Naki unveils the world’s most expensive manuka honey
Naki Honey, a New Zealand manuka apiary company, has crafted what is believed to be the world's most expensive honey.
The acquisition lifts Egmont Honey's combined hive count to more than 22,000 across its Taranaki and Taihape operations heading into the 2026/27 season — a scale that likely makes it the largest beekeeping operation in the country.
The deal lands at a pivotal moment for the industry. Registered hive numbers across New Zealand have fallen sharply, from a peak of 918,000 in 2019 to under 490,000 now — a decline of close to half. At the same time, raw Manuka honey prices have started climbing again after a prolonged downturn.
Egmont Honey CEO and founder James Annabell says the timing of the acquisition reflects a broader shift in the market.
"Timing is everything," Annabell says. "Supply is tightening across the industry at exactly the point demand for genuine New Zealand Manuka is recovering. This is a key strategic acquisition that lets us supply our global retail partners sustainably and at scale, well into the future."
Tweeddale's has operated in the central North Island since 1945, and is well known in the industry for its distinctive green hives. The business was placed into receivership in March 2026. As part of the acquisition, Egmont Honey has retained Tweeddale's field beekeeping team, along with three members of
the Tweeddale family.
Annabell was clear that the acquisition won't alter how Egmont Honey works with its existing network of beekeeper suppliers.
"Our beekeeper suppliers are the backbone of this business," he says. "Tweeddale's hives cover only a portion of what we need each season, and they were already our largest supplier. This is about securing supply we already depended on, not replacing the people who built this company with us."
Annabell also paid tribute to the family behind the business.
"Don has built an extraordinary legacy over a lifetime in the industry, and that knowledge is not something you can buy or replace," he says. "Long may the Tweeddale legacy in the Central North Island continue, now under Egmont Honey's leadership and backed by our global network."
Egmont Honey exports Manuka honey to retailers across Asia, Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and North America, giving the enlarged beekeeping operation a substantial international customer base to supply from its expanded hive network.
