Onuku Honey | Our Story | Mānuka Honey NZ

Heritage & Values

Māori ownership is the foundation

Being Māori-owned is integral to our business.

The land feeds the Mānuka. The Mānuka feeds the bees. The honey sustains the trust and the whānau it serves. That’s the cycle, and everything we do is designed to protect it.

When you buy Onuku, you’re buying honey that comes from a specific place, made by people with a genuine stake in that place. Every jar carries the story of the land it came from.

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Founded on trust, honesty and integrity

Onuku Limited was established in 2016 by the Onuku Māori Lands Trust. The brief was simple: take the trust’s deep connection to the land and turn it into a honey business that could stand on the world stage.

Based in Whakatāne, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, we’re a 100% Māori-owned company that produces, packs, and ships genuine New Zealand Mānuka honey. Our operation is built on three things: sustainability, integrity, and decades of industry know-how.

We use recyclable packaging. We test every batch. And we put our name on every jar, because we stand behind what’s inside it.

Guardians of 2,363 hectares

The trust stewards approximately 2,363 hectares of prime land at the base of Mount Tarawera, in one of the most volcanically active landscapes in Aotearoa.

The OMLT portfolio spans dairy farming (both sheep and cows), dry stock, Mānuka and pine plantations, and now, a honey business with a growing international footprint. The establishment of Onuku Limited in 2016 brought together the trust’s land assets and the deep industry experience of shareholder Les Stowell to create something worth building on.

Our mission is to realise and enhance the present and potential value of Onuku, while sharing its benefits and prosperity with our beneficial owners and their descendants.

The Onuku Whānau

Onuku is guided by the kaupapa tuku iho of the Onuku Māori Lands Trust and the core values that come with it.We are kaiarahi matakite - visionary leaders. Tohunga whakahaere - experts in logistics, operations, and service. Kairapu otinga - adaptable problem solvers. Kaipumau a-roopuu - collaborative team players. Kaimahi manawaroa - resilient workers.With strong expertise across the honey sector, logistics, and international trade, the team has built a global presence for Onuku. As a proud Māori brand, we continue to strengthen relationships with Māori stakeholders, expanding our supply network and supporting the growth of te ohanga Māori.