What do we produce?
We specialise in producing pure bulk honey in the drum for supply to the commercial New Zealand honey packer market. We have the storage capacity to store drums safely and securely.
We also produce a small amount of honey packed under our own Tutaki Honey brand for local sales. These honeys are good examples of and showcase the types of honey that we produce.
We produce some distinctive varieties of honey taking great care with managing our beehives and harvesting regimes to separate the different honeys from each of the dominant nectar flows that are particular to our region.
All our honeys are homogenised, that is lightly stirred, as the freshly extracted honey is filling the holding tank and continues to stir for a few hours thereafter. This creates a ‘tank sized’ batch of honey so that the last kg of honey to be poured off is consistent with the first.
Our sampling system ensures that any sample presented to any prospective customer is always truly representative of the honey that we offer to supply. Also, samples of all batches of honey are submitted for laboratory testing to ensure the customer, that the honey is exactly what we say it is.
The science
Firstly, a pollen count analysis provides us with the basic knowledge of the floral makeup giving us an indicative percentage of each predominant floral nectar source.
Other tests are also undertaken such as: moisture content, colour grade, conductivity for the honeydew, a test to show that the honey has not been heated, and any other tests if specifically requested, but all this so we can provide our commercial customers with a confidence that the honey we supply is of good quality and is indeed what we describe it as.
If the honey is from manuka sites we determine that the honey is actually Manuka with each batch tested for the 5 attributes per the MPI export requirements. Then all the usual MGO, DHA, NPA type Manuka tests to provide all the information we can so our customers may make an informed decision regarding their purchase.
Local honey sales
Our Tutaki Honey is supplied to local shops and cafes and available for our ‘gate sale’ customers to buy from our small honey shop.
We have recently opened the Tutaki Honey Studio at 22 Grey Street, Murchison. A handier location than at the commercial premises in the Mangles. Here we have our honey available in sizes from 500gm to 6kg. There is a small display hive where you can see the bees working to bring in pollen and nectar, raising brood, and sometimes you can spot the queen laying her eggs.
Opening hours are not fixed, but you’ll see a sign at the roadside when we are available.
We are happy to courier honey to anywhere in NZ for those who would like to restock their pantry or perhaps try our honey for the first time, just get in touch and we can go from there.
Our main types of honey
Great care is taken to produce the best honeys that we can in our region and we are very fortunate to have our hives around Conservation land and untouched National parks.
