Celebrating New Zealand’s unique gift to global health: New Zealand Mānuka Honey Day – press release

New Zealand Mānuka Honey Day marks a special occasion in the health and wellness world, celebrated on the first Monday of November every year to highlight the start of the mānuka honey harvest in New Zealand. As bees in the countries subtropical north begin to visit the flowers of the Leptospermum scoparium (mānuka), this six-week flowering period kicks off a seasonal journey that stretches into March, with blooms opening in cooler southern regions of New Zealand later in the season.

For nearly 1,000 years, the indigenous Māori people of New Zealand have used the mānuka tree for its medicinal properties. Modern science continues to uncover the health benefits of mānuka honey, making it a must-have natural health food in households around the world. It’s rich in antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-supportive bioactive components, a truly unique product of nature.

Tony Wright, CEO of the UMF^™ Honey Association (UMFHA), highlights the remarkable growth of mānuka honey in the U.S. market: “Over the last decade, we’ve seen a 450% increase in exports to the USA, making it the largest and fastest-growing market for New Zealand mānuka honey.”

Mānuka honey’s growing popularity is driven not only by its health benefits but also by its contribution to New Zealand's rural communities. Local farms plant mānuka to protect erosion-prone land, regenerating native forests, help sustain the biodiversity of the region while creating employment for those involved in sharing this local treasure with the world.

To honor this year’s Mānuka Honey Day, the UMF Honey Association is launching the Mānuka Mastery Programme, a short, engaging video course designed for consumers and businesses alike to deepen their knowledge of this incredible health food. [Explore the course here]

**About the UMF^™ Honey Association (UMFHA)** 

The Unique Mānuka Factor^® Honey Association (UMFHA) is an independent society based in New Zealand, committed to setting and certifying the standards for bioactive mānuka honey for over 25 years. Representing more than 80% of New Zealand’s mānuka honey exporters, UMFHA guarantees the authenticity and quality of mānuka honey through its UMF certification, offering consumers a product they can trust, backed by rigorous testing and quality control.

For additional information, please contact the UMF Honey Association at [email protected]

---

**Media Contact:** 

UMF^™ Honey Association 

Email: [email protected] 

Website: www.umf.org.nz