Airborne Honey
Airborne Honey is a family-owned New Zealand honey processor and brand owner, founded in 1910, selling MGO Manuka honey, monofloral floral honeys, and patented antibacterial lozenges via its e-commerce sites, factory shop, all major NZ supermarkets, and international export channels serving health-conscious consumers and food manufacturers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1910
- HeadquartersLeeston, New Zealand
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Airborne Honey does
Airborne Honey is a New Zealand-based honey processor, packager, and brand owner founded in 1910, headquartered at 41 Pennington Street, Leeston, Canterbury. It is the country's oldest surviving honey brand, family-controlled across three generations of the Bray family, with Peter Bray serving as Managing Director. The company sells premium and mass-market honey products—including MGO-graded Manuka honey (50+, 100+, 300+), monofloral floral honeys (Clover, Kamahi, Rata, Vipers Bugloss, Thyme, Rewarewa), classic honeys, and patented antibacterial honey lozenges—through direct-to-consumer e-commerce (airborne.co.nz, airbornehoney.com.au), its own factory shop, all major NZ supermarket chains (Woolworths, Countdown/New World, Pak'nSave, Four Square, SuperValue), and international export channels that account for roughly 25% of business.
The company's competitive position rests on proprietary technology and accumulated laboratory data: an in-house lab performs HPLC testing, pollen analysis (27,000+ record comparative database), Pfund colour measurement, conductivity, and sugar spectrum analysis; a patented low-heat liquefaction process delivers average HMF levels of ~6mg/kg versus a 22mg/kg NZ market average; a patented lozenge production process dries rather than boils honey to preserve natural properties; and the TraceMe system provides QR-code-based batch traceability from apiary to jar. The lab is MPI-recognised for the five-attribute manuka honey export definition test, and products comply with CODEX Alimentarius standards.
Commercially, Airborne operates a hybrid revenue model combining one-time retail/wholesale honey sales (unit pricing from NZ$8.50 to NZ$139.99 across SKUs and bundles), a monthly subscription offering with 10% savings on selected products, and wholesale/ingredient supply to food manufacturers. Customer segments span health-conscious consumers, NZ retailers, food manufacturers, and international markets (notably Australia and Chinese-speaking markets via FernMark certification). In 2024 the company expanded upward into premium Manuka tiers (MGO 100+ and MGO 300+) for the first time and won a SOFI Gold Award for its Premium Creamed Clover Honey.
Airborne Honey firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Airborne Honey
- Legal name
- Airborne Honey Ltd
- Website
- https://airborne.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1910
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Airborne Honey is a family-owned New Zealand honey processor and brand owner, founded in 1910, selling MGO Manuka honey, monofloral floral honeys, and patented antibacterial lozenges via its e-commerce sites, factory shop, all major NZ supermarkets, and international export channels serving health-conscious consumers and food manufacturers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Airborne Honey industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Honey Production
- NAICS
- Apiculture (11291), Apiculture (112910), Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Honey & Apiculture Sweeteners (Honey, Honey Powders) (AFAJAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Honey & Natural Sweet Spreads Manufacturing (AFAKADAL), Value-Added Bee Products Manufacturing (Candles, Cosmetics, Supplements, Mead Ingredients) (AFAEAHAM)
Keywords
Where Airborne Honey is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Leeston
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
Airborne Honey business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Honey Product Sales: Direct sales of various honey products including Manuka (MGO 50+ to 300+), Floral honeys (Clover, Kamahi, Rata, Vipers Bugloss, Thyme, Rewarewa), Classic honeys, and honey lozenges through their online store and factory shop.
- Wholesale/Distribution Sales: Supply of honey products to major New Zealand retailers (Woolworths, Countdown/New World, Pak'nSave, Four Square, SuperValue) and international markets. Exports comprise around 25% of business.
- Subscription Service: Monthly subscription model offering 10% savings on selected products for recurring customer purchases.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Manuka Honey MGO 50+ 250g |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Manuka Honey MGO 50+ 500g |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Manuka Honey MGO 100+ 500g |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Manuka Honey MGO 300+ 500g |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 85+ Pure Manuka Premium Pack |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Award Winning Creamed Clover Honey 500g |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Pure Honey 500g (Classic) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Family Pack Manuka & Honeydew Lozenges |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
Airborne Honey product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Airborne Honey manufactures, processes, and markets premium New Zealand honey products, including graded MGO Manuka honey (50+, 100+, 300+), monofloral floral honeys (Clover, Kamahi, Rata, Vipers Bugloss, Thyme, Rewarewa), classic honeys, honey lozenges, and bundled gift packs. The company operates a Leeston-based processing and packing facility, an online store, and distributes through major NZ supermarket chains and international export channels, supported by its proprietary low-heat processing and TraceMe batch traceability system.
Product overview
Airborne Honey is New Zealand's oldest surviving honey brand (established 1910), offering a diverse portfolio of premium honey products. The core product lines include MGO Manuka Honeys (graded by Methylglyoxal content at 50+, 100+, and 300+ mg/kg levels for antibacterial potency), Pure Manuka Honeys (70+ to 85+ pollen percentage), Classic Honeys (Pure, Creamed, Bush, and Manuka 30+ varieties), and Floral Monofloral Honeys (Kamahi, Vipers Bugloss, Clover, Rata, Rewarewa, Thyme, Multifloral, Honeydew). The company also offers complementary products including patented Antibacterial Honey Lozenges (Manuka & Honeydew, Manuka & Lemon) and specialty bundles. A key differentiator is the proprietary TraceMe traceability system enabling full supply chain transparency. Products are sold across various sizes from 250g to 1kg, with formats including liquid, creamed, and squeeze bottles. Distribution spans retail (Woolworths, New World, Pak'nSave, Four Square, SuperValue) and direct-to-consumer online channels.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- MGO 50+ Manuka Honey Entry-level Manuka honey with at least 50 mg/kg of Methylglyoxal (MGO), providing natural antibacterial properties for everyday wellness support. Available in 250g and 500g sizes for health-conscious consumers seeking verified Manuka honey.
- MGO 100+ Manuka Honey Premium Manuka honey with at least 100 mg/kg of Methylglyoxal (MGO), offering enhanced natural antibacterial properties for health-conscious consumers.
- MGO 300+ Manuka Honey Therapeutic-grade Manuka honey with at least 300 mg/kg of Methylglyoxal (MGO), the highest MGO level in Airborne's range, suitable for immune support, throat care, and daily wellness rituals.
Quantifiable outcome
- Lowest average HMF level in NZ market at approximately 6mg/kg (vs NZ average of 22mg/kg and CODEX standard of 40mg/kg)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Airborne Honey
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Airborne Honey technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Airborne Honey partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Woolworths New ZealandcoreMajor New Zealand supermarket chain distributing Airborne honey products across their retail stores nationwide.
- Progressive Retail Group (Countdown/New World)coreMajor retailer group operating Countdown and New World supermarkets across New Zealand, stocking Airborne honey products.
- Foodland Associates (Pak'nSave, Four Square, SuperValue)coreIndependent grocery retailer group including warehouse (Pak'nSave) and neighborhood (Four Square, SuperValue) stores distributing Airborne products.
- New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)coreAll honey labelled as manuka for export must be tested by an MPI-recognised laboratory. Airborne's in-house laboratory meets MPI standards for manuka honey definition verification, testing for 5 attributes (4 chemicals from nectar and 1 DNA marker from manuka pollen).
- International CODEX AlimentariuscoreAirborne adheres to International CODEX standard for honey, which sets worldwide standards for honey including labeling, composition, and quality factors. NZ is an active signatory to these standards.
- FernMark (NZTE)coreFernMark license program backed by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, providing official certification of New Zealand origin for Airborne products with country-specific branding for Chinese markets.
- Lincoln UniversityminorResearch collaboration with Lincoln University on honeydew honey antioxidant studies, including polyphenolic compound analysis using ABTS and ORAC methods.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Airborne Honey competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Manuka Health: NZ specialist Manuka honey brand offering MGO and UMF graded Manuka plus lozenges and propolis products. Direct competitor in the premium Manuka and lozenge segments, with shared lab-based authentication messaging and export focus.
- Arataki Honey: One of NZ's largest honey producers, based in Hawke's Bay, with a broad portfolio of Manuka, monofloral, and multifloral honeys. Closely comparable to Airborne in domestic NZ retail distribution and full-category honey breadth, though Arataki retains its own hive operations.
- Comvita: New Zealand's largest publicly listed Manuka honey producer, selling MGO-graded Manuka, floral honeys, lozenges, and propolis products globally. Closest direct competitor with the same product categories, lab-driven authentication, and export-led growth model to Airborne.
- Steens Honey: NZ-based Manuka and table honey brand with vertically integrated hive-to-jar operations, MGO and UMF graded Manuka, plus DTC and international export. Highly comparable to Airborne in product range, Manuka focus, and premium positioning.
Emerging players
- New Zealand Honey Co. NZ-based Manuka specialist with online-led distribution and a focused Manuka/MGO product range. Comparable as a smaller NZ Manuka brand competing for similar export channels as Airborne, though at a smaller scale and with narrower product breadth.
Regional players
- Rowse Honey: UK's leading honey brand with broad retail distribution and multi-floral honey portfolio. Comparable as a multi-floral honey incumbent in another developed market, but does not compete with Airborne in Manuka or Oceania.
- Hilltop Honey: UK-based premium and Manuka-blend honey brand with strong DTC and retail presence. Comparable on premium honey positioning and traceability storytelling, though primarily serving UK and European consumers.
Broad incumbents
- Capilano Honey: Australia's largest honey brand, with broad honey portfolio and retail dominance at Coles/Woolworths Australia. Comparable as an incumbent Australasian honey major, though primarily Australian-sourced honey rather than Manuka-led like Airborne.
- Wedderspoon: US-based premium Manuka and raw honey brand with strong DTC positioning in North America. Comparable on Manuka premiumization and lozenge adjacency to Airborne, though focused on the US market rather than Oceania.
- Nature Nate's: US-based premium raw and unfiltered honey brand with nationwide retail distribution. Comparable to Airborne on premium honey positioning and traceability/quality storytelling, but operating in a different geography and without a Manuka focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Airborne Honey social profiles
Digital presenceAirborne Honey compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Airborne Honey financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Airborne Honey leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Airborne Honey funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Airborne Honey M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Airborne Honey
What does Airborne Honey do?
Airborne Honey manufactures, processes, and markets premium New Zealand honey products, including graded MGO Manuka honey (50+, 100+, 300+), monofloral floral honeys (Clover, Kamahi, Rata, Vipers Bugloss, Thyme, Rewarewa), classic honeys, honey lozenges, and bundled gift packs. The company operates a Leeston-based processing and packing facility, an online store, and distributes through major NZ supermarket chains and international export channels, supported by its proprietary low-heat processing and TraceMe batch traceability system.
Is Airborne Honey a public or private company?
Airborne Honey is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Airborne Honey founded?
Airborne Honey was founded in 1910. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Airborne Honey based?
Airborne Honey is headquartered in Leeston, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Airborne Honey make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Honey Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale/Distribution Sales and subscription Service.
Who are Airborne Honey's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Manuka Health, Arataki Honey, Comvita and Steens Honey. New Zealand Honey Co. is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Rowse Honey and Hilltop Honey. Broad incumbents are Capilano Honey, Wedderspoon and Nature Nate's.
Does Airborne Honey have an API?
No public API is recorded for Airborne Honey.
What industry is Airborne Honey in?
Airborne Honey's product category is Honey Production. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAJAAAL, Honey & Apiculture Sweeteners (Honey, Honey Powders), with a secondary code of AFAKADAL, Honey & Natural Sweet Spreads Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 11291 and its SIC code is 2000.