quick summary
Manukora is a New Zealand manuka honey producer.
The company is well-renowned in the industry and makes high quality manuka honey.
Although they used the UMF grading system in the past, they have since abandoned it and now only grade their honey under the MGO system.
It is also priced at the higher range of similar purity manuka honey products from other brands.
For this reason, we generally recommend UMF-graded products over Manukora, which will give you more confidence as a buyer, and will also be more affordable.
Manukora Manuka Honey MGO 850+ is the premium grade manuka honey from Manukora, a New Zealand honey producer based in the heart of New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty.
This is a mono-floral manuka honey that is non-GMO and traceable from source to jar.
Let's take a closer look at Manukora's flagship offering and how it compares to others in its field.
Who is MANUKORA?
Manukora is a New Zealand based manuka honey manufacturer.
The company works out of a small town at the foot of the magnificent Kaimai Ranges in the Bay of Plenty on New Zealand’s north island.
They have been producing premium quality manuka honey since 1988.
Manukoara works with beekeepers in the most remote areas of the North Island’s East Cape in New Zealand in order to acquire some of the purest quality manuka honey available anywhere on the planet.
To promote maximum product transparency they have introduced a unique product coding system that gives every one of their honey jars a unique code that allows for complete traceability.
In fact, you are able to determine which beehive the honey in your pantry came from!
This provides you with the confidence that, no matter where in the world you are enjoying your Manukora honey, you can have complete confidence that it was produced in New Zealand’s premium manuka bush growing regions.
This level of transparency is unequalled in the manuka honey industry.
With so many pretenders in the manuka honey market, the time and effort that Manukora have put into their product coding system is a major tick for the company.
All Manukora honeys carry both MGO numbers on the label.
These certifications have been approved by the Ministry of Primary Industries in New Zealand and are a further guarantee that you are getting premium quality genuine New Zealand manuka honey.
Product overview:
Manukora MGO 850+ Manuka Honey is the premium product produced by Manukora.
This is a pure, raw, unpasteurized honey that is collected from monofloral bees. In other words, the bees that the nectar is collected from only pollinate manuka bushes.
That ensures that what is in the jar is nothing but pure 100% manuka honey.
Let's deal with the elephant in the room.
Manukora doesn't have a UMF label on its honey, because their manuka honey is not UMF graded.
This is interesting because in the past Manukora did produce UMF certified for honey, but for whatever reason, they have stopped submitting their honey for UMF testing in recent years.
The honey still has an MGO reading which ranks highly, which is of some comfort to consumers.
However, we have definitely lowered our recommendation of Manukora in light of this.
The simple fact is UMF grading is the gold standard of manuka honey, and with so many fakes and sub-par products around, if you are going to pay Manukora-level prices for manuka honey, we recommend getting a UMF certified product.
The BPA free rPET plastic jar that Manukora honey comes in is specially tinted to ensure that the sun’s glare does not negatively affect the contents. The jars used to hold Manukora’s manuka honey are made from 100% recyclable plastic and the labeling is FSC certified. These jars are ideal for international shipping. The attractive packaging is gift worthy. Every jar is produced in an HACCP certified facility in the heart of New Zealand’s north island.
Finally, Manukora honey is a non GMO, completely source traceable product. It is available in 250g and 500g jars. On the lid of your jar you will find a unique trust code. When you scan your phone over this code, you will be able to see the history of your unique jar of honey.
Manukora was also listed on our list of top Manuka Honey brands for this year.
Packaging
Our Manukora package arrived in just a few days and was nicely packaged.
Packaging and swift delivery is important, because manuka honey is sensitive to heat and sunlight when being stored.
We think Manukora does a good job.
Grading
This specific manuka honey has an MGO rating of 850+.
The MGO rating is a measure of the level of methylglyoxal contained in the product. The MGO Rating system runs from 80+ all the way through to 1,500+.
Taste
Manukora makes use of a unique creaming process to produce consistently smooth, delicious, spreadable honey. While some people dislike the creaming process as it's an extra step of "processing" for the honey, it doesn't inhibit any of the manuka honey's unique properties.
Because their honey is creamed, it has a softer texture than raw manuka honey. I actually prefer the creamed honey on toast but my husband far prefers honey that's unadulterated and even enjoys eating it crystallized!
So this is definitely a matter of personal preference.
As for the flavour itself, we wouldn't call it too unique from any of the other manuka honey brands we have tried. It has the standard bitter aftertaste and earthy aroma that we love. It's definitely not an overpowering flavour. If you enjoy manuka honey, you will find it pleasant and caramelly.
value for money
Price per 500 grams (17.7oz)
Grade | NZ Honey Co | Comvita | Wild Cape | Manukora | Kiva |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UMF20/ MGO 830 | $64 | $130 | $75 | $80 | $64 |
MGO 850 is a high grade. As a result it is considerably more expensive than lower UMF of MGO rated manuka honeys.
When compared to UMF 20+ manuka honey from their major competitors, this product represents medium value.
It is significantly less expensive than Comvita UMF 20+ manuka honey.
However, it is more expensive than other reputable brands like NZ Honey Co and Kiva, which offer the added benefit of a UMF certification.
Therefore, while we think it's a high quality manuka honey, it's not our top pick.
For an equivalent that is better value, we would recommend the UMF 20 product from NZ Honey Co.
overall summary:
PROS
- MGO 850+
- Creamy consistency
- Traceable
- Well packaged
cons
- No UMF grade
- More expensive than competitors
FAQ
Is Manukora Manuka Honey organic?
No, Manukora has not certified their honey as organic. To be certified as organic honey must use beehives that are at last 8 km from any artificial chemical source - this could be a road, a farm or a house - and should be independently verified as organic.
Is Manukora Manuka Honey UMF certified?
Manukora had UMF certification in the past, but no longer does. Now they exclusively use the MGO grading system.
Is Manukora better than Comvita?
Some people believe that Manukora honey is better than Comvita. It has a softer taste, makes use of blockchain technology to allow you to trace your tub of honey right back to the individual hive that it came from and most importantly, is significantly cheaper than Comvita.
However, because Comvita has UMF certifications, we believe Comvita is the better choice for high-end manuka honey.
OTHER OPTIONS:
Manukora only sells manuka honey products. Their product range is divided according to the MGO Rating. They offer the following options:
Manukora offers a range of Christmas Gift Packs, including an Immunity Gift Pack and a Wellness Gift Pack. You can also buy a Manukora dose spoon from the Manukora website.
Where to buy:
For fastest shipping times, we recommend buying Manukora Manuka Honey directly from their Amazon store.
