quick summary
Wedderspoon is a company that produces raw, organic manuka honey from New Zealand.
They offer two grades of honey - KFactor 12 and KFactor 16.
Wedderspoon manuka honey is not fake, as some online claims purport - they pass the requirements set by the New Zealand government for "authentic" manuka honey. However, their proprietary KFactor grading system is inferior to the more established and comprehensive UMF grading system, which uses rigid testing for antibacterial activity in the honey.
Still, Wedderspoon manuka honey is real, good quality honey offered at an affordable price point, but lacks in purity compared to many other brands, and would not be considered premium or medical grade.
It's suitable for people wanting an affordable manuka honey to add to their daily diet, but for medicinal purposes, a higher quality honey would be more suitable.
Wedderspoon is one of the most popular Manuka honeys on the market. But is it actually any good?
If you're looking to add manuka honey to your diet, the last thing you want is to waste time with a sub-par product without all the beneficial properties manuka honey has to offer.
In this Wedderspoon Manuka Honey review, we'll take a close look at Wedderspoon's flagship KFactor 16 product, and whether it's worth the price tag and reputation.
So, what's the short answer? Is Wedderspoon manuka honey worth trying?
While Wedderspoon honey might taste delicious, it's big downside is it does not use the MGO or UMF rating systems, which are the standard systems used by most reputable manuka honey producers.
A UMF or MGO certification is important because it measures the levels of antibacterial compounds in the honey, and confirms the honey is indeed made from manuka flowers.
This means the short verdict is, while Wedderspoon is cheaper than most other manukas on the market, it does not guarantee the Non-Peroxide Activity (NPA) or methylglyoxal (MGO) content, which is the key to manuka honey's health and medicinal benefits.
If you'd like a quick alternative recommendation at a similar price point to Wedderspoon, we would recommend the NZ Honey Co UMF 24+ honey.
Who is wedderspoon?
Wedderspoon is an international honey producer and retailer that has been operating since 2005. In 2006 they began operating in the United States. They also have a presence in Europe and Canada.
Wedderspoon sources all of their manuka honey from New Zealand and is currently the biggest exporter of manuka honey from New Zealand.
Wedderspoon is the only manuka honey manufacturer to have met the Safe Quality Food Standard (SQF), having been awarded a Level 3 Rating from that body. They are committed to protecting the bee population of New Zealand and preserving the environment, being partners with the Bee Grant Program, the Mind Body Green Foundation and the Rodale Institute.
Wedderspoon sells more than 35 products that all have pure manuka honey as their base, including Gummy Bears, organic honey pops and organic honey drops.
Product overview:
Wedderspoon KFactor 16 Raw Organic Manuka Honey is a monofloral honey, meaning the pollen comes exclusively from manuka nectar.
Wedderspoon preserve the rawness of their product by not heating their honey beyond 118 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures that the powerful antibacterial and antioxidant compounds within the honey are not denatured, which would seriously impede their effectiveness. Keeping the processing temperature down also preserves the hydrogen peroxide levels in the honey.
This also makes raw manuka honey more medicinally potent. Wedderspoon manuka honey is also unpasteurized. The company makes use of a gentle creaming process that preserves the integrity of crystals in the honey, ensuring that the final product is as potent as possible.
Wedderspoon provides their customers with the ability to trace every jar of manuka honey they buy from the company back to its source beehive. This high level of traceability gives you peace of mind that you are buying genuine New Zealand manuka honey.
All Wedderspoon manuka honey is packaged in a BPA free tinted plastic container that protects the honey from sun degradation.
Weddersppon’s KFactor 16 manuka honey is available in the following quantity containers:
- 250 grams (8.8 oz)
- 325 grams (11.5 oz)
- 500 grams (17.6 oz)
They are also available in 5 gram travel packs.
Wedderspoon KFactor 16 is a comparatively cheap version of manuka honey.
That is great for those people who are looking to buy manuka honey purely as a food product.
For those who are looking for manuka honey because of its antibacterial properties, however, Wedderspoon presents a problem. Their grading system does not take this vital factor into account. We'll touch more on this in the grading section below.
Grading
As mentioned, the universally accepted standard grading system to assess the antibacterial quality of manuka honey is the UMF Rating.
UMF stands for Unique Manuka Factor and measures the content of the following 5 key components of manuka honey
- Leptosperin
- Dihydroxyacetone (DHA)
- Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)
- Non peroxide activity (NPA)
- Methylglyoxal (MGO)
The final UMF rating compares the antibacterial strength of the honey to the established antibacterial agent phenol. So, a UMF 20+ rated manuka honey will give you the same antibacterial strength as a 20% solution of phenol.
You can read more about manuka honey grading here.
For whatever reason (probably cost) Wedderspoon do not use the UMF rating system. Instead, they use their own KFactor grading system.
What does KFactor 16 mean in Manuka Honey Grading?
The KFactor grading system takes into account 5 key factors when rating manuka honey. These are:
- Non-GMO certified
- Traceable from the hive to the home
- Raw and unpasteurized
- Sourced and packed in New Zealand
- Free of antibiotics, pesticides and glyphosate.
KFactor 12 vs KFactor 16
The KFactor number rating (KFactor 12 versus KFactor 16) measures the purity level of the honey.
A KFactor of 16 indicates that at least 75% of the honey in the product has been created from pollen that has come from the manuka bush.
This is enough to label the honey as monofloral, meaning that the pollen is "mostly" sourced from bees that have fed on manuka bushes.
A KFactor 12 honey means it has not reached this level of purity, and is instead considered a multifloral honey.
The downside of the KFactor system is it doesn't test for the key components of manuka honey, which are its antibacterial properties. The compounds responsibly for these properties are the MGO and NPA content, which is central to the UMF grading system. You should note that just because a honey is made from manuka nectar, does not mean it has MGO present. Therefore, grading is essential to confirm the manuka honey does in fact contain MGO.
It should be noted that while not as comprehensive as other systems, the KFactor rating system is recognized by the New Zealand governments Ministry for Primary Industries.
Taste
While there may be intense debate on the merits of the KFactor versus the UMF rating, one thing that everyone seems to agree upon when it comes to Wedderspoon manuka honey is that it has a great taste.
It's sweeter than most manuka honey, and also lighter in colour. Most people prefer it to the strong "bush-like" flavour of higher graded honeys.
value for money
Wedderspoon Manuka honey is considerably less expensive than the majority of its competition. This is, along with its great taste, a key reason for its huge online popularity.
However, at the risk of laboring the point, we need to reiterate that due to its unique rating system, the antibacterial properties of Wedderspoon manuka honey cannot be guaranteed.
If you are after manuka honey primarily for its health and medicinal benefits, we strongly recommend only buying products which carry the UMF Rating system label (which this product does not).
Our current recommendation for a UMF product at a similar price point would be the NZ Honey UMF 20 product.
suggested uses and benefits:
Wedderspoon K16 Manuka Honey is a delicious tasting food that can be used as a breakfast topping for your yogurt or granola. It is also great when paired with cheese or nut butter, spread on a sandwich or toast or simply eaten by the spoonful.
Manuka honey also makes a good face mask ingredient. You can even take it pre-workout for a natural source of training energy and added to your post-workout shake to refuel your depleted glycogen levels. You can also use manuka honey as a healthy sweetener substitute in all manner of baking recipes.
overall summary:
PROS
- Traceable to the source
- Cheap
- Sustainable practices
- Raw, pure and natural
- ·Money back guarantee
- ·Certified Non-GMO
cons
- Not UMF rated
- Not MGO rated
FAQ
Is Wedderspoon real manuka honey?
Since Wedderspoon uses the less popular KFactor grading system, many people ask, is Wedderspoon Manuka Honey real? Yes, Wedderspoon is real Manuka honey. Its K16 Manuka honey is certified monofloral. It meets the requirements of New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). This guarantees that the product was produced and packaged in New Zealand. Although not UMF certified, Wedderspoon’s manuka honey is most definitely raw, pure and real!
Is Wedderspoon manuka honey UMF certified?
No, Wedderspoon manuka honey is not UMF certified. Instead, Wedderspoon use the KFactor rating system, which assesses the honey according to the following:
- Non-GMO certified
- Traceable from the hive to the home
- Raw and unpasteurized
- Sourced and packed in New Zealand
- Certified to be free of antibiotics, pesticides and glyphosate
Is KFactor 16 honey good?
It's all relative, but overall, yes, KFactor 16 honey is good, and most certainly healthier for you than regular table honey. In terms of its taste, it is pleasant, and is great for general use in cooking, and offers good value for money.
Is it better to eat Wedderspoon honey drops or eat Wedderspoon manuka honey?
In terms of its overall health benefits, it is better to eat Wedderspoon manuka honey than Wedderspoon honey drops.
However, if you are specifically dealing with a sore throat, then the honey drops will concentrate the antibacterial compounds where needed most as you can enjoy them at regular intervals, for extended time, and travel with them.
IS wedderspoon manuka honey medical grade?
No, Wedderspoon manuka honey is not medical grade and is not used in hospital settings. The only medical grade honey currently available to retail customers is Comvita.
IS WEDDERSPOON MANUKA HONEY fake?
No, Wedderspoon manuka honey meets the requirements of the New Zealand MPI standards for "real" manuka honey. It is not fake and will still have MGO content.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Wedderspoon sells an extensive range of Manuka Honey products.
Their range includes a raw multifloral Manuka KFactor 12. This multifloral honey includes a range of other plant sourced pollens in addition to the manuka bush.
They also sell manuka honey immunity gummies, organic manuka honey drops, apple cider vinegar with manuka honey, organic manuka lip balm, manuka honey hydrating day cream and propolis and manuka honey throat spray.
Where to buy:
We recommend buying Wedderspoon Manuka Honey directly from their Amazon store.
Looking for more manuka honey reviews? Check out our list of top Manuka Honeys for this year.
