Rowse
Rowse Honey Ltd. is a UK-founded (1938) honey manufacturer and the UK market leader, selling pure, sustainably sourced honey across mainstream and premium Manuka lines through all major UK supermarket chains and direct e-commerce.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1938
- HeadquartersWallingford, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rowse does
Rowse Honey Ltd. is a UK-based honey manufacturer founded in 1938 by Tony Rowse and now operated as a subsidiary of Valeo Foods Group, which is owned by Bain Capital. The company sources honey from multiple origins (including New Zealand, Romania, Mexico, China, Greece, Hungary, and Argentina) and operates a CLAS-approved in-house laboratory that performs multi-marker authenticity testing for Manuka honey (MGO, Leptosperin, DHA), pollen analysis, sugar profiling, and screens for 700+ pesticides, heavy metals, and adulteration indicators, with independent third-party verification in the UK, EU, and New Zealand.
Rowse sells its products across three primary lines: Squeezy (Runny Honey, Organic, Acacia, Greek, Dark & Rich, flavoured, and the new functional Defence and Energise variants), Jars (Organic and Spreadable), and Manuka (50+ to 500+ MGO monofloral and multifloral grades), plus ChocoBee chocolate-honey spread, Snap & Squeeze sachets, and the Fusion cooking range. Distribution is concentrated in UK grocery retail through ASDA, Tesco, Sainsburys, Waitrose, Morrisons, and Ocado, complemented by direct-to-consumer e-commerce via rowsehoney.co.uk.
The business model is a one-time-purchase FMCG model sold at supermarket retail price points, with brand equity and trust (sustainability programs including Hives for Lives, Bee A Bee Farmer apprenticeship, and conservation partnerships with Blenheim Palace and LASI University of Sussex) as the primary demand drivers rather than technology differentiation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; the company is UK market leader and ranked 4th globally in the honey market per FactMR Global Market Analysis 2025.
Rowse firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rowse
- Legal name
- Rowse Honey Ltd.
- Website
- https://rowsehoney.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1938
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Rowse Honey Ltd. is a UK-founded (1938) honey manufacturer and the UK market leader, selling pure, sustainably sourced honey across mainstream and premium Manuka lines through all major UK supermarket chains and direct e-commerce.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rowse industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Packaged Honey
- NAICS
- Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113), Apiculture (112910)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spreads, Sweeteners & Syrups (Jam, Honey, Nut Butters, Maple) (CRADAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Honey & Natural Sweet Spreads Manufacturing (AFAKADAL), Honey & Apiculture Sweeteners (Honey, Honey Powders) (AFAJAAAL), Honey Packaging, Bottling & Private Labeling (AFAEAHAL), Chain-of-Custody Verification (Mass Balance, Segregation, Identity Preservation) (AFALAGAD)
Keywords
Where Rowse is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wallingford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rowse business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Honey Product Sales: Rowse generates revenue through the sale of its honey products including Runny Honey, Manuka Honey, Organic Honey, Specialty Honeys, and functional honey blends (Defence with Vitamin C, Energise with Vitamin B6). Products are sold through retail supermarket chains and online channels.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels4 records
Rowse product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rowse manufactures, packages, and sells a comprehensive range of 100% pure and natural honey products spanning everyday runny honey, premium New Zealand Manuka honey (50+ to 500+ MGO), certified organic single-origin honeys, functional blends with added vitamins (Defence, Energise), cooking-infused honeys (Fusion), and on-the-go sachets (Snap & Squeeze). Every batch is verified through a CLAS-approved in-house laboratory supported by independent third-party testing in the UK, EU, and New Zealand to guarantee authenticity, purity, and provenance.
Product overview
Rowse Honey is a honey production company founded in 1938, now part of Valeo Foods Group. The product portfolio consists of multiple honey varieties organized across three main categories: Squeezy (bottled honeys including Runny, Organic, Acacia, Greek, Dark & Rich, and flavoured varieties), Jars (glass jar format including Organic and Spreadable), and Manuka (premium range with 50+, 100+, 250+, and 500+ MGO ratings in both jar and squeezy formats). Additionally, the company offers functional products (Defence with Vitamin C and Energise with Vitamin B6), the ChocoBee chocolate-honey spread, Snap & Squeeze on-the-go sachets, and the Fusion cooking range with chilli and smokey infusions. All products emphasize 100% pure, natural honey with sustainability initiatives including rPET packaging and bee conservation programmes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Manuka: Premium Manuka honey range sourced from New Zealand with various MGO strength ratings (50+, 100+, 250+, 500+).
- Defence
- Energise
- Fusion
- ChocoBee
- Snap & Squeeze
Products and services
- Clear Squeezy Runny Honey Rowse's flagship UK best-selling honey in squeezy bottle format; medium to warm amber colour with mild caramel flavour and fruity back notes, suitable for breakfast to baking. Winner of Great Taste Awards 2023.
- Manuka Honey Range (50+, 100+, 250+, 500+ MGO) Premium New Zealand-sourced Manuka honey range available in 50+ MGO Multifloral, 100+ MGO Monofloral, 250+ MGO Monofloral, and 500+ MGO Monofloral grades, in both jar and squeezy formats. Each batch is authenticated via five chemical and DNA markers including Methylglyoxal (MGO), Leptosperin, and Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), with premium grades triple-tested. The 500+ MGO jar is a Great Taste award winner.
- Rowse Defence Functional honey blend combining Manuka Honey with Clear Honey and added Vitamin C, positioned to support normal immune system function during winter. Recommended for stirring a tablespoonful into hot water.
- Rowse Energise Functional honey blend combining Manuka Honey with Clear Honey and added Vitamin B6, positioned to reduce tiredness and fatigue as a natural everyday boost.
- Organic Honey
Quantifiable outcome
- 46 apprentices trained in beekeeping since 2014
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Rowse
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Rowse technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Rowse partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CoveriscoreCoveris collaborated with Rowse Honey to develop a redesigned packaging concept for the premium Manuka Honey range, featuring textured, uncoated substrates and colored hot foils. The partnership represents over 20 years of collaboration between the two companies, with the redesign attracting industry recognition.
- Kettle ChipsminorRowse partnered with Kettle Chips to plant nectar-rich hedgerows and cover crops around potato farmland in Norfolk. The partnership created 2.5 acres of mixed grains, legumes, and wildflowers to support farmland wildlife and pollinators.
- Blenheim Palace EstatecoreMajor conservation partnership with Blenheim Palace Estate to restore vital nectar sources for pollinators. The partnership has sown over 50 acres of wildflowers (70+ species), planted 1.5km of hedgerow, and created 27 new log hives across the 2,000-acre estate.
- Bees for DevelopmentcorePartnership with Bees for Development since 2018 to support Ethiopian communities through beekeeping skills training and reforestation. The initiative has trained over 360 people, created 1,270 new bee colonies, and reforested 101 hectares of land. 100% of Ethiopian honey profits are donated back to the program.
- Bee Farmers Association (BFA)coreRowse partnered with the BFA in 2014 to launch the Bee A Bee Farmer apprenticeship scheme, a unique 3-year program to train the next generation of beekeepers. The scheme is supported by Defra and developed with the Livery Companies Skills Council and City & Guilds.
- Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects (LASI), University of SussexcoreRowse is the lead sponsor of the Sussex Plan for Honey Bee Health & Well-Being at LASI, University of Sussex, led by Professor Francis Ratnieks (UK's only Professor of Apiculture). The partnership funds vital research into honey bee health, foraging habits, and sustainable beekeeping practices since 2010.
- Valeo Foods GroupcoreRowse Honey is part of the Valeo Foods Group, a portfolio of food brands. Bain Capital previously owned Valeo Foods and reports suggest exploration of sale of the Irish unit. Rowse represents a significant brand within the portfolio.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rowse competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hilltop Honey: UK-based honey brand selling across major UK supermarkets and online, directly competing with Rowse across everyday and Manuka ranges. Closest head-to-head competitor in the UK honey category with similar retail GTM and product breadth.
- Comvita: New Zealand-listed Manuka honey specialist with vertically integrated beekeeping and branded Manuka SKUs at multiple MGO grades. Directly comparable on the premium Manuka side of Rowse's portfolio, with global distribution including UK, EU, North America and Asia.
- Steens Honey: New Zealand-based Manuka honey producer with vertically integrated beekeeping operations and a range of UMF/MGO-graded Manuka products. Closely comparable to Rowse's Manuka range on sourcing model, MGO grading system and premium positioning.
- Manuka Health New Zealand: New Zealand Manuka honey specialist with MGO-graded products and global distribution. Directly comparable to Rowse's Manuka range on authenticity testing (MGO/Leptosperin markers), grading, and premium positioning.
Regional players
- Capilano Honey: Australia's largest honey brand and the global #1 honey company (13.8% market share per FactMR 2025). Directly comparable as a heritage honey brand with multi-format retail distribution, but primarily serves Australia and APAC rather than competing head-to-head with Rowse in the UK.
- Nature Nate's: Largest US-branded honey company by retail share, focused on raw and unfiltered honey with mainstream grocery distribution. Highly comparable business model to Rowse (single-category branded honey leader) but operates primarily in North America rather than the UK.
- Billy Bee Honey Products: Canada's leading branded honey company owned by McCormick, supplying mainstream grocery with squeezy and jar honey formats. Comparable to Rowse on CPG honey brand model and retail distribution, but focused on the Canadian market.
- Dutch Gold Honey: One of the largest North American honey packers and suppliers, offering branded, private-label and foodservice honey products. Comparable to Rowse on the manufacturing, bottling and private-label supply side of the honey value chain, primarily serving the US market.
- Barkman Honey: Canadian honey packer and supplier producing retail-branded and private-label honey across conventional and organic ranges. Comparable to Rowse on bottling, retail supply and private-label execution, but operates exclusively in North America.
Others
- Tesco Finest / Sainsbury's Taste the Difference (own-label honey): UK supermarket own-label honey ranges that compete with Rowse on shelf and on price within the same retailers. Relevant comparator for understanding private-label pricing pressure on Rowse's core Runny Honey and entry-tier SKUs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Rowse social profiles
Digital presenceRowse compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Rowse financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rowse leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Rowse funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rowse 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 Rowse
What does Rowse do?
Rowse manufactures, packages, and sells a comprehensive range of 100% pure and natural honey products spanning everyday runny honey, premium New Zealand Manuka honey (50+ to 500+ MGO), certified organic single-origin honeys, functional blends with added vitamins (Defence, Energise), cooking-infused honeys (Fusion), and on-the-go sachets (Snap & Squeeze). Every batch is verified through a CLAS-approved in-house laboratory supported by independent third-party testing in the UK, EU, and New Zealand to guarantee authenticity, purity, and provenance.
Is Rowse a public or private company?
Rowse is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Rowse founded?
Rowse was founded in 1938. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Rowse based?
Rowse is headquartered in Wallingford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Rowse make money?
One revenue line is on record: honey Product Sales.
Who are Rowse's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hilltop Honey, Comvita, Steens Honey and Manuka Health New Zealand. Regional players are Capilano Honey, Nature Nate's, Billy Bee Honey Products, Dutch Gold Honey and Barkman Honey. Tesco Finest / Sainsbury's Taste the Difference (own-label honey) is listed as an others.
Does Rowse have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rowse.
What industry is Rowse in?
Rowse's product category is Packaged Honey. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAAAC, Spreads, Sweeteners & Syrups (Jam, Honey, Nut Butters, Maple), with a secondary code of AFAKADAL, Honey & Natural Sweet Spreads Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 3113 and its SIC code is 2000.