Honey export labels have to do two jobs at once. They need to sell a premium New Zealand product on the shelf, and they need to carry claims that can survive MPI, importer, customs and retailer checks. That is especially true for mānuka.
This guide covers practical label checks for NZ honey producers preparing export artwork. It is general guidance, not legal advice.
Start with the destination market
Export honey labels are not one-size-fits-all. The importing country may set its own requirements for nutrition panels, date marks, language, importer details, country of origin, health claims, organic claims, barcode format, tamper evidence and product naming.
Where the destination’s law differs, you can follow its rules instead of NZ’s for date marking and the nutrition panel. Everything else in the Food Standards Code still applies.
Before design is final, confirm:
- Destination country. China, the EU, UK, US, Japan and Australia can all differ.
- Product type. Mānuka, multifloral mānuka, clover, native bush, blend, comb or flavoured honey.
- Channel. Retail jar, gift pack, duty-free, food service or bulk export.
- Importer requirements. Some importers and retailers have their own label rules.
- Language and translation. Required language, approved translation and layout space.
- Certification or assurance needs. Organic, UMF, MGO, halal or other programme marks.
Do this before print quoting if possible. A destination-market change can alter label size, panel count or finish choice.
For the NZ basics on the label itself, you can run it through our NZ food label basics checker.
Mānuka claims need testing
MPI’s mānuka rules are central to export honey labelling. Honey exported as mānuka must pass MPI’s mānuka tests at a recognised lab. In NZ, a mānuka label must be accurate, and most brands use the same tests to back it.
Honey labelled as mānuka for export must be tested at an MPI-recognised lab on five attributes (four chemicals and a DNA marker), as monofloral or multifloral. ‘Mānuka honey’ on its own means monofloral only. Multifloral honey needs a qualified term such as ‘multifloral mānuka honey’ or ‘mānuka honey blend’.
Most mānuka brands show a UMF or MGO grade. It’s not a legal requirement, but any grade you print must match your test results, and must not imply a health or therapeutic benefit. UMF stands for Unique Mānuka Factor, a licensed grading system. MGO is methylglyoxal, and an MGO number gives its level in mg/kg.
If the honey does not meet the definition, the label cannot simply rely on brand story, place, imagery or a trademark to imply mānuka.
For print, the practical point is simple: do not finalise front-label wording, variant names, seals or carton copy until the mānuka position is confirmed.
Floral source and trademark wording
Floral source claims need to be accurate. “Mānuka”, “multifloral mānuka”, “mānuka blend”, “native bush”, “clover” and similar terms all create a consumer expectation about what is in the jar.
MPI guidance also calls out trademarks. If a trademark includes ‘mānuka’ but the honey isn’t mānuka, the label must make that clear, or state the real floral type in type that stands out. The design cannot bury the clarification in small copy while the main brand mark implies something else.
Country of origin and traceability
Origin isn’t required on honey sold in NZ, but most export markets want it. If you say ‘NZ honey’, it must be true. Export labels normally need clear origin and supplier details. Traceability also matters through the production chain: jar, lid, carton, shipper and export documentation need to line up.
Reserve room for:
- country of origin statement
- supplier or exporter details
- lot or batch code
- date marking where required
- net weight
- storage instructions
- barcode and importer-required codes
- certification marks, if approved
If a carton, jar label and tamper seal are all printed separately, check that every version carries the same batch, origin and claim logic.
Label durability for export
Export is hard on labels. Jars move through packing, cold or warm storage, shipping, customs, distributor handling and retail shelves. Honey residue also gets on the label during filling and customer handling.
For export honey, we usually check:
- humidity resistance
- rub resistance
- adhesive choice for glass or plastic jars
- lamination or varnish for wipeability
- foil and emboss durability through packing
- barcode scan quality after finishing
- carton and jar label consistency
White BOPP, clear BOPP and laminated synthetics are common export choices. Treated uncoated papers can work where the brand needs a natural premium feel, but they need to be chosen with the shipping route in mind.
What we check before proofing
Our prepress review focuses on print and layout risk:
- mānuka, multifloral or floral-source wording is consistent across panels
- mandatory and importer-required copy has enough room
- small type is readable at final jar size
- barcode has correct quiet zones
- batch/date coding area is reserved
- certification marks are supplied correctly
- label stock suits export handling and jar conditions
- embellishments do not compromise required copy
If the jar needs a barcode, our barcode generator makes a print-ready one.
We do not certify the honey, approve export eligibility or interpret destination-market law. The exporter needs to confirm those points with MPI guidance, the importer, the destination market rules or a specialist adviser.
Useful official sources
- MPI mānuka honey testing and definition
- MPI steps to exporting honey and bee products
- MPI guidance on export requirements for bee products
- MPI guide to New Zealand honey labelling
Before you send export honey artwork
Send the destination market, jar size, product type, floral-source claim, mānuka test position, grading or certification marks, language requirements, importer instructions and expected shipping conditions.
That lets us recommend a label stock and proofing path that fits the market, rather than forcing export compliance into a domestic label at the end.
Rules last checked against MPI notice guidance for bee products export, MPI mānuka honey testing, MPI guide to New Zealand honey labelling and others on 13 October 2026.