HoneyLab
HoneyLab is a New Zealand pharmaceutical company that develops and sells clinically validated, natural topical treatments for rosacea, cold sores, and joint or muscle pain, distributing via Health House in NZ and a direct UK supplier.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersTauranga, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What HoneyLab does
HoneyLab is a privately-held New Zealand pharmaceutical company that researches, develops, and supplies natural, evidence-backed topical treatments for common skin conditions and musculoskeletal pain. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in Tauranga, the company operates with a team of 1-10 employees and positions itself around peer-reviewed clinical validation rather than traditional pharmaceutical chemistry.
The company's product portfolio centers on three core SKUs built on differentiated natural-ingredient platforms. The Rosacea treatment is a twice-daily kānuka honey mask (medical-grade kānuka honey blended with glycerine) clinically shown to improve symptoms in 66% of users, with 13.2% achieving complete clearance versus 2.9% on placebo in a 137-patient BMJ Open trial. Honevo Cold Sore is a 90% medical-grade kānuka honey formulation that matched Acyclovir for healing time, pain relief, and patient preference in a 952-person randomized controlled trial. Rubeeven is a dual-action cream combining ethically-sourced New Zealand bee venom with capsaicin, providing warming relief within minutes for joint stiffness and muscle pain; it is a registered trademark.
HoneyLab generates revenue through one-time product sales distributed via a single New Zealand distributor (Health House), a direct UK supplier (honeylab.uk), an Australian toll-free line, and a walk-in retail storefront at its Tauriko headquarters. Marketing is product-led and evidence-led, leveraging clinical trial publications (BMJ Open) alongside Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube content. Capital has come from two Callaghan Innovation grants totaling approximately NZ$151,376 (2013 and 2017), with no disclosed institutional investment. The company was founded and is led by Shaun Holt as Founder and Medical Director.
HoneyLab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HoneyLab
- Legal name
- HoneyLab
- Website
- https://honeylab.co.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HoneyLab is a New Zealand pharmaceutical company that develops and sells clinically validated, natural topical treatments for rosacea, cold sores, and joint or muscle pain, distributing via Health House in NZ and a direct UK supplier.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HoneyLab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Natural pharmaceuticals (skincare & topical pain relief)
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dermatology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dermatology & Topical Skin Treatments (HLAIADAE), Dermatology OTC & Skin Health (Acne Treatments, Eczema/Psoriasis OTC, Antifungals, Wart Removal) (CRADAMAF)
Keywords
Where HoneyLab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tauranga
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices1 record
Markets served
HoneyLab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Product Sales: HoneyLab generates revenue through direct product sales to consumers via their distributor Health House (New Zealand) and UK direct supplier. Products include Rosacea mask, Cold Sore treatment, and Rubeeven cream. Sales are one-time purchases per treatment/outbreak with no subscription component mentioned.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
HoneyLab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HoneyLab develops, manufactures, and supplies natural, clinically proven pharmaceutical products for common skin conditions and pain. Its portfolio includes a Rosacea kānuka honey mask, Rubeeven™ bee venom and capsaicin pain relief cream, and Honevo® Cold Sore medical-grade kānuka honey treatment, all validated through peer-reviewed clinical trials and sold directly to consumers via distributors (Health House in NZ, UK direct supplier) and a retail storefront.
Product overview
HoneyLab is a New Zealand pharmaceutical company that creates natural, evidence-backed treatments for common skin conditions and pain. The company offers three core products: Rosacea (a medical-grade kānuka honey mask for rosacea), Rubeeven™ (a bee venom and capsaicin cream for joint and muscle pain), and Honevo® Cold Sore (a kānuka honey treatment for cold sores). All products are developed with clinical research, tested in peer-reviewed trials, and made with locally sourced New Zealand ingredients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rubeeven™: A dual-action cream combining New Zealand bee venom with capsaicin for joint stiffness and muscle pain relief.
- Honevo®
Products and services
- Rosacea (Honevo® Rosacea mask) A twice-daily topical kānuka honey mask made with medical-grade kānuka honey blended with glycerine, clinically proven to improve rosacea symptoms within two weeks (66% improvement, 13.2% complete clearance in 8-week trial). Designed for consumers with red, sensitive skin seeking a natural, non-antibiotic alternative to prescription metronidazole.
- Rubeeven™ A 100% natural dual-action topical cream combining ethically sourced New Zealand bee venom with capsaicin (from chilli), providing warming relief within minutes and lasting several hours for joint stiffness and muscle pain. Non-greasy formula absorbs within one minute; bee venom is harvested using a non-toxic, bee-friendly method.
- Honevo® Cold Sore treatment A natural topical cold sore treatment made with 90% medical-grade kānuka honey, clinically proven in a 952-person randomized controlled trial to be as effective as Acyclovir cream (the pharmaceutical gold standard) for healing time, pain relief, and patient preference. Safe to swallow, with antiviral and wound-healing action via low pH, high sugar content, and hydrogen peroxide release.
Quantifiable outcome
- 66% of rosacea patients showed improvement; 34% had large improvement; 13.2% achieved complete clearance vs 2.9% in control group; rated equal or better than prescription metronidazole
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use HoneyLab
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
HoneyLab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HoneyLab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Health HousecoreHealth House is HoneyLab's primary New Zealand distributor, handling sales and fulfillment for the New Zealand market. The distributor manages the 'Buy Now' purchasing pathway and provides customer support via toll-free phone (0800 140 141).
- UK SupplierminorUK-based supplier for direct sales to UK customers, enabling geographic expansion beyond New Zealand. Products available at honeylab.uk.
- Medical Research Institute of New ZealandcoreCollaborative research partner conducting clinical trials for HoneyLab products. Conducted the 137-patient rosacea trial and contributed to cold sore research, with results published in BMJ Open peer-reviewed journal.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
HoneyLab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bayer: Sells established rosacea and dermatology OTC brands globally (e.g., Skinoren, Canesten). Competes with HoneyLab in OTC dermatology categories and in consumer pharmacy channels across multiple geographies.
- Galderma: Global dermatology-focused pharma company with leading rosacea brands (e.g., Mirvaso, Soolantra). Directly competes in HoneyLab's rosacea indication but with broader portfolio, larger R&D budget, and prescription-grade products.
- Pfizer: Manufactures Acyclovir (Zovirax), the pharmaceutical gold standard cold sore treatment that Honevo matched in its 952-person RCT. Represents the standard-of-care competitor HoneyLab is positioning against in the cold sore category.
- GSK: Markets Abreva (docosanol), the leading OTC cold sore treatment in the US and other markets. A direct competitor in the same OTC cold sore consumer category as Honevo, with far larger distribution and marketing.
- Church & Dwight: Major OTC consumer health company with dermatology and pain-relief brands (e.g., Orajel, topical analgesics). A relevant comparable for HoneyLab's broader OTC positioning across both skin and topical pain SKUs like Rubeeven.
Direct peers
- Comvita: New Zealand-based natural healthcare company built around manuka honey and bee-derived ingredients with both consumer health and therapeutic positioning. Highly comparable origin, ingredient base, and natural-clinical narrative to HoneyLab.
- ManukaMed: Develops medical-grade manuka honey products for wound care and dermatology applications. Closest direct comparable in medical-honey therapeutics, formulation philosophy, and clinical-evidence-led marketing.
- First Honey: Markets medical-grade honey-based skin and wound care products. Competes in the same medical-honey dermatology niche as HoneyLab with similar therapeutic claims and clinical positioning.
Emerging players
- Skinfix: Natural-ingredient-focused dermatology brand targeting barrier repair and sensitive skin, including rosacea-prone skin. Closely comparable consumer brand positioning even though the formulation science and clinical evidence base differ.
Regional players
- Abeeco: New Zealand-based natural health products brand with bee-derivative and topical formulations, including skincare and pain products. Comparable in geography, ingredient philosophy, and channel mix to HoneyLab.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HoneyLab social profiles
Digital presenceHoneyLab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HoneyLab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
HoneyLab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HoneyLab 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 HoneyLab
What does HoneyLab do?
HoneyLab develops, manufactures, and supplies natural, clinically proven pharmaceutical products for common skin conditions and pain. Its portfolio includes a Rosacea kānuka honey mask, Rubeeven™ bee venom and capsaicin pain relief cream, and Honevo® Cold Sore medical-grade kānuka honey treatment, all validated through peer-reviewed clinical trials and sold directly to consumers via distributors (Health House in NZ, UK direct supplier) and a retail storefront.
Is HoneyLab a public or private company?
HoneyLab is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was HoneyLab founded?
HoneyLab was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HoneyLab based?
HoneyLab is headquartered in Tauranga, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does HoneyLab make money?
One revenue line is on record: product Sales.
Who are HoneyLab's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bayer, Galderma, Pfizer, GSK and Church & Dwight. Direct peers are Comvita, ManukaMed and First Honey. Skinfix is listed as an emerging player. Abeeco is listed as a regional player.
Does HoneyLab have an API?
No public API is recorded for HoneyLab.
What industry is HoneyLab in?
HoneyLab's product category is Natural pharmaceuticals (skincare & topical pain relief). Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAL, Dermatology Specialty Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAIADAE, Dermatology & Topical Skin Treatments. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2844.