Naki unveils the world’s most expensive manuka honey

Valued at €250,000 (NZ$500,000), the honey and limited edition vessel are designed to blend art, heritage and science into a single collectible.

The production of the manuka honey and vessel was inspired by archaeologists' discover of 3,000-year-old honey sealed in Egyptian tombs that remained perfectly edible.

The limited-edition Eternal Gold vessel collection will be unveiled at the New Zealand Liberation Museum - Te Arawhata in Le Quesnoy, northern France.

Naki Honey general manager sales and marketing Derek Burchell-Burger says the inspiration for the project came from a fascination with honey's natural properties and its place in human history.

“Honey is the only natural, ready-to-eat food that doesn’t perish, it’s self-preserving because of its low moisture content, acidity and high concentration of natural sugars, which prevent bacteria or mould from surviving. When stored properly, it can remain perfectly edible for thousands of years," Burchell-Burger says.

“That’s what fascinated me about the Egyptian discovery, the idea that something created by nature could outlast entire civilisations.

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“That story really struck a chord with me. We wanted to create something that endures, a legacy piece that could be passed down through generations. You could take a spoonful today, and your descendants could take one from the same jar decades and potentially millennia later.”

Each vessel contains Naki’s ultra-rare UMF 25+ Manuka Honey harvested from deep within the rugged Taranaki native bush, known for its rich, fertile volcanic soil and the wild manuka that thrives there. 

Only 73 pieces have been made, each hand-crafted ceramic designed by South African artist Gabrielle Weinstein and paired with a bespoke gold-plated honey dipper created by Cape Town jeweller York Van Rheede Van Oudtshoorn. 

The top-tier collector’s vessel, holding two litres, will debut at €250,000, officially making it the most expensive honey ever retailed. Six mid-tier pieces are expected to retail for around €5,000 (NZ$10,000), and a further 66 smaller vessels will be released at approximately €500 (NZ$1,000) each.

Naki’s honey used in the collection is UMF 25+, the highest grade the company can produce and one of the most potent found anywhere in the world. 

Burchell-Burger says Taranaki’s pristine environment and unique native flora produce a particularly potent variety of manuka, rich in methylglyoxal - a key compound used to measure the honey’s antibacterial strength.

“Our UMF 25+ harvest only happens once every two years, it's extraordinarily rare. The conditions have to be perfect - temperature, rainfall, flowering cycles, everything. When we do capture it, we encapsulate it in art so it’s preserved as the best honey on the planet.”

Burchell-Burger describes the creation as a form of “heirloom art,” a fusion of nature and craftsmanship designed to outlast its owners. Created for international collectors and high-net-worth investors, each vessel contains around 202 teaspoons of honey, representing 202 opportunities for future generations to share in the same family tradition.

“There are over 200 teaspoons in the collector’s piece, so you as an owner are investing in something your family can literally share for centuries. Your children, their children and their great-grandchildren could all taste from the same jar, just as the honey found sealed in Egyptian tombs thousands of years later was still perfectly edible. This is designed to be a piece of forever art.”

The move also positions New Zealand’s Manuka honey industry in an entirely new market segment, appealing to ultra-high-net-worth families with intergenerational wealth who are seeking meaningful, tangible ways to leave an endowment that could also last thousands of years. 

“We’re seeing more families who want heirlooms that carry emotional and cultural value, not just financial worth.”

Naki Honey has seen strong export growth over the past three years, with international revenue up 300% and demand for high-grade Manuka surging across their premium markets. 

South Africa has emerged as the company’s fastest-growing market, where it is now the dominant Manuka honey brand, supported by double-digit annual growth. 

In the United States, Naki is entering its second year with strong momentum, having launched a direct-to-consumer digital platform and signed a new distribution agreement with Nepra Foods. The company is currently preparing a $7 million export shipment for the Colorado-based firm - its largest ever and a milestone achieved as several competitors scale back their U.S. operations amid tariffs and market entry challenges.

Naki is also expanding distribution across 23 international markets, including Europe, Asia and North America, with plans to expand further into the United Arab Emirates as a rapidly emerging export opportunity following the signing of the New Zealand–UAE Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Burchell-Burger says the agreement opens the door for ultra-premium products like Manuka honey to reach an audience that deeply values purity, provenance and artistry. 

“The UAE has a long cultural connection to honey. It’s been used for centuries as a symbol of hospitality and healing. With the FTA reducing trade barriers, it’s now possible for New Zealand producers to showcase our most extraordinary exports to a market that appreciates both tradition and excellence.”

Elizabeth Wratislav, general manager of the New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata, says the partnership celebrates the enduring friendship between Aotearoa New Zealand and Le Quesnoy and the museum’s role as a living cultural bridge between our two nations.

She says the unveiling at the only New Zealand museum outside Aotearoa coincides with the town’s annual November 4 commemorations of its liberation by New Zealand forces in 1918.

“Cultural exchanges like this allow us to share New Zealand’s unique products and know-how with the world, deepening the friendship born from shared history and sacrifice, while continuing to honour the legacy that connects France and New Zealand.”

Burchell-Burger says the launch location was chosen deliberately. 

“Both France and New Zealand are agricultural nations, famous for products shaped by their terroir. This project showcases the shared respect for nature, craftsmanship and legacy that connects us.”

The series will mark each biennial harvest with a new collectible edition featuring artists from different nations. The inaugural piece highlights Naki’s growing presence in global markets and will serve as a foundation for the brand’s expansion into the UAE, North America and Europe.

Burchell-Burger says future editions may include New Zealand and other international artists as part of a long-term plan to build Naki’s reputation as a luxury global honey brand. 

“We’re not just selling honey; we’re creating something timeless.”