NZ Mānuka Honey Sells for £2000 a Jar at Harrods – Luxury Treat or Overpriced Trend?

Manuka South, a New Zealand producer of mānuka honey, is selling its premium product at Harrods in London for £2,000 per jar, drawing strong interest from luxury buyers despite the high price point.

The honey, which retails for under NZ$20 in New Zealand supermarkets, is positioned as “the most luxurious mānuka honey in the world” by the company and is presented in a handcrafted case made from American black walnut with Italian leather lining, antique gold detailing, and laser-engraved crystal viewing windows.

Each jar contains recycled glass and comes with a dust bag and a booklet signed by the founders. The product is also available directly from Manuka South’s website for NZ$2,499.

According to Harrods’ head pharmacist Sarina Mughal, the store has sold between six and 10 jars in some weeks, all to repeat customers.

The honey is harvested only in rare conditions that occur once every few years from bees feeding almost entirely on remote South Island manuka bush. It’s then aged for 1,400 days and subjected to more than 100 laboratory tests to ensure quality, and potency.

The result is an ultra-high MGO 2190 rating, well above medical grade, which honey sommelier Helen Rogers of the Honey Guild of the United Kingdom confirmed contains “extreme” levels of methylglyoxal, a key antibacterial compound.

While Rogers acknowledged the honey’s superiority for wound care, she noted its strong medicinal flavour may not appeal to all consumers, stating: “Most people probably wouldn’t enjoy it. It’s got quite a medicinal flavour.”