| 51 T T Rosa Watson A sweet product created with honesty Airborne Honey supplies supermarkets across New Zealand, Australia, the US, the Middle East, and Asia from its small factory in Leeston. Airborne Honey PRODUCTION Canterbury-based Airborne Honey is celebrating being named as a finalist at the 2025 NZ Food Awards, showing it remains a trusted brand after more than 100 years in business. It was named a finalist in the Primary Product Sector category for its recently launched Manuka Honey MGO 300+. “We’re incredibly proud to be recognised as a finalist,” says CEO John Parker. “To be acknowledged in this category confirms that we’re moving in the right direction, and it’s an honour to have our efforts recognised on such a meaningful stage.” The new Manuka range meets the evolving needs of customers, while staying true to the care that goes into every jar of Airborne honey, he says. Founded in 1910, Airborne Honey is New Zealand’s oldest honey brand, starting out as a small family operation with just a few hives. Today, it operates as a lean, nimble team that supplies supermarkets across New Zealand, Australia, the US, the Middle East, and Asia from its small factory in Leeston. The company has been led for three generations by the Bray family, with the founder’s grandson, Peter Bray, instrumental in building relationships overseas. Peter also developed a patented process that ensures honey isn’t damaged by heat during production, preserving the honey’s nutritional qualities and natural flavour. While he retired in 2022, Peter continues to serve on the board and remains highly regarded in the industry across the globe. “His passion, technical expertise, and encyclopaedic knowledge of honey left a lasting impression that continues to open doors for us today,” John says. The company produces a wide range of honey, and while the Manuka Honey, Manuka throat lozenges and classic blends such as creamed, liquid, and bush honey are the most recognised, there is also a collection of monofloral honeys. These are made from the nectar of native flowers, including rata, with its light, buttery sweetness, rewarewa, known for its rich malty flavour, and honeydew, which produces a dark, silky honey sourced from New Zealand’s beech forests. “These honeys tell the story of New Zealand’s unique landscape and biodiversity, offering a taste journey that shows just how many flavours and consistencies there are to discover with honey,” John says. From the beginning, John says, honesty has been a core company value, setting it apart from others. “Although honey is a natural product, when taking it from the hive to the jar, there are many opportunities to cut corners, whether by filtering out the pollen to reduce the chance of the honey crystallising, or overheating the honey to make it easier to handle, and burning it in the process. FOOD & SUPPLEMENT PACKAGING IN MOULD LABELS (IML) 100% RECYCLABLE PLASTIC PACKAGING 0800 32 LINK packtechmoulding.co.nz sales@ptm.co.nz www.gvi.co.nz • Import / Export Air & Ocean • Customs Brokerage • Third Party Logistics (3PL) • Perishable Logistics • Event Logistics • Project Logistics Proudly Supporting Airborne Honey I offer a careful and conscientious freight service ex Christchurch to the Lincoln, Leeston and Southbridge areas. Contact me, David and let me take care of your freight/delivery requirements today. 027 229 3829 countyexpress@xtra.co.nz Proud to have worked alongside Airborne Honey for over 20 years assisting them with their freight requirements. “At Airborne, we do things differently. Our honey is unfiltered, and thanks to Peter Bray’s patented process, it is touched by heat as little as possible. We test every batch;s pollen counts, and the HMF score, which measures any heat damage.” Customers can scan the QR code on the back of their jar to trace their honey back to the hive, as well as see the pollen count and HMF score for their jar. “So, consumers can trust that what’s on the label is exactly what’s in the jar.” John believes this approach is why Kiwi families have trusted Airborne for over 115 years. The challenge has been remaining relevant in the fast-growing industry. “By consistently offering high-quality products at a fair value, we’ve built loyalty across generations, and that loyalty has sustained us as we continue to grow,” he says. Airborne has been in the Leeston community since its beginnings, offering employment opportunities in the small community. It is also a key supporter of Cholmondeley Children’s Centre in Governors Bay that provides short-term, emergency, and planned respite care for children and families in need. A portion of sales from the company’s “honey for kids” range goes directly to the centre.
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