Honey Paihia

Honey Paihia keep their hives around Paihia and the subtropical Far North, and bottle what those hives bring in without blending it with honey from anywhere else. That is what single origin means on a honey label, and most jars on a supermarket shelf cannot claim it.

Their mānuka is graded by methylglyoxal, the compound mānuka is measured on: 263+ MGO is 10+ on the older NPA scale, 500+ is 15+, and 800+ is close to 20+. Every batch is tested by infrared spectroscopy.

All of it is cold creamed, stirred slowly over days instead of heated, which is why it spoons and spreads rather than runs.

Why Honey Paihia

Single origin, one region

Every jar comes from hives around Paihia and the Far North, never blended with honey from other parts of the country.

Graded and tested

263+, 500+ and 800+ MGO, each batch tested by infrared spectroscopy, with the NPA equivalents printed on every listing.

Cold creamed, not heated

Stirred slowly over days so the honey stays thick, smooth and spoonable instead of runny or set hard.

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Honey Paihia

Frequently Asked Questions about Honey Paihia

What does MGO mean on the jar?

MGO is methylglyoxal, measured in milligrams per kilogram of honey. It is the compound mānuka honey is graded on, and a higher number means more of it. Honey Paihia's 263+ MGO holds at least 263 mg/kg, the 500+ at least 500, and the 800+ at least 800.

How does MGO compare with UMF or NPA numbers?

They are different scales for the same thing. Honey Paihia give the equivalents themselves: 263+ MGO is 10+ on the original NPA scale, 500+ MGO is 15+, and 800+ MGO is close to 20+.

Which grade should I buy?

The 263+ is the everyday jar, balanced and not too strong. The 500+ carries more mānuka character. The 800+ tastes slightly medicinal, which is what a high grade mānuka is supposed to taste like, and it is the one people buy by the small jar rather than the tub.

What does cold creamed mean?

The honey is stirred gently over days rather than warmed. Heating makes honey easy to pour and easy to pack, and costs it its texture. Stirring keeps it thick and spoonable, and keeps it that way in the cupboard.

What are Bush Necta, Floral Harvest and G'n'T?

Their non-mānuka honeys. Bush Necta is a mild, silky bush blend and the one that sells fastest. Floral Harvest is a fuller, floral late-season multifloral. G'n'T is wild ginger and towai with kānuka, and tastes of butterscotch and citrus rather than anything out of a gin bottle.

Why has my honey gone grainy?

Honey crystallises naturally over time, and it is a sign the honey has not been heavily processed. Stand the jar in warm, not boiling, water for a while and it will loosen. Store it below 25 degrees C and out of direct sunlight.

Honey Paihia

Why Honey Paihia

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Frequently Asked Questions about Honey Paihia

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Honey Paihia

Why Honey Paihia

Featured Products

Frequently Asked Questions about Honey Paihia

Hear From Those Who Have Tried

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