| 119 T T Kim Newth Organic honey shines at food awards Woodlands Organic Honey range was awarded three gold and three silver medals for their premium organic raw mānuka honey at the 2024 Outstanding Food Producer Awards. Photo: Emma Steel. Woodland’s Organic Honey “It gives buyers confidence that our honey is really good because its quality has been judged by experts as outstanding.” PRODUCTION Organic honey producers Shayne and Elizabeth Mackenzie are celebrating a fantastic debut at the 2024 Outstanding Food Producer Awards after all six products in their Woodland’s Organic Honey range achieved medal-winning recognition. Woodland’s was awarded three gold and three silver medals for their premium organic raw mānuka honey. “We’re really blown away with the result,” says Elizabeth. “We always knew the honey was good, but we did wonder how it would stack up against other locally produced top quality honey. To win six medals is fantastic for our team of beekeepers and honey packers too – we’re all really excited.” Launched in 2018, the Outstanding Food Producer Awards celebrate the best of New Zealand’s food and drink producers. Awards head judge Lauraine Jacobs praised the high quality of honey entries this year, observing that the range of distinct flavours, coupled with excellent texture, was a hallmark of many entries. In total, 10 gold medals were awarded to locally produced honey, along with seven silver medals and one bronze. Mānuka honey is valued for a natural compound called Methylglyoxal, or MGO – the higher the MGO, the more potent the honey. Woodland’s Organic Raw Mānuka Honey ranges from MGO50+ right up to MGO550+, all certified organic by BioGro. Their highest MGO550+ rated product is described as rich, raw and sweet to the taste with a smooth to slightly grainy texture. It won Gold at the 2024 Outstanding Food Producer Awards, with the judges praising its delicious aroma, texture and taste, describing it “as honey should be.” The process of producing quality honey like this starts with how well the bees are looked after and Elizabeth says their beekeepers do an exemplary job of caring for bees throughout the season and harvest. The honey is extracted warm from the hives and is not heated or highly pressure filtered, which means it retains its natural taste, texture and beneficial enzymes. Woodland’s has always had a strong export focus, but this slowed during the Covid pandemic. Shayne and Elizabeth say their success at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards is already proving very helpful in rebuilding momentum in target export markets. “It gives buyers confidence that our honey is really good because its quality has been judged by experts as outstanding.” Woodland’s started as a family owned and operated business in 1995, with Shayne having proudly led the operation since buying the business in 2008. Shayne has a real passion for sustainable and ethical beekeeping, operating over 1500 hives in the northern Coromandel area. As co-owner, Elizabeth manages health and safety, administration and accounts, export orders, social media, auditing and compliance. The couple are also busy raising their young family - George, 4, and Olivia, 2. An exciting just-released addition to Woodland’s quality range is a new BioGro certified organic honey that, like their mānuka honey, makes the most of north Coromandel’s beautiful, pristine environment – Woodland’s Organic Pohutukawa Honey. “It’s Shayne’s favorite now – he loves it in his coffee. It has a beautiful light gold color and an amazing delicate taste that’s quite sweet but has an almost salty after taste. Pohutukawa flower at Christmas time so it’s almost like our Christmas festive honey. “We’re gradually extending our range so we can cater to a wider mix of tastes and preferences, so this winter we will also release our new BioGro certified organic multiflora honey.” Another recent release from Woodland’s - certified organic beeswax pellets - makes use of a natural byproduct of the honey extraction process. Eco-friendly and versatile, these pellets can be used in many different ways being perfect for beeswax candles, food wraps, crayons, waterproofing, lip balm and more. Woodland’s Organic Honey is available through their online shop at www.woodlandhoney.co.nz/ or can be purchased direct from select NZ stockists. SELECT SOLUTIONS PROVIDING CONNECTIONS & ADVICE • Locally Owned • Fiber • VoIP Phone Lines • Wireless • Data Cabling • Wifi Extensions 0800 266 238 selectsolutions.co.nz URBAN AND RURAL SOLUTIONS
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