A New Zealand mānuka apiary company has created what it says is the world’s most expensive honey, designed to blend art, heritage and science into a single collectible, and priced at €250,000.
The production of the mānuka honey and limited-edition vessel, created as a form of heirloom art, was inspired by archaeologists’ discovery of 3000-year-old honey sealed in Egyptian tombs that remained perfectly edible.
The limited-edition Eternal Gold vessel collection, produced by mānuka honey brand Naki, was unveiled at the New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata in Le Quesnoy, northern France.
Derek Burchell-Burger, general manager, sales and marketing for Naki Honey, said the inspiration for the project came from a fascination with honey’s extraordinary natural properties and its place in human history.
“Honey is the only natural, ready-to-eat food that doesn’t perish; it’s self-preserving because of its low moisture content, acidity and high concentration of natural sugars, which prevent bacteria or mould from surviving.
“When stored properly, it can remain perfectly edible for thousands of years.
“That’s what fascinated me about the Egyptian discovery, the idea that something created by nature could outlast entire civilisations.”
Each vessel contains Naki’s ultra-rare, UMF 25+ mānuka honey harvested from deep within the rugged Taranaki native bushland, known for its rich, fertile volcanic soil and the wild mānuka that thrives there.
Only 73 pieces have been made, each handcrafted ceramic designed by South African artist Gabrielle Weinstein and paired with a bespoke gold-plated honey dipper created by Cape Town jeweller York Van Rheede Van Oudtshoorn.
The top-tier collector’s vessel, holding two litres, will debut at €250,000 ($500,000), officially making it the most expensive honey ever retailed.
Six mid-tier pieces are expected to retail for around €5000 and a further 66 smaller vessels will be released at about €500 each.
Naki’s UMF 25+ honey used in the collection is the highest grade the company can produce and one of the most potent found anywhere in the world.
Burchell-Burger says Taranaki’s pristine environment and unique native flora produce a particularly potent variety of mānuka, rich in methylglyoxal, a key compound used to measure the honey’s antibacterial strength.
“Our UMF 25+ harvest only happens once every two years; it’s extraordinarily rare.
“The conditions have to be perfect – temperature, rainfall, flowering cycles, everything.”
Burchell-Burger described the creation as a form of “heirloom art”, a fusion of nature and craftsmanship designed to outlast its owners.
Each vessel contains around 202 teaspoons of honey.
Burchell-Burger said this represented 202 opportunities for future generations to share in the same family tradition.
“Your children, their children and their great-grandchildren could all taste from the same jar, just as the honey found sealed in Egyptian tombs thousands of years later was still perfectly edible.
“This is designed to be a piece of forever art,” Burchell-Burger said.
The move also positions New Zealand’s mānuka honey industry in an entirely new market segment, appealing to ultra-high-net-worth families with intergenerational wealth, seeking ways to leave an endowment that could last thousands of years.
“We’re seeing more families who want heirlooms that carry emotional and cultural value, not just financial worth.”
The series will mark each biennial harvest with a new collectible edition featuring artists from different nations.
Naki Honey has achieved strong export growth over the past three years, with international revenue up 300% and demand for high-grade mānuka honey surging across its premium markets.
South Africa has emerged as the company’s fastest-growing market, where it is now the dominant mānuka honey brand, supported by double-digit annual growth.
In the United States, Naki is entering its second year with strong momentum, having launched a direct-to-consumer digital platform and signed a new distribution agreement with Nepra Foods.
The company is currently preparing a $7 million export shipment for the Colorado-based firm – its largest ever and a milestone, as several competitors scale back their US operations amid tariffs and market entry challenges.
Naki is also expanding distribution across 23 international markets, including Europe, Asia and North America, with plans to further expand into the United Arab Emirates as a rapidly emerging export opportunity following the signing of the New Zealand–UAE Free Trade Agreement.
Burchell-Burger said the agreement opened the door for ultra-premium products like mānuka honey to reach a clientele who deeply valued purity, provenance and artistry.
Elizabeth Wratislav, general manager of the New Zealand Liberation Museum – Te Arawhata, said the partnership celebrated the enduring friendship between New Zealand and Le Quesnoy, and the museum’s role as a living cultural bridge between the two nations.
She said the unveiling at the only New Zealand museum outside Aotearoa coincides with the town’s annual November 4 commemorations of its liberation by New Zealand forces in 1918.
“Cultural exchanges like this allow us to share New Zealand’s unique products and know-how with the world, deepening the friendship born from shared history and sacrifice, while continuing to honour the legacy that connects France and New Zealand.”
Burchell-Burger said the launch location was chosen deliberately.
“Both France and New Zealand are agricultural nations, famous for products shaped by their terroir.
“This project showcases the shared respect for nature, craftsmanship and legacy that connects us.”
The inaugural piece highlights Naki’s growing presence in global markets and will serve as a foundation for the brand’s expansion into the UAE, North America and Europe.
Burchell-Burger said future editions may include New Zealand and other international artists as part of a long-term plan to build Naki’s reputation as a luxury global honey brand.
“We’re not just selling honey; we’re creating something timeless.”