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A Beekeeper's dream
Connecting people to nature and good health. That’s how it all started in 1974. Today Comvita continues that vision by researching and selecting sources of natural ingredients, carefully tending and harvesting them to preserve their purity.
In 1974 Comvita founders Claude Stratford and Alan Bougen imagined people living healthy lives. Bees were their inspiration, and honey their medicine.
Drawn by The Hum
People were drawn to the same vision, hearing the stories of care for the community through good health. Paengaroa became home to Comvita, a place for people working with and learning from nature.
Pure New Zealand
New Zealand, our home, is situated deep down in the South Pacific. It is made up of 2 main islands which are surrounded by the mighty Pacific Ocean and the Tasman sea. Cool winds blow regularly from the Antarctic continent. We have fresh air and no environmental pollution.
Up until approximately 1000 years ago New Zealand had no human footprints at all. The land was covered in rare and unusual plants including the Manuka tree provided cover for the emerging forest. It’s delicate white flowers yielding a golden nectar. Bees harvest this nectar to make their rich and fragrant Manuka honey.
THE UNIQUE MANUKA FACTOR (UMF)
Back as far as1986 Comvita recognized the unique nutritional properties of Manuka honey and began exporting it firstly to the UK . Then in 1991 Dr Molan published his research which identified the unique Manuka Factor (UMF) in New Zealand Manuka Honey. This natural anti- bacterial activity was proven to work powerfully against many known pathogens.
Comvita was the first company in the world to produce and sell medical grade Manuka Honey. These days, with more than 28,000 hives in production, we are the world’s largest producer. Each pot carries the important UMF quality standard mark. This mark represents our Triple Test Guarantee where three three key chemical markers DHA, MGO and Leptosperin must be present.
Hive to shelf
All Comvita® UMF® Manuka Honey is traceable to its source - from the hive to the shelf. We work closely with our bees and beekeepers to produce UMF® Manuka Honey of the highest quality. From New Zealand’s rugged central North Island volcanic plateau, to the bush clad hills of Northland, there are many factors that can affect the quality of Manuka honey - it’s a natural product so the sun, wind and rain all play a part.
We also held a deep respect for the environment and we were committed to minimizing any negative effects through our business activities. We wanted to leave a very light environmental footprint. We call this our Sustainable Business Practice. Caring is one of Comvita’s important core values. Caring for people and caring for this planet earth that we all share.