What Manukora does

Manukora is a New Zealand-founded direct-to-consumer company that manufactures, supplies, and exports premium raw Mānuka honey and honey-based bioactive supplements. Founded in 1998 by beekeeper Bryce Hooton in the East Cape region and later joined by co-founder Michael Bell, the company sources honey from a network of independent beekeepers operating in the remote wilds of New Zealand's far north and East Cape, with each colony allocated no less than one hectare of wild Mānuka. Its core technology stack centers on MGO (Methylglyoxal) testing and certification backed by third-party laboratories approved by the New Zealand Ministry of Primary Industries, a QR-code-per-batch traceability system that allows consumers to verify hive origin and lab results, a cold creaming production process that preserves nutrients without pasteurization, and glyphosate residue-free batch testing. The product portfolio spans MGO-graded Mānuka honey (600+, 850+, 1000+, 1123+, 1200+) sold in jars, squeeze bottles, stick packets, and Starter Kits, plus a recently launched Bioactive Blends line combining MGO 850+ honey with concentrated botanical extracts (elderberry/echinacea, turmeric/ginger, ginseng/lion's mane) for immunity, recovery, and energy use cases.

The business operates a pure direct-to-consumer e-commerce model through manukora.com with two pricing paths: one-time unit purchases ranging from approximately $55 to $200 depending on MGO strength and format, and a subscription program offering 20-34% savings with pause/cancel flexibility. Go-to-market combines product-led content marketing (The Honeycomb Blog, Mānuka Wellness Guide, MGO Quiz) with multi-channel organic social (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube) and high-profile influencer endorsements from health figures including Dr. Josh Axe, Thomas DeLauer, Nat Niddam, and Minnesota Timberwolves Director of Nutrition Jenna Stangland. Target customer segments are health-conscious wellness consumers (primary), natural supplement switchers, athletes and fitness enthusiasts, and expecting mothers, served primarily in the US and New Zealand. Certifications including B Corp, UMF, Non-GMO Project Verified, and glyphosate residue-free function as key trust signals in a category historically plagued by adulteration concerns.

Name

Manukora

Website

https://manukora.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Manukora is a New Zealand-based direct-to-consumer company selling premium raw Mānuka honey and bioactive honey-based supplements online to US health-conscious wellness consumers, athletes, and supplement users. Products are MGO-certified, QR-traceable, and sold via manukora.com through one-time and subscription purchases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Premium Manuka Honey and Wellness Supplements

NAICS

Apiculture (11291)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Honey Packaging, Bottling & Private Labeling (AFAEAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Value-Added Bee Products Manufacturing (Candles, Cosmetics, Supplements, Mead Ingredients) (AFAEAHAM)

Keywords

• Manuka honey products
• Premium honey retail
• Mgo certified honey
• Wellness supplements
• Direct-to-consumer ecommerce

Headquarters

HQ city

Te Araroa

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales through manukora.com website. Products sold as one-time purchases or through subscription model with monthly deliveries. Premium pricing for high-MGO Mānuka honey and bioactive blends.
2. One-Time Product Sales: Single-jar purchases of Mānuka honey at various MGO strengths (600+, 850+, 1000+, 1123+, 1200+) and Bioactive Blends supplements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Manukora manufactures, supplies, and sells premium raw Mānuka honey harvested from independent New Zealand beekeepers, graded by MGO (Methylglyoxal) potency levels (600+, 850+, 1000+, 1123+, 1200+) and packaged in jars, squeeze bottles, and stick packets. The company also produces and sells a Bioactive Blends line of honey-based supplements combining MGO 850+ Mānuka honey with botanical extracts (elderberry, echinacea, turmeric, ginger, ginseng, lion's mane). All products are sold direct-to-consumer via manukora.com as one-time purchases or monthly subscriptions, with QR code traceability, third-party lab testing, and B Corp and UMF certifications.

Product overview

Manukora is a direct-to-consumer wellness company offering premium raw Mānuka honey from New Zealand and bioactive supplement blends. The core product line consists of MGO-graded Mānuka honey variants (MGO 600+, 850+, 1000+, 1123+, 1200+) sold as standalone jars, squeeze bottles, and stick packets, as well as Starter Kits that bundle honey with educational materials for new users. The portfolio extends to Bioactive Blends—a line of honey-based supplements that suspend botanical extracts (elderberry/echinacea, turmeric/ginger, ginseng/lion's mane) in MGO 850+ Mānuka honey for targeted wellness support (immunity, recovery/gut, energy/clarity). All products feature QR code traceability, third-party testing, and B Corp certified ethical sourcing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bioactive Blends: Mānuka honey blended with functional botanical extracts (elderberry, echinacea, turmeric, ginger, ginseng, lion's mane) for targeted wellness support including immunity, body recovery, and energy
• Superhoney

Quantifiable outcome

• 3x more antioxidants than traditional honey
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Independent New Zealand BeekeeperscoreOthersManukora works with independent beekeepers scattered throughout the remote, untouched forests of New Zealand. These beekeepers practice The Art of Ethical Beekeeping, maintaining bee health and following sustainable practices. Each colony receives no less than one hectare of wild Mānuka. Notable founding beekeeper: Bryce Hooton from the far north of New Zealand.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Comvita: The largest NZ-based Mānuka honey producer and global category leader, selling UMF-certified Mānuka honey across multiple MGO grades with both DTC and broad retail distribution. Directly comparable on product, certification stack, and target wellness consumer.
• Wedderspoon: US-headquartered premium Mānuka honey brand with a strong DTC e-commerce presence, raw/unpasteurized positioning, and wellness-focused marketing. Closely comparable on GTM motion (DTC/subscription), product format, and US consumer targeting.
• Manuka Health: NZ-based Mānuka honey producer (now part of Comvita group) offering MGO-graded Mānuka honey with strong authenticity credentials. Comparable as a vertically integrated NZ producer targeting global wellness consumers.
• Steens Honey: NZ-based premium honey producer with a meaningful Mānuka range and DTC/retail channels in the US and other markets. Comparable on premium positioning and MGO-graded offering.
• Tahi Honey: NZ Mānuka honey brand with single-origin, traceability-forward storytelling and DTC/retail distribution. Highly comparable on provenance narrative and premium positioning.
• New Zealand Honey Co. NZ Mānuka honey brand offering UMF/MGO-graded products globally with retail and DTC presence. Comparable on certification stack and international go-to-market.
• HoneyLab: NZ-based Mānuka honey producer with a research-driven, medical-grade Mānuka positioning. Comparable on authenticity/testing credentials and NZ sourcing.

Broad incumbents

• Pacific Resources International (PRI): Diversified NZ natural products group with Mānuka honey and broader wellness/health ingredient portfolios. Comparable on Mānuka sourcing and global B2B supply, broader in scope.
• Rowse Honey: UK-based mainstream honey brand with broader honey range and significant retail distribution. Comparable as a packaged-honey CPG brand, though not a Mānuka specialist.

Emerging players

• Y.S. Eco Bee Farms: US-based raw honey brand with wellness positioning and DTC presence. Comparable as a premium raw-honey DTC brand in the broader functional-honey category, though without NZ Mānuka credentials.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@manukorahoney
• Facebookfacebook.com/manukoranz
• Instagraminstagram.com/manukorahoney
• TikToktiktok.com/@manukorahoney

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manukora