Taupō has become one of a tiny number of places on the planet where you can buy one of the world's rarest honeys, and shoppers here may be getting a relative bargain.
The Huka Honey Hive is now stocking Manuka South's exclusive Limited Reserve Legacy UMF35+ honey, retailing at $2,499 per jar. The same product is sold by London's iconic Harrods, where owner Jo Saville says it fetches around £2,000, or roughly $4,500 NZD.
Speaking to Lake FM's Love Taupō check-in, Saville said it was special to have a luxury product of this calibre in a small local business. "To have a product that is here in our little local business here in Taupō that sits alongside luxury retailers like Harrods in London," she said, describing the response since it arrived as fantastic.
The rarity is in the numbers. Only 0.03 per cent of all UMF mānuka honey ever tested reaches this level of potency, making it among the most sought-after natural wellness products in the world. Just two jars have arrived in Taupō.
Saville said the presentation was as remarkable as the honey itself. Each 250 gram jar comes in a handcrafted walnut display case with crystal viewing windows and 18 carat gold detailing. "It looks more like a piece of art or fine jewellery than a jar of honey," she said. The honey is matured for more than 1,400 days and undergoes around 100 tests before it reaches the jar.
It is not, she added, an everyday honey. With a slightly herby, earthy flavour, Saville said it was best eaten straight off the spoon rather than stirred into a hot drink. "It's definitely not recommended to add to hot water because the heat will kill the good enzymes of the honey," she said.
With only two jars in store, Saville admitted it would be hard to see them sold, but said the Huka Honey Hive was keen to share the experience. "We want to share the joy," she said.
