| 31 T T Hugh de Lacy Getting up close to the world of bees Customers entering Comvita’s Wellness Lab encounter a 270-degree theatre and screen for a digital experience that takes them into the world of bees, the origins of manuka honey, and the science behind the complex flavour profiles of different grades of manuka honey. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Comvita Wellness Lab Shopping for manuka honey products has been taken to a new experiential level in Auckland by the New Zealand-listed natural health and wellness company, and global market leader in the unique kiwi honey, Comvita. A visit to Comvita’s Wellness Lab on Quay Street on Auckland’s waterfront sets a new standard in experiential retail by taking customers through a guided interactive journey to discover more about the science and taste of manuka honey, famed for its antibacterial properties. Customers entering Comvita’s Wellness Lab encounter a 270-degree theatre and screen for a digital experience that takes them into the world of bees, the origins of manuka honey, and the science behind the complex flavour profiles of different grades of manuka and other New Zealand native honey varieties. “The Wellness Lab is a first-of-its-kind experiential retail environment,” says Dr Jackie Evans Comvita’s Chief Science Officer. “It offers a world-class guided experience integrating nature and science, taking guests on a multi-sensory journey into the world of bees, and showcasing the science of manuka honey through a unique tasting experience. “Manuka honey is a highly complex honey containing over 2000 natural compounds. “It’s these compounds that give it its unique flavour, as well as its bioactive properties. “Consumers can experience for themselves how the taste of honey changes, becoming less sweet and more medicinal in flavour as the grade of the honey increases.” Monofloral manuka honey is graded on the basis of the Unique Manuka Factor (UMFtm), which is measured by the amount of the natural chemicals methylgloxal (MGO), dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and leptosperin it contains, with the lowest grade being UMF5+, through UMF10+ and UMF15+ to the top grade, UMF25+. Comvita has operated the Quay Street shop for years, but in March 2021 it reimagined the space, setting up the Wellness Lab as an experiential and educational destination for consumers, rather than just a traditional retail outlet. “It’s all about helping consumers to connect with Comvita’s scientific expertise, and develop an appreciation for the unique taste and “It offers a world-class guided experience integrating nature and science, taking guests on a multi-sensory journey into the world of bees, and showcasing the science of manuka honey through a unique tasting experience.” properties of this amazing gift from nature, and its ability to heat and protect,” Dr Evans says. And the latest science offers further proof that New Zealand’s manuka tree and the honey it produces are unique to this country, and that claims on the manuka name by Australian honey-producers are spurious. “In New Zealand we have one variety of leptospermum tree – leptospermum scoparium – known as manuka for centuries by Maori, which made an evolutionary split from Australian leptospermum varieties some nine to 12 million years ago,” she says. These differences were highlighted by research published in September last year by AgResearch and Analytica Laboratories, demonstrating that New Zealand manuka honey has its own distinct molecular composition fingerprint that is substantially different from Australian honey labelled manuka. “Over 50% of the detected molecular features varied between the two countries’ honey, regardless of MGO content,” the research paper said. “Consumers looking for manuka honey benefits should purchase only manuka honey that has been sourced in New Zealand,” Dr Evans says. bluestar.co.nz 1217691 Blue Star Business North 100x257 Ad_001.pdf 1 7/03/24 11:00 AM
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