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Products · Honey & natural sweeteners · New Zealand Honey Co.

New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey UMF 20+ (MGO 829+), 8.8 oz

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New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey UMF 20+ (MGO 829+), 8.8 oz

The stronger grade of a maker whose licence is on the UMF association’s list. ConsumerLab found this grade real manuka with no heavy metals, and its lot certificates are public. Plastic jar, about $7.26 an ounce.

Best for Readers who want a high-strength manuka with a checkable grade and who accept a plastic jar and the highest price per ounce here.

Our rating
Fair (3.4 of 5)
Price range
Premium
Verified marks
Licensed by the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association (licence 2060), listed on the association’s own site, Listed by the Detox Project as Glyphosate Residue Free
Size
8.8 oz (250 g) jar made of recycled PET plastic
Made in
New Zealand, from remote hive sites across the country; each lot’s certificate page shows a map pin for its hives

approx. $63.88 for 8.8 oz (250 g); the 17.6 oz jar is $108.88

See it on New Zealand Honey Co.’s site → (opens in a new tab)

We are not affiliated with New Zealand Honey Co.. This link goes to the maker’s own page, with no tracking code. How we're funded.

Also sold at Amazon ($63 for 8.8 oz ($63.23), about 65 cents less than the maker’s $63.88), Walmart ($63 for 8.8 oz ($63.23)) .

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    Reviews are personal experiences, not research, and they never change our quality ratings. Every review is read by our team before it appears.

    How we evaluated it

    How it scores Our rating, metric by metric Fair, 3.4 of 5
    1. Real and unblended 25% of the rating 4 of 5

      A licensed UMF grade with a lot report on the association’s own server, and ConsumerLab’s blinded DNA and marker tests of this exact grade found it real manuka, but no NMR or isotope result is posted and the maker’s C4 sugar test is its own claim.

    2. Independent testing 30% of the rating 4 of 5

      ConsumerLab’s free summary says none of the eight honeys it tested, this grade included, had heavy metal contamination, and the Detox Project lists it for glyphosate, but we found no published antibiotic result and ConsumerLab’s per-product table is members-only.

    3. Sourcing 15% of the rating 3 of 5

      Each lot’s certificate shows a hive map pin and the maker says unpasteurised, but it names no apiary or beekeeper, says its honey is creamed and gives no heating temperature or filtering.

    4. Packaging 10% of the rating 2 of 5

      A recycled PET plastic jar with a polypropylene lid, and no glass option.

    5. Trust 10% of the rating 3 of 5

      No recall, Prop 65 notice or lawsuit found and its lot report matches the certifier’s record, but its 20+ lot pages name a different lab from their certificates and carry a “Certified Free of Herbicides” badge past a glyphosate-only listing, it pays affiliates 10%, and its “Top Pick” claim is unconfirmed.

    6. Value 10% of the rating 2 of 5

      About $7.26 an ounce, the highest per ounce here, though the cost per milligram of label MGO is close to the 15+.

    The rating, 3.4 of 5, is the weighted average of these scores. See how we rank honey & natural sweeteners and our standard.

    Where to buy Stores and the prices we saw 2 stores
    • Amazon (opens in a new tab) approx. $63 for 8.8 oz ($63.23), about 65 cents less than the maker’s $63.88. Sold by New Zealand Honey Co, the brand’s own storefront, and shipped by Amazon. In stock on 2026-11-03.
    • Walmart (opens in a new tab) approx. $63 for 8.8 oz ($63.23). Sold by New Zealand Honey Co on Walmart’s marketplace and delivered by Walmart. In stock on 2026-11-03.

    Prices as we saw them on November 3, 2026. They change often. These links carry no tracking code and earn us nothing.

    What’s in it Every ingredient, in label order 1 ingredient
    1. Raw monofloral manuka honey (New Zealand)
    Who tested it What each test found, and who paid for it 4 tests
    • Independent ConsumerLab (member-funded; it bought the honey on the open market, and it also runs a separate voluntary certification program that companies pay for, which does not list this maker) May 2025

      Bought eight manuka honeys on the open market, including this maker’s UMF 20+ (MGO 829+) and UMF 15+ (MGO 514+), and had MPI-recognised labs test them without knowing the brands. Its free pages say all eight were authentic by DNA and chemical analysis and none was contaminated with heavy metals such as lead. They also say MGO ranged from 96 to 1,113 mg/kg, two products missed the UMF freshness standard, one was so low in MGO it would qualify only as UMF 5+, and most met their labelled UMF and MGO, but not which products those were. The per-product table is for members only. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Paid certification Hill Laboratories, for the maker as UMF licensee: certificate for lot 602120 January 2026

      UMF 20+ lot reported 2026-01-16: UMF grade 20.6, MGO 868 mg/kg, leptosperin 780, DHA 1,721, HMF 21.3. The UMF association’s own certificate page shows the same figures as the maker’s lot page, though the maker’s page text names Analytica as the lab. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Paid certification The Detox Project (certification the maker pays for) November 2026

      Lists this grade among its Glyphosate Residue Free certified products. The Detox Project’s standard asks for no glyphosate down to the usual detection limit (0.01 ppm), tested at least twice a year plus spot checks, paid for by the brand, and says spot-check results stay confidential. The maker says every batch is also tested by Analytica Laboratories. No result is posted. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    • Paid certification Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association (a licence the maker holds and pays for) November 2026

      Licence 2060 is listed for New Zealand Honey Co. Ltd. The association says a UMF grade tests potency (MGO), authenticity (leptosperin), shelf life (DHA) and freshness (HMF). Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)

    Who paid, and why it matters
    • Independent The tester took no money from the maker for it: a consumer group, a journalist, a university or a regulator.
    • Paid certification An outside lab or certifier tested or listed it, and the maker paid for that.
    • Maker’s own test A lab report or certificate of analysis the maker commissioned and published.

    A certification is a floor, not a verdict: it checks what its program checks and nothing else. We weigh tests by someone with no stake in the result most.

    What people ask Worries raised online and elsewhere, and what we found 7 questions
    Is it real manuka, or a blend with something cheaper?
    The evidence is good. Licence 2060 is on the UMF association’s list (opens in a new tab), the association’s certificate page (opens in a new tab) for a 20+ lot matches the maker’s lot page, and ConsumerLab’s independent test (opens in a new tab) found all eight honeys it bought authentic, this grade included. The UMF association tested 46 manuka brands packed outside New Zealand and sold in the UK and US and says all failed (opens in a new tab) New Zealand’s definition, but that is the industry body’s own test. This honey is packed in New Zealand. None of these is an NMR or isotope test for added syrup.
    Does it contain glyphosate?
    The Detox Project lists this grade (opens in a new tab) as Glyphosate Residue Free, and the maker says it tests every batch. We could not find a published result, and ConsumerLab did not test for it. The lot pages call the honey “Certified Free of Herbicides”, which goes further than a glyphosate-only listing. See our guide to glyphosate and health.
    Does it contain lead or other heavy metals?
    Not in ConsumerLab’s 2025 test, which looked for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury and found no contamination in any of the eight manuka honeys (opens in a new tab). ConsumerLab does not say how many lots of each it tested, so a later lot could differ.
    Is a stronger grade worth the money?
    Our pages on manuka honey’s evidence and its clinical studies find mostly lab work and small studies. Higher grades hold more MGO, the compound behind the antibacterial effect in the lab, but that does not mean a bigger benefit when eaten. ConsumerLab says clinical research is limited.
    Is it really raw, or heated and creamed?
    The maker says it is 100% raw and not pasteurised (product page (opens in a new tab)) but gives no temperature, and the certificate page for a 10+ lot (opens in a new tab) says its honey is creamed. A rival maker, Steens (opens in a new tab), says most manuka sold as raw is heated to about 66 C and creamed, and names no brands. We could not confirm either way.
    Are the glowing reviews and Top Pick claims paid for?
    The maker runs an affiliate and partners program (opens in a new tab) that pays 10% of each referred sale and supplies ready-made social posts, so some online “best manuka” lists may carry its links. We take no payment from any brand. The maker says ConsumerLab “also recognised” this grade; ConsumerLab’s free pages do not say which products were picked or approved, and the table that would confirm it is members-only.
    Has the maker had recalls, Prop 65 notices or lawsuits?
    None found. The openFDA recall search (opens in a new tab) has no match, and California’s Prop 65 search shows no notice naming this maker: “Honey” in the violator’s name (opens in a new tab) gives 63 notices and “manuka” in the product (opens in a new tab) gives 3, none its own. A web search found no lawsuit or warning letter. We could not search Reddit.
    Why we chose it What put it on our list 5 points
    • The grade can be checked. The maker’s UMF licence, number 2060, is on the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association’s own list of licensed brands, and the association says a UMF grade tests MGO, leptosperin, DHA and HMF.
    • An independent lab tested this exact grade. In 2025 ConsumerLab bought eight manuka honeys on the open market, this maker’s UMF 20+ (MGO 829+) and 15+ among them, and had them tested without the labs knowing the brands, at labs recognised by New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries. All eight were authentic by DNA and chemical markers, and none was contaminated with heavy metals such as lead.
    • The lot certificates are public and match the certifier’s record. The maker’s index lists at least 45 lots of this grade. Lot 602120, tested by Hill Laboratories and reported 2026-01-16, is on the UMF association’s own certificate server with UMF 20.6, MGO 868 mg/kg against the 829 on the label, leptosperin 780 and HMF (the freshness marker) of 21.3 mg/kg, under the 40 mg/kg ConsumerLab allows in fresh manuka.
    • Glyphosate is covered by a third-party listing. The Detox Project’s Glyphosate Residue Free list names this grade, and the maker says it also tests every batch.
    • One ingredient. The label lists raw monofloral manuka honey, and the maker says it is not pasteurised and nothing is added or removed.
    Trade-offs What to weigh before you buy 7 points
    • It is the dearest honey here per ounce, about $7.26 an ounce at the maker and $7.19 at Amazon. Using the label’s MGO figure, 20 mg of MGO costs about $6 in this jar and in the maker’s 15+, and about $4.40 in its 10+ large jar (our arithmetic). ConsumerLab put the cost of 20 mg across its eight products at under $5 to over $16.
    • The jar is recycled PET plastic with a polypropylene lid, and the maker offers no glass jar. We found no test of what the plastic gives off, so packaging scores low.
    • ConsumerLab’s table of results for each product is for members only, so we could not see whether this grade passed, or its potency, freshness or Top Pick result. The free summary says two of the eight honeys missed the UMF freshness standard and does not name them. The maker says ConsumerLab “also recognised” this grade; that is the maker’s claim.
    • The tests we can open were ordered or paid for by the maker (the lot certificates, the Detox Project and UMF fees). ConsumerLab’s independent test covered authenticity and heavy metals, not glyphosate or antibiotics, and we found no published antibiotic result.
    • Some details on the maker’s lot pages do not line up. On the three 20+ lot pages we compared (602120, 538J20 and 4200225) the text names Analytica as the lab while the certificate image on the same page names Hill Labs, though the grade, MGO and leptosperin numbers match. The pages also carry a “Certified Free of Herbicides” badge, but the Detox Project listing covers glyphosate only.
    • The maker names no apiary or beekeeper and says only that the honey comes from remote hives across New Zealand. It says the honey is raw and unpasteurised, but on a certificate page for its 10+ grade it also says its honey is creamed, and it gives no heating temperature or filtering.
    • Like any honey it is added sugar, and it is not for babies under 12 months.
    What to know Details worth knowing first

    This is the stronger grade from a maker that shows more of its paperwork than most. Its licence, number 2060, is on the Unique Manuka Factor Honey Association’s own list, and ConsumerLab bought this exact grade in 2025 and found it was real manuka with no heavy metal contamination.

    The maker says ConsumerLab “also recognised” the 20+ alongside its 15+. We could not open the members-only table to confirm that. The maker’s index lists at least 45 public lot certificates for this grade, and the one we checked against the UMF association’s own server matched, though the maker’s page text names a different lab from the certificate.

    Pay for the strength only if you want it. The 20+ costs about $7.26 an ounce in a plastic jar, and our manuka honey evidence page explains that a higher MGO number is a lab measure of potency, not proof of a bigger benefit when you eat it.

    What we checked Each claim, and how sure we are of it 9 checks
    How New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey UMF 20+ (MGO 829+), 8.8 oz measures up against our honey & natural sweeteners criteria
    What we checked What we found
    One ingredient Maker’s claim The maker lists raw New Zealand monofloral manuka honey and nothing else.
    Licensed UMF grade Verified Licence 2060 is listed for New Zealand Honey Co. Ltd on the UMF association’s own site.
    Lot certificates Verified A 20+ lot (602120) read on the UMF association’s certificate server matches the grade, MGO and leptosperin numbers on the maker’s lot page, though the page names a different lab. The index lists at least 45 lots of this grade; we did not open them all.
    Authenticity test (NMR or isotope) Maker’s claim ConsumerLab’s DNA and marker tests found this grade real. The maker says each batch also gets a C4 sugar test; we saw no result, and no one has posted an NMR result.
    Glyphosate Verified Listed as Glyphosate Residue Free by the Detox Project, a listing the brand pays for. It covers glyphosate only, and no residue results are published.
    Lead and heavy metals Verified None found in ConsumerLab’s independent 2025 test of this grade. No numbers are shown on its free pages.
    Antibiotics and other pesticides Not verified Not stated. We found no published result.
    Named source, raw, filtering Maker’s claim New Zealand, with the lot’s hive map pin behind a QR code. Raw and unpasteurised per the maker, which also says its honey is creamed; filtering and heating temperature are not stated.
    Glass or metal packaging Maker’s claim No. The jar is recycled PET plastic and the lid is polypropylene.
    What the labels mean
    • Verified We opened an independent record that confirms it: a certifier’s listing, a regulator’s list or a lab report. It is linked under Sources.
    • Maker’s claim The maker says so on its own page or label. We read it but found no independent record.
    • Not verified We looked and could not confirm it, or the maker does not say. Treat it as unknown.
    Sources Where our facts come from 26 sources
    1. New Zealand Honey Co.: Manuka Honey UMF 20+ MGO 829+ product page. Maker’s page. $63.88 for 8.8 oz, $108.88 for 17.6 oz and $32.98 for 4.4 oz on 2026-11-03; ingredients, RPET jar, raw claim and glyphosate claim. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    2. New Zealand Honey Co.: credentials and testing partners. Maker’s page. Says Analytica Laboratories tests each batch (MPI manuka tests, colour, moisture, tutin, AFB, leptosperin and C4 sugars) and Hill Laboratories does the MPI and standard honey tests; polypropylene lids. A maker claim. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    3. New Zealand Honey Co.: index of UMF lot certificates. Maker’s page. 47 pages of lot certificates on 2026-11-03, six a page; at least 45 are labelled UMF 20+. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    4. New Zealand Honey Co.: lot 602120 certificate (UMF 20+). Test report. UMF 20.6, MGO 868 mg/kg, leptosperin 780, with a hive map pin. The page text names Analytica Lab; the certificate image on it names Hill Labs. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    5. New Zealand Honey Co.: lot 538J20 certificate (UMF 20+). Test report. UMF 20.5, MGO 866 mg/kg, leptosperin 580. The page text names Analytica Lab; the certificate image names Hill Labs. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    6. New Zealand Honey Co.: lot 4200225 certificate (UMF 20+). Test report. UMF 21.8, MGO 954 mg/kg, leptosperin 520. The page text names Analytica Lab; the certificate image names Hill Labs. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    7. New Zealand Honey Co.: lot 610210 certificate (10+ grade). Maker’s page. A 10+ lot page whose text says “Our honey is creamed”; it also carries the “Certified Free of Herbicides” badge shown on every lot page. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    8. UMF Honey Association: certificate U1000014004 (lot 602120). Certifier or regulator listing. The association’s own record: licensee New Zealand Honey Co. Limited, licence 2060, Hill Labs, reported 2026-01-16, UMF 20.60, leptosperin 780, DHA 1,721, MGO 868, HMF 21.3. This host did not resolve from our network; opened through a public DNS server. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    9. UMF Honey Association: New Zealand Honey Co. licence 2060. Certifier or regulator listing. The association’s own licensee page, opened directly on 2026-11-03. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    10. UMF Honey Association: the four-factor quality test. Independent source. MGO for potency, leptosperin for authenticity, DHA for shelf life and HMF for freshness. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    11. UMF Honey Association: certification search by licence and batch number. Certifier or regulator listing. Lets a buyer trace a jar’s batch number to its test results. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    12. The Detox Project: Glyphosate Residue Free certified products. Certifier or regulator listing. Lists New Zealand Honey Co. Manuka Honey UMF 5+ through UMF 30+, including UMF 20+ MGO 829+. Opened through a public DNS server. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    13. The Detox Project: Glyphosate Residue Free certification standard. Independent source. Glyphosate only, no residue down to the usual detection limit (0.01 ppm); the brand pays a yearly fee and the lab tests, at least two tests a year plus spot checks; spot-check results stay confidential. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    14. ConsumerLab: Best and worst manuka honeys (May 2025). Test report. Free summary naming the eight honeys, including this maker’s UMF 15+ and 20+. The full results are for members. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    15. ConsumerLab: how the manuka honeys were evaluated. Test report. Open-market purchases, MPI-recognised labs, blinded samples, limits for MGO, UMF, HMF and for lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury. It does not say how many lots of each product were tested. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    16. ConsumerLab: Manuka honey review page. Test report. Free summary says none of the eight were contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, two missed the freshness standard, and two were chosen as Top Picks, without naming them. It also says clinical research is limited. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    17. ConsumerLab: New Zealand Honey Co. brand page. Test report. Says two of the maker’s products were tested and reviewed; the counts of approved products and Top Picks are hidden for non-members. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    18. New Zealand Honey Co.: ConsumerLab recognition. Maker’s page. Says its UMF 15+ was named a Top Pick and its 20+ also recognised. A maker claim we could not confirm. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    19. FoodNavigator: Manuka honey claims dismissed in UK and US (2023). Test report. The UMF association’s test of 46 non-New Zealand manuka brands; the association is an industry body. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    20. New Zealand Honey Co.: affiliate and partners program. Maker’s page. Offers 10% commission on referred sales within 30 days and ready-made social posts. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    21. Steens: raw and unpasteurised honey. Independent source. A competitor’s claim that most manuka sold as raw is heated and creamed. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    22. Amazon: Raw Manuka Honey UMF 20+ MGO 829+, 8.8 oz. Independent source. $63.23 on 2026-11-03, sold by New Zealand Honey Co and shipped by Amazon. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    23. Walmart: New Zealand Honey Co. Raw Manuka Honey UMF 20+ MGO 829+, 8.8 oz. Independent source. $63.23 on 2026-11-03, sold by New Zealand Honey Co and delivered by Walmart. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    24. openFDA food enforcement reports: recalling firm New Zealand Honey. Certifier or regulator listing. Searched 2026-11-03: no matches. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    25. California Attorney General: Prop 65 60-day notice search for “Honey”. Certifier or regulator listing. Searched 2026-11-03: 63 notices with “Honey” in the alleged violator’s name; none is New Zealand Honey Co. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
    26. California Attorney General: Prop 65 60-day notice search for product “manuka”. Certifier or regulator listing. Searched 2026-11-03: 3 notices, for a mask and olives made by other companies. Open ↗ (opens in a new tab)
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