New Zealand is so proud of its unique Mānuka honey and so passionate about protecting consumers from inferior imitations, that production and labeling of Mānuka honey are regulated by law. All honey claiming to be Mānuka honey must be tested in a laboratory authorised by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries, to make sure it has specific attributes that distinguish Mānuka honey from other honey.

Only if it possesses certain levels of four chemical markers from the nectar of Mānuka blossoms and one DNA marker from Mānuka pollen can it be labeled Multifloral Mānuka honey – and there’s an even higher bar to reach to earn the label Monofloral Mānuka honey.

The UMF® (Unique Mānuka Factor) trademark was established by the Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association (UMFHA). The UMF grading system appraises natural markers found in Mānuka honey, and assures purity and quality, as required by Ministry for Primary Industries labelling guidelines. Not all Mānuka honeys are UMF rated – only those that have been independently tested and verified by UMFHA are given a rating.