About us.
We are family — literally and figuratively. The hive is buzzing with individuals driving the company forward through NZ Honey Group’s expertise and willingness to put the customer first, whether that’s a landowner, contract-pack partner, supplier, or one of our brand distributors and retailers.
Transparency, professionalism, and family — these are the core values that drive us. We believe honesty and openness are key to strong relationships with our customers, and we hold ourselves to the highest professional standards in everything we do, from beekeeping and manufacturing to marketing and finance.
We also believe in acting and thinking like family: treating each other with respect and kindness, working together toward a common goal, and fostering a sense of community that extends beyond our company walls. When we work together as a family, we achieve great things — and that’s exactly what we aim to do every day.
So if you’re looking for a company that values transparency, professionalism, and family, look no further than NZ Honey Group. We’re committed to bringing you the very best of New Zealand honey, with these values at the forefront of everything we do.
Our past.
1959Beekeeping begins
Leon Janson purchased his first hives, beginning the family’s beekeeping story.
1975Happy Valley started
Ben Rawnsley developed apitherapy products and invited the public to fill jars of honey straight from the farm.
2008Export markets
The Harvey family expanded sales into 16+ export markets, with our Auckland factory focused on OEM and contract packing.
2011Melita formed
Janson & Barley created the Mānuka honey brand Melita, focusing on beekeeping and sales into China.
2017Six companies merged
Six beekeeping companies came together to form Melita Beekeeping, alongside significant land acquisition.
2019Organic growth
Scaled to 10,000 hives and secured supermarket listings across ANZ — the #1 brand in NZ grocery.
2022New factory
Relocated to a new Hawke’s Bay factory alongside beekeeping — expanding to two production lines with greater capacity and SQF accreditation.
When it comes to quality honey, experience matters — and at NZ Honey Group, we’ve got 60 years of it. Our family-owned company spans three generations, with a rich tradition of beekeeping that began when Leon Janson purchased his first hives and started down the path to becoming one of New Zealand’s most respected beekeepers.
Along the way, we’ve brought six companies together into one, uniting the best and brightest in the industry into a high-functioning hive focused on delivering the very best of New Zealand honey to the world. Our team of professionals spans beekeeping, manufacturing, marketing, and finance, all sharing a vision of being the leading full-service honey specialists in the industry.
Our story wouldn’t be complete without two of our founding brands, Melita and Happy Valley. Melita is renowned for its beekeeping and marketing of Mānuka honey, while Happy Valley began when apiculture pioneer Ben Rawnsley invited locals to his Auckland backyard to fill their jars with honey. Today, both brands are part of the NZ Honey Group family, and we’re proud to carry on the tradition of excellence they started.
So whether you’re looking for the rich, earthy flavour of Mānuka or prefer a milder honey, trust NZ Honey Group to bring you the very best. From humble beginnings to our current position as industry leaders, we’re committed to delivering the highest-quality honey, products, and brands to customers around the world.
Our present.
At NZ Honey Group, we’re buzzing with excitement about our thriving beekeeping operations. With over 10,000 hives and more than 300 tonnes of honey produced annually, we’re proud to be one of New Zealand’s leading honey manufacturers. Our beekeeping experts span the length of the North Island, working hard to bring you the highest-quality honey available. Our recent focus has been our state-of-the-art production facility in Hawke’s Bay, which lets us pack New Zealand honey at scale alongside our ample bulk honey stocks. By combining contract packing with our own brand sales and marketing, we offer a comprehensive service that caters to all your honey needs.