100% New Zealand. 0% syrup. The new EU honey rules just caught up with us.

From 14 June 2026, every jar of honey sold in France will have to list all the countries the honey came from — in order of weight, with a percentage next to each (±5% tolerance). The vague "EU/non-EU origin" label is over.

For us, nothing changes. Our jars have always said one country. New Zealand. And our honey has always been one ingredient. Manuka.

The figures that triggered the rule

A European Commission investigation tested 320 samples of honey imported into the EU. Roughly half were suspected of fraud — typically diluted with cheap sugar syrups.

• 74% of honey from China — flagged as suspect
• Almost 100% from Turkey
• 100% of UK-imported samples in the study

These jars sit on European supermarket shelves, blended with EU honey and sold under reassuring "EU/non-EU" labels. The new decree, transposing the EU's 2024 Breakfast Directive, ends the ambiguity.

What changes on the label

Before: "Blend of honeys originating and not originating in the EU."

After: "Blend of honeys — China 62%, Ukraine 25%, Spain 13%." (±5%)

For the first time, you can see where your honey actually comes from.

Where we already were

Our supply chain was built on the opposite logic:

• Single origin. Every jar is 100% New Zealand. No blending, no syrup, no mystery mix.
• Hive to jar. Each batch is tied to a specific harvest region and apiary, then bottled in New Zealand before export.
• Independently certified — the part the EU rules still don't address, and where real quality lives.

UMF and MGO: the marks that actually mean something

• UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) — issued by the independent UMF Honey Association in New Zealand. Ratings of 5+, 10+, 15+, 20+, 24+ measure the bioactive compounds unique to Manuka.
• MGO (Methylglyoxal) — a direct lab measurement (mg/kg) of the active compound behind Manuka's antibacterial power. Higher MGO = higher potency.

Both are tested batch by batch by accredited labs. A jar without a UMF or MGO number has no proof of what's inside.

How to read a real Manuka label

1. A UMF rating and/or an MGO value
2. Country of origin: New Zealand — and only New Zealand
3. Bottled in New Zealand
4. A batch number linking back to a specific harvest

If any of those four are missing, ask why.

The takeaway

The 14 June 2026 decree pulls back the curtain on a market that has hidden behind vague labels for too long. Labelling is the floor — third-party certification is the ceiling.

Single-origin New Zealand harvest, independent UMF and MGO testing, a batch number on every jar. The rules are catching up. We've been ready the whole time.