Hidden Honey’s premium manuka honey sets out to create a travel retail buzz

Premium New Zealand manuka honey brand Hidden Honey is making a strategic acceleration in global travel retail with an emphasis on selected high-value markets.

The brand, renowned for its high-grade manuka honey produced from remote hive sites in Taranaki on the west coast of the North Island, seeks to leverage surging global demand for wellness products.

Having established itself with premium retailers such as DFS and New Zealand local market company Farro, expansion in travel retail both at home and abroad is a key priority, CEO Haroon Uddin told The Moodie Davitt Report.

Uddin said the channel aligns with the prestige and authenticity central to the brand. “We want our products to be part of an elevated travel experience that connects travellers to the purity and story of Aotearoa [the Māori name for New Zealand, meaning ‘Land of the long white cloud’],” he commented.

Outside New Zealand, Hidden Honey has established a strong foothold in the UAE, a key Middle East market for luxury wellness.

Uddin said, “Our focus there is expanding into retail outlets that cater to discerning consumers, ensuring ease of access to what we believe is some of the world’s finest honey, without ambiguity around sourcing or quality.”

The brand has also launched a bespoke, traveller-focused service in China, designed for when in-store purchases aren’t practical.

The company is in discussions to secure listings with international travel retailers, focusing on major airport duty-free locations in Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.

Hidden Honey traces its origins to the Green family (see panel below), an Irish-Kiwi farming legacy with deep roots in cattle farming, land development and construction across New Zealand.

Their 3,000-acre Taranaki property, home to over 2 million manuka trees, yields UMF15+ honey, with top-performing batches projected to reach UMF22-25+.

Immigrants’ shared inspiration and values Initially supplying bulk honey to top New Zealand brands, the Green family lacked a consumer-facing brand until Haroon Uddin, a second-generation Afghan New Zealander and university student, had a fateful encounter while working part-time to fund his studies, writes Martin Moodie. “One weekend, I struck up a conversation with a customer – a man who humbly introduced himself as a farmer and a beekeeper. Intrigued by the mention of honey, I explained how deeply honey is embedded in Middle Eastern and Afghan culture – a daily staple and a symbol of purity and wellness,” Uddin recalls. That man was John Green, Chairman of the Hugh Green Group [a renowned New Zealand real estate developer]. After Uddin asked if, post-graduation, he could reach out for a job in the honey industry, Green handed the young man his business card. A year later they duly met. “The connection we had made — rooted in heritage, curiosity, and respect — evolved into a partnership,” Uddin explains. “With John’s mentorship and the support of the Green family, Hidden Honey was created as a standalone premium brand. It was one designed to bring the story of Taranaki’s untouched Mānuka forests to life while honouring the deep cultural relevance of honey in communities across the Afghan and Irish immigrant business partners and beyond. “I often reflect on the wisdom John shared with me. Stories of their family business and his own father — a man who had arrived in New Zealand from Ireland with nothing and built a respected legacy through hard work and honesty.” That man was Hugh Green (1931-2012), an Irishman from Donegal who had left school at 12, emigrated to Australia at 19 and subsequently arrived in New Zealand in the early 1950s. There he built an extraordinary business, while later creating a renowned philanthropic institution called The Hugh Green Foundation, inspired by Green’s early experience of poverty in New Zealand.

Hidden Honey’s hives benefit from untouched environments in isolated areas of Taranaki, free of modern agricultural impact. The remote sites, accessible only by helicopter, are placed deep within native manuka scrub, protecting the bees from pollutants and human interference.

Reflecting its strong commitment to sustainable harvesting practices, Hidden Honey gathers honey in limited batches, carefully extracting only what is needed to preserve the well-being and productivity of the bee colonies.

The honey is extracted through hand-pressing to retain its natural characteristics and high quality.

Bee welfare is central to Hidden Honey’s approach, with bees relocated to warmer regions during winter to prevent chills and maintain their health for the summer harvest.

Hidden Honey, founded by close friends and brothers with a shared dedication to environmental care and bee protection, nurtures a deep bond with the land and beekeeping craft.

Hidden Honey’s product range eatures various UMF ratings, including premium grades UMF20+, UMF22+ and UMF24+, designed for consumers seeking premium-grade honey.

The company intends to roll out a travel-exclusive range designed to connect with premium travellers seeking authentic New Zealand wellness offerings.

Additional product innovations in the pipeline include royal jelly blends and wound-care applications, targeting rising consumer demand for natural, functional foods via online channels and premium health stores.

Uddin seeks to work with distributors, retailers and wellness brands that share a commitment to sustainability and authentic storytelling, ensuring the brand remains transparent and to prevent mass commoditisation.

Contact:

Web: https://hiddenhoney.com/

Email: haroon@hiddenhoney.com