About us

At Karetu Honey, we are a small kiwi – family/whanau owned business. Our family and team have over 25 combined years experience in the beekeeping industry. Bees and Honey are our passion. From the land/whenua through to the jar, the greatest care is taken to ensure the highest quality product is in your hands. Because of the important role bees have in our ecosystem we are committed to taking the best possible care of them. Along with this we also take great care of the land/whenua they forage from. This includes our farmland and beautiful Manuka forests.


At Karetu Honey we are uniquely advantaged to do this. Our hives are located on our own bushland and farm. Why is this so advantageous? We are not only able to be aware of all environmental factors around our hives but, also control them. Our objective is to protect the bees, the quality and integrity of the honey, and the wide variety of bird life in our area.

The beautiful Manawatu – Whanganui area hosts our wonderful hives. Stunning valleys, ranges and streams are abundant in this area. Manuka forests are dotted throughout this magnificent terrain. With the Manuka flowering during the summer months, we have enjoyed many seasons collecting the bee’s knees of the Manuka flow.

This all means we can provide you, your family/whanau, and friends with the most pure, natural and beneficial Manuka honey to be enjoyed.

The Quality of Our Honey

What is Manuka Honey?  

Manuka Honey is made by bees foraging nectar from Manuka flower. Scientific name leptospermum scoparium. The Manuka plant is indigenous to New Zealand. It has properties that cannot be found in other types of honey. All our honey is 100 %  made in New Zealand. 

Each batch of honey is traceable back to the exact location the bees foraged from. All Manuka has been independently lab tested by Analytica in New Zealand to ensure the customer is receiving the best quality Manuka. 

What is MGO?

MGO stands for methylglyoxal, the naturally occurring compound that makes Manuka Honey special. It isn’t found in any other types of honey. It is the main factor in Manuka Honey needed for its beneficial antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The higher the MGO rating the higher the benefits of the Honey. 

What is UMF?

UMF is a certification for validating genuine Manuka honey. This method is the quality and rating system that certifies the quality of all factors that makes New Zealand Manuka honey unique. 
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