Mount Somers Breaks Into Global Top 10 at 2025 London Honey Awards

We’re delighted to announce that Mount Somers achieved incredible success at the2025 London International Honey Awards, securing a gold award for its UMF 5+ Mānuka honey and a coveted platinum award for its UMF 15+ product. 

However, the UMF 15+ Mānuka honey also achieved a unique feat, being awarded the #3 spot in the Global Top 10 Honey rank for creamy honey - a world-class result befitting a world-class product. 

This was one of Mount Somers’ strongest award showings, having won the same awards for the 5+ and 15+ Mānuka honey products in 2024, and again securing gold for both productsback in 2022. 

How The London Honey Awards Judges The Winners

The London International Honey Awards are a competitive judging and awards ceremony, designed to recognise and support honey growers, producers, beekeepers and retailers around the world. 

Its core purpose is to help these businesses preserve and improve the quality of their branded honey products.By promoting high-quality honey across all aspects of its use and consumption, the awards aim to elevate industry standards and determine the leaders within the market. 

A “blind” tasting method is used to ensure fairness when judging each of the award winners. Products are tasted without any packaging or distinguishing features, each product is assigned a coded number for reliable tracking and a panel of judges will assess the samples - performing an organoleptic analysis. 

This analysis involves a numerical rating on an evaluation sheet, based on criteria such as overall enjoyment (which holds the most weight in the final score), as well as appearance, odour, texture, flavour and mouth-feel. 

The products are judged on their unique properties and do not compete directly with each other. 

Mount Somers Recognised with a Prestigious Accolade

Receiving an award from the London International Honey Awards is a reliable indicator of superior quality. In addition to specific accolades, the competition also provides a global top 10 list that spans across every category of honey - including but not exclusive to Mānuka honey

We’re thrilled to announce that the Mount Somers UMF 15+ Mānuka honey was awarded third place in the prestigious Global Top 10. This top ranked list is divided into two groups - liquid and crystal, or creamy honey. Mount Somers secured 3rd place globally in the crystal category, marking our best performance to date and our first time breaking into the worldwide top 10. 

Notably, this Mount Somers productis the only Mānuka honey worldwide to achieve this distinction. 

Being the only Mānuka honey globally to crack this list is an exceptional achievement that not only benefits Mount Somers, but also reinforces New Zealand’s reputation as a leader in producing high-quality Mānuka honey. 

This distinction validates the stringent quality controls, independent testing and unique properties of New Zealand Mānuka honey. Mount Somers’ success contributes to the overall narrative of New Zealand as a source of premium and authentic honey. 

The global honey market is dynamic, with increasing consumer awareness about the health benefits and applications of Mānuka honey. This particular type of honey continues to command a premium from buyers, due to its unique properties. 

Mount Somers’ top-tier ranking is a further reassurance to our buyers that the products we produce aren’t just among the finest Mānuka honey, but all honey types available on the market. 

How Mount Somers Won This Award

Our success at the London International Honey Awards isn’t a stroke of luck; it’s the result of a meticulously-crafted process for producing the finest New Zealand honey. 

At the heart of Mount Somers’ successis a nearly decade-long history of honey production and beekeeping heritage. Founded in 2016 as part of Midlands Apiaries, we carry forward generations of knowledge and expertise. This legacy ensures our beekeepers understand the intricate partnership of bees, the environment and honey production. 

This allows Mount Somers to consistently deliver honey of exceptional quality. 

It begins with New Zealand’s cleanest, greenest and most remote locations. These untouched environments provide the perfect conditions for our bees to forage, resulting in honey that is truly authentic and embodies the purity of New Zealand. This commitment to origin is fundamental to the rich, complex flavour that defines our award-winning Mānuka honey. 

But we don’t just rely on tradition, we also embrace innovation. Mount Somers employs  advanced technologies, extensive testing and strict quality controls at every stage of production. This meticulous approach ensures that only the highest-quality honey reaches your door. 

Our dedication to quality is backed by comprehensive certifications and 100% traceability. Our Mānuka honey products are certified by both the Ministry of Primary Industries and the UMF Association (UMFHA Licence #2888). Specifically, our Mānuka honey consistently passes all legal requirements - specifically meeting the five attributes required for monofloral certification. 

Furthermore, Mount Somers is one of only a few New Zealand honey producers to be SQF certified. This internationally recognised benchmark food quality standard is a testament to our world-class production processes and a prerequisite for supplying most global food retailers. 

All of this comes together to deliver a uniquely rich, complex flavour and distinctly smooth, creamy and velvety texture of Mānuka honey. It’s this dedication to the subtle nuances of flavour and texture that truly set our honey apart, and captivated the judges at the London International Honey Awards. 

Our global #3 ranking is more than an award; it’s recognition of an endless pursuit of excellence, rooted in tradition and propelled by innovation. It’s the secret behind every golden drop of award-winning Mānuka honey. 

Experience an Award-Winning Brand of Mānuka Honey

Ready to taste the excellence that captivated international judges?

Mount Somers offers you the chance to experience a truly world-class product. Our UMF 15+ Mānuka honey is recognised as the #3 creamiest honey globally, delivering a uniquely rich flavour and a distinctly smooth texture. 

Now is your opportunityto try it for it yourself. 

When you choose Mount Somers, you’re not just buying Mānuka honey; you’re investing in nearly a century of beekeeping mastery, pristine New Zealand origins and a relentless commitment to quality, all culminating in an authentic, award-winning Mānuka honey experience. 

Discover the difference that global recognition makes.