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Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

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Re: Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

#11

Post by mkl »

lukehutch wrote: post #7

I grew up in NZ and find it hilarious when I see a tub of manuka honey in a supermarket in the US. This is the most genius marketing ripoff of all time. Most honey you could buy in NZ back then was either clover honey or manuka honey, it cost about $3 for the same amount, and there was nothing special about manuka honey. Manuka is just teatree, by the way. And all honey has the same antimicrobial properties -- it has…

Exactly, manuka honey was always just ordinary honey in NZ! It's like this article is from an alternate reality or something.

Re: Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

#12

Post by mark-r »

I visited New Zealand in 2000, and at one small roadside shop they gave us a small jar of Manuka honey for free. At the time I didn't realize there was anything special about it. But it did cement in my mind that New Zealand had the most gracious residents in the world.

Their kindness may be related to the medicinal properties of the honey. I had broken my wrist a week earlier and had a brace screwed into my arm, covered with a bandage.

Re: Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

#13

Post by rimutaka »

ggm wrote: post #2

A very partisan write up. I love NZ honey and make a point of buying a particular NZ manuka honey (arataki) when I see it, but the Australian manuka honey is not "cashing in" on the NZ trade, it has existed for decades and medicinal honey for tropical ulcer treatment has existed for decades in Australia. The decision to award DOC classification was itself a "cashing in" move despite manuka being patently a semi gener…

> NZ manuka honey is now also riven by violent gang crime cashing in on the huge profits. Hive stealing is a thing.

I'd like to see a proof of that. The industry is very consolidated with a few dominant players and a lot of small beekeepers who happened to have manuka on their private land. It went through a boom, prices crashed and most unsavory operators moved on. There may be some opportunistic hive stealing, but that always existed even before manuka was the thing.

Re: Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

#15

Post by ggm »

rimutaka wrote: post #13
ggm wrote: post #2

A very partisan write up. I love NZ honey and make a point of buying a particular NZ manuka honey (arataki) when I see it, but the Australian manuka honey is not "cashing in" on the NZ trade, it has existed for decades and medicinal honey for tropical ulcer treatment has existed for decades in Australia. The decision to award DOC classification was itself a "cashing in" move despite manuka being patently a semi gener…

> NZ manuka honey is now also riven by violent gang crime cashing in on the huge profits. Hive stealing is a thing. I'd like to see a proof of that. The industry is very consolidated with a few dominant players and a lot of small beekeepers who happened to have manuka on their private land. It went through a boom, prices crashed and most unsavory operators moved on. There may be some opportunistic hive stealing, but…

Headlines stop around 2019. So you're probably right, it's old news. And, to be fair, it happens/happened here too: https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2018-02-27/beekeepers-call...

Re: Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

#18

Post by Scoundreller »

mkl wrote: post #11
lukehutch wrote: post #7

I grew up in NZ and find it hilarious when I see a tub of manuka honey in a supermarket in the US. This is the most genius marketing ripoff of all time. Most honey you could buy in NZ back then was either clover honey or manuka honey, it cost about $3 for the same amount, and there was nothing special about manuka honey. Manuka is just teatree, by the way. And all honey has the same antimicrobial properties -- it has…

Exactly, manuka honey was always just ordinary honey in NZ! It's like this article is from an alternate reality or something.

Will trade manuka for maple syrup.

Re: Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

#19

Post by staticautomatic »

lukehutch wrote: post #7

I grew up in NZ and find it hilarious when I see a tub of manuka honey in a supermarket in the US. This is the most genius marketing ripoff of all time. Most honey you could buy in NZ back then was either clover honey or manuka honey, it cost about $3 for the same amount, and there was nothing special about manuka honey. Manuka is just teatree, by the way. And all honey has the same antimicrobial properties -- it has…

It also tastes very unusual and I might have guessed that before buying it had I known that Manuka is tea tree.

Re: Manuka, the World’s Most Coveted Honey (2018)

#20

Post by NoRagrets »

m0zg wrote: post #14

I'd love to see buckwheat honey in the US. It's dark brown, and it's much tastier than "regular" honey IMO.

buckwheat honey could be an acquired taste for some. i love it. it's definitely available.

buckwheat is a summer cover crop. that means the (good) beekeepers would allow the bees to keep some for their own food for fall/winter feeding. also...dont know a lot of people who summer cover crop anymore. i guess its definitely niche, but certainly available in the usa.

i cant control where my bees go foraging. so i just label it 'wild flower' honey. in early spring before they swarm, i make sure the brambles are flowering. at that time..even in california..there isnt a whole lot of forage for them when they come out hungry. they also gorge themselves before swarming and so usually there isnt a whole lot early spring honey. its a timing thing. so really..there is no good time window for collecting buckwheat honey. unless we steal it from them and replace it with something else for their feeding.

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