Why Is Manuka Honey So Expensive – The Price Explained

If you have ever browsed the honey aisle in a health food shop or supermarket, you have likely noticed something distinctive about Manuka honey price.

While a standard jar of honey might cost a few pounds, a jar of high-grade Manuka can easily cost ten or twenty times that amount. Some rare varieties even sell for hundreds of pounds. This often leaves shoppers asking a very valid question: why is manuka honey so expensive?

Is it marketing hype? Is it the packaging? Or is there something genuinely different inside the jar?

The answer lies in a combination of science, geography, and accessibility. Manuka honey is one of the most difficult ingredients in the world to produce. To understand the cost, you have to understand the journey from the flower to the jar.

In this guide, we will break down exactly what manuka honey is, the factors that drive its high price, and how you can find high-quality alternatives that offer similar benefits without breaking the bank.

What Is Manuka Honey?

To understand the price, we first need to define the product.

True Manuka honey is a monofloral honey. This means it comes mainly from the nectar of one specific plant: the Manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium). This bush is native to New Zealand and some parts of Australia.

Unlike regular honey, which bees make from clover, wildflowers, or orange blossoms, Manuka honey contains a unique active compound called Methylglyoxal (MGO). This compound gives the honey potent antibacterial properties that are stable and powerful.

Regular honey has antibacterial qualities too, but they come from hydrogen peroxide, which can break down easily. The activity in Manuka is much more robust. This unique biological makeup is the first reason for its value. However, the biology is only a small part of the story. The real cost comes from nature itself.

Why is Manuka Honey Expensive?

Here’s what makes this special honey so special:

Scarcity

One of the biggest drivers of the price is scarcity. You might think that bees can make honey all year round, but that is not the case with Manuka.

The Manuka bush has an incredibly short flowering season. It only blooms for roughly two to six weeks each year. That is it.

Beekeepers have this tiny window to get their hives into position and hope for the best. If it rains heavily during those few weeks, the bees cannot fly. If it is too windy, the flowers might be blown off the bush. If the temperature drops, the nectar flow stops.

A bad season can mean almost zero production. This high risk and limited supply naturally drive up the cost. When you buy a jar, you are paying for the fact that this product can only be made during a fleeting moment in the New Zealand summer.

Extreme Locations

Making Manuka honey is not like keeping hives in a sunny meadow or a garden. The best Manuka bushes often grow in wild, rugged, and remote terrain. These areas are frequently inaccessible by road.

This means beekeepers cannot just drive a truck up to the site. In many cases, hives must be transported in and out by helicopter.

Imagine the cost of hiring pilots and fuel just to place the hives. Then imagine the cost of flying back to harvest the honey. This logistical challenge adds a massive premium to the final product. It’s extreme farming in its truest sense.

Strict Lab Testing

When you buy cheap table honey, it rarely undergoes rigorous testing. Manuka is different. Because it is sold as a wellness product, it has to prove its potency.

You will often see ratings on the jar like UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) or MGO numbers (like MGO 263+ or MGO 850+). These represent the concentration of the active compounds.

To get these ratings, every batch must be sent to a laboratory. They test for authenticity, purity, and chemical composition. The higher the rating, the rarer the honey, and the more expensive it becomes to buy.

Furthermore, the UMF grading system is a trademarked standard. Companies have to pay fees to be part of the association that regulates quality. These certification costs are essential to stop honey fraud, but they are passed down to the consumer.

Global Demand vs Limited Supply

Basic economics also plays a huge role. The demand for Manuka honey has exploded globally. It is sought after in the UK, the USA, China, and beyond for its skin and health benefits.

However, as we mentioned, New Zealand is a small country with a limited number of Manuka bushes. You cannot simply plant more bushes and expect immediate results, nor can you control the weather.

When the whole world wants a product that can only be produced in one small corner of the globe during a four-week window, the price will inevitably rise.

Is It Worth the Price? (A European Alternative)

There is no denying that Manuka is a special product. However, many people simply cannot justify the daily cost.

At Honey & Greens, we believe in redefining how real honey should taste and ensuring wellness is accessible. We often get asked if there is a way to get similar benefits without the heavy price tag associated with the New Zealand import costs.

The answer is yes.

The world of honey is vast. New Zealand does not have a monopoly on bioactive honey. Europe produces some incredible, potent honeys that rival Manuka in bioactivity but come with a lower carbon footprint and a fairer price.

That’s where Active Oak Honey comes in.

Active oak honey alternative for manuka honey

If you are looking for a functional honey for your health, we recommend trying our Active Organic Oak Honey.

The Source: This honey comes from the deep forests of Spain.
The Potency: It has a Total Activity (TA15+) rating. This lab-tested rating measures its antimicrobial power, just like the ratings used for Manuka.
The Taste: While Manuka has a medicinal, earthy taste, Oak honey is rich, malty, and savoury.
The Value: Because it does not require helicopter transport or shipping from the other side of the world, we can offer it at a much more accessible price point.

It is a fantastic option for those who want the immune-supporting benefits of a bioactive honey but want to shop closer to home.

Where to Buy Manuka Honey

If you do decide that you want to invest in Manuka honey, you need to know where to buy Manuka honey safely. Because of the high price, fake Manuka is common.

Here are the best places to look:

Dedicated Health Food Stores

Shops that specialise in natural wellness are usually your safest bet. They tend to stock reputable brands that carry the official UMF or MGO certifications. They are less likely to stock the cheap “blends” you might find in a discount store.

Verified Online Retailers

The internet gives you access to a wider range of brands. When asking “Where can I buy manuka honey online?” look for official brand websites or verified pharmacies. Always check for a photo of the back label to ensure it was packed in New Zealand.

High-End Supermarkets

Some premium supermarkets in the UK stock genuine Manuka. However, be careful with the “own brand” versions. Always check the MGO rating. If it does not have a number, it likely has very little activity.

What to Avoid When Buying

To make sure you do not waste your money, watch out for these red flags:

Vague Labels: Avoid jars that just say “Active” without a number.
“Multifloral” Manuka: This means the bees visited Manuka bushes and other flowers. It will be much cheaper, but it will have very low levels of the active ingredients. You want “Monofloral” for the real health benefits.
Suspiciously Low Prices: If it seems too good to be true, it is. Genuine Manuka cannot be cheap due to the production costs we discussed.

Conclusion

So, why is manuka honey so expensive?

You have a rare plant that blooms for a few weeks a year, growing in remote mountains that require helicopters to access. You have a unique chemical profile that requires expensive testing to prove. And you have a world that cannot get enough of it.

For many, that price is worth it. But for those of us who use honey daily, it is good to know there are alternatives.

At Honey & Greens, we are proud to offer purity-guaranteed honeys that deliver on both taste and health. Whether you choose the famous gold of New Zealand or the deep, bioactive power of our Active Organic Oak Honey, the most important thing is that you are choosing real, raw, and honest honey.

Ready to explore a powerful alternative? View our Active Organic Oak Honey here.