• Store it well. Keep the jar in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. It doesn't need the fridge and keeps for a long time, so a bigger jar won't go to waste.

Bigger jars and multi-packs