Behind the Label: How We Ensure Every Jar Is 100% New Zealand Manuka

When it comes to Manuka honey, what’s on the label matters. With growing global demand, ensuring authenticity, transparency, and traceability has become essential — not just for trust, but for protecting what makes New Zealand Manuka honey unique.

At Happy Valley Honey, every jar is backed by systems designed to verify origin, confirm authenticity, and provide clarity from harvest through to final packaging. Here’s what sits behind the label — and how we ensure every jar is 100% New Zealand Manuka.

True Manuka honey can only come from New Zealand. It is produced when bees collect nectar from the native Manuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium), which grows naturally across specific regions of the country.

Our Manuka honey is sourced exclusively from New Zealand, with hives placed in areas where Manuka trees grow naturally. These locations are carefully selected and managed, forming the foundation of authenticity long before honey is harvested.

Origin isn’t something that can be added later — it’s established at the very beginning.

Every batch of Happy Valley Manuka honey undergoes independent laboratory testing before it is graded and packed. This testing measures naturally occurring markers associated with Manuka nectar and confirms that the honey meets recognised Manuka standards.

Testing is conducted by accredited laboratories, providing objective verification rather than relying on internal assessments alone. This batch-by-batch approach ensures consistency, transparency, and confidence in what each jar contains.

The UMF™ (Unique Manuka Factor) mark is a trademarked certification system used to identify genuine New Zealand Manuka honey. To carry the UMF™ mark, honey must meet strict criteria and pass independent testing.

UMF™ certification is based on the presence and concentration of multiple naturally occurring Manuka markers, rather than relying on a single measurement. This multi-marker approach helps confirm authenticity and provides a clear, recognised way to understand how each batch has been classified.

Only honey that meets these standards is permitted to display the UMF™ mark on the label.

The UMF™ grade shown on each jar reflects the results of laboratory testing for that specific batch. Because Manuka honey is a natural product, grades can vary from season to season depending on factors such as flowering conditions and harvest location.

Rather than standardising or blending to achieve a fixed number, grading is based on what each batch naturally contains. This approach prioritises transparency over uniformity and ensures the label reflects the honey knowing it came from.

Traceability is a key part of ensuring authenticity. Each jar of Happy Valley Manuka honey can be traced back through the supply chain — from packaging, to batch, to harvest.

This level of traceability allows us to:

• Monitor quality at every stage
• Maintain accurate records for certification
• Provide confidence for customers and partners

For consumers, traceability means clarity. It’s another layer of reassurance that what’s stated on the label aligns with the honey inside the jar.

Trace your honey here!

With Manuka honey now sold around the world, transparency has never been more important. Clear labelling, independent verification, and recognised certification systems help protect both consumers and the integrity of New Zealand Manuka honey.

At Happy Valley, we believe trust is built through openness — not just in what we say, but in the systems we use and the standards we uphold.

Behind every jar of Happy Valley Manuka honey is a network of people, processes, and checks working together to ensure authenticity. From where the honey is harvested, to how it’s tested, graded, and tracked — every step is designed to reflect the truth of what Manuka honey is and where it comes from.

Because when you understand what’s behind the label, choosing Manuka honey becomes simple.

Explore our education hub to learn more about Manuka honey grading, certification, and how to choose the right jar with confidence.

Visit the Manuka Education Hub