As good as it gets
The world of Manuka Honey is controversial and confusing so we like to try and cut through the bad and bring to you the best of New Zealand. We are often approached to review Manuka Honey and it was delightful to be approached by Melita last month, a good, honest New Zealand honey company.
This is a UMF 15+ Manuka Honey and as we have mentioned before, we do not recommend purchasing a Manuka Honey under a UMF 15+ rating. Based on research done at Waikato University in New Zealand only a rating above UMF 15+ would be a true monofloral Manuka Honey. Anything below this would have limited therapeutic benefits as the methlyglyoxyl (MGO) content, which gives Manuka Honey its non-peroxide activity, would be too low and making the honey only be suitable for a great taste. Interestingly, Melita have a UMF 24+ in their range that is one of the highest we have seen. This is mainly recommended for topical application, specifically wound care as it is rare, difficult to collect and highly active. We hope to review this in the future.
We have recently updated our criteria for rating Manuka Honey to ensure that we recommend the best so we are using this new critiera for this review.
Taste
The jar lid has a tamper evident seal and then there is also a freshness seal under the lid to protect the integrity of the honey. This is a bold tasting but easy going Manuka Honey with delicious and light floral notes. We love the rich, indulgent caramel undertones of this Manuka Honey that make it really enjoyable to consume.
Expertise
This is a new criteria in our rating of Manuka Honey as it is critical to understand the company background, their location and how they operate to ensure they are providing a genuine product. Melita are based in the North Island in Hawkes Bay which is where the Manuka Bush (Leptospermum scoparium) can be found. The company was established in 1959 by Leon Janson and is a family owed operation that has spanned three generations. It is now run by Leon’s grandson Hamish. They have expertise in their operation due to the family passion and experience that has been passed down and they also manage every step of the process from hive to shop. They are hands on with the entire process which means they know the origin of their honey and can be satisfied with the quality and taste of their end product.
The processes Melita use are also best in the industry. They filer the honey to remove impurities but do this is a minimalistic way so as to retain the pollen content. They do not heat the honey which would destroy its benefits and they are able to trace every pot back to its source.
Melita are also conscious of protecting the environment in which their bees live. They locate their hives in wild and natural landscapes which they work to protect and they ensure all their packaging in fully recyclable. The beautiful Temata Peak of Hawkes Bay is shown here in the review image.
Value for money
We think this is a good New Zealand honey supplier with generations of passion for what they do, a hands-on approach and lots of beekeeping and processing experience. Their UMF 15+ honey retails at NZD $110 for a 340g jar. On a per gram basis this is on the higher end of the scale for a UMF 15+ honey, similarly priced to Comivita’s UMF 15+.
Melita Honey offer 10g Snap Pack samplers for NZD $1.45 and a Honey Taster pack for NZD$19.50 if you want to try before you buy. Unfortunately, their UMF 15+ Manuka Honey is not part of these ranges but it will give you an experience of the company. You can now buy Melita Honey online at http://www.melitahoney.com/shop/
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