China Manuka Honey Market to Nearly Triple by 2030, NZ Imports Dominate

Summary

China's manuka honey market was valued at nearly RMB 4.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed RMB 12 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual rate of about 22 percent. The market depends heavily on imports, with more than 90 percent sourced from New Zealand, as domestic output remains limited. Consumption is centred on high- and middle-income shoppers in first-tier and emerging first-tier cities, and women aged 30 to 45 account for over 65 percent of buyers.

Globally, New Zealand leads through its UMF certification system, while China takes in more than 30 percent of world imports. On the regulatory front, Beijing has enforced the national food safety standard for honey (GB14963) and tightened inspection and quarantine rules, pushing forward mutual recognition of international certifications.

Commentary

China's manuka honey market is on track to expand from RMB 4.5 billion to RMB 12 billion within five years, with New Zealand supplying more than 90 percent of imports. But smaller brands face hurdles beyond simple market growth. Although UMF certification is largely a New Zealand-driven scheme, China is moving towards mutual recognition of certifications, a step that will sideline products without standardised test reports.

Women aged 30 to 45 constitute 65 percent of buyers and place a premium on traceability, giving small and medium exporters a direct route via cross-border e-commerce — provided they invest in both MGO and UMF labelling. With China absorbing over 30 percent of global exports and tightening quarantine controls, single-market reliance carries policy risk. Diversifying into ASEAN and Middle East channels looks more prudent than scaling production aggressively.

Keywords: manuka honey, market size, New Zealand, import reliance, consumer groups, functional honey, UMF certification, industry trends

Source: Renren Library