Our Mission

ApiLife Limited is a newly formed, family-owned and operated beekeeping company focused on the future of Apis Mellifera (European honey bee) genetics around the world. Our founder has spent the last 13 years in New Zealand’s commercial beekeeping industry, experiencing all aspects of beekeeping and finding a passion in Queen Rearing. We understand the importance of protecting the genetic diversity of the honey bee, to ensure the future of the all-important honey bee is protected. We integrate our commercial beekeeping experience with a scientific approach supported by research and data to ensure we achieve this mission. We also specialise in harvesting pure, premium-quality Mānuka honey from remote, pristine locations in New Zealand’s rugged backcountry, helping landowners maximise the resources of their property.

Why Choose ApiLife

We breed BOTH Apis Mellifera Ligustica (Italian Honey Bee) and Apis Mellifera Carnica (Carniolan Honey Bee), giving us an advantage over most queen suppliers who only choose to supply either Italian queens or Carniolan queens. 

We have invested a vast amount of time and funding in sourcing queens from breeders all over New Zealand and will monitor these queens over a full one-year period. We look for genetic diversities that we can include in our genetic lines, including production and hygienic behaviour traits, temperament, vigour, winter survival rate, Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH) traits, and swarming behaviour. 

Alongside our queen breeding programme we have a new, state-of-the-art artificial insemination unit. Our artificial insemination unit helps control the breeding process from selected genetic traits to improve the overall health and resilience of the honey bee population in New Zealand for future generations.

Harvesting Mānuka honey, we trace every step of the journey, so you know the origin of each jar. Our delicious honey range gets independently tested by New Zealand laboratories to ensure it is what we say it is. 

At ApiLife Limited, we pride ourselves on our environmental conservation efforts by planting native species to help regenerate our ecosystems, generating native shelter belts and riparian planting. All of which helps wildlife flourish by providing food and shelter, clean waterways, and helping to prevent land erosion. We also plant exotic species to promote a variety of pollen and nectar sources for honey bees, ensuring they get all the amino acids and protein they need to stay healthy. To help our environmental conservation effort we protect and enhance New Zealand’s ecosystem through native planting and initiatives. 

From the way we take care of cells, breed queens, and harvest pure, premium quality Mānuka honey, to our environmental conservation efforts and services to our clients, we take pride in applying the utmost quality and care.

Mated Queens – Mated queens are available for purchase from September to April. Shipping is available nationwide via overnight courier with Track and Trace or pickup is available from our base north of Masterton.

Honey – Honey is available all year round (dependent on stock levels). Shipping is available nationwide via overnight courier with Track and Trace, pickup is also available from our base north of Masterton. For international shipping we partner with New Zealand Post/ DHL to deliver your products.

We partner with New Zealand Post/ DHL to deliver your products. If you prefer for us to use another provider, please get in touch with us via our online form  or e-mail at info@apilife.co.nz before making your purchase.

New Zealand orders – Overnight, 1-2 days for rural deliveries. Track and Traced.

International orders – 3-5 days, Track and Traced. Please be aware that due to Covid-19 and other interruptions effecting freight companies, there may be a delay in receiving your orders within this time frame.

It is the purchaser’s responsibility to ensure they adhere to their local countries importation rules regarding honey. ApiLife Limited does not accept any responsibility if shipments containing honey are seized by the purchaser’s customs or border control agency.

We currently breed Apis mellifera ligustica (Italian Honey Bee) and Apis mellifera carnica (Carniolan honey bee). Due to breeding both Italian and Carniolan queens at the same time, we can only stock a certain number of queens per breed. If you require a few hundred of a certain breed, please book in advance.

Unique Mānuka Factor (UMF™) – UMF™ is the abbreviation for ‘Unique Manuka Factor’ This is a rating system from the Unique Mānuka Factor Honey Association™ (UMFHA™) who authenticate Mānuka honey authenticity, purity, shelf life, potency and freshness for customers, producers, and consumers. UMFHA™ test for the following four markers.

    • Methylglyoxal (MGO / MG) – Methylglyoxal is the key to Mānuka honey’s antibacterial properties and is an important compound marker for potency.
    • Leptosperin – Leptosperin is a natural compound found only in Mānuka nectar. Measuring this distinctive compound marker ensures the authenticity of the Mānuka honey. Laboratory research shows Leptosperin has anti-inflammatory properties. 
    • Dihydroxyacetone (DHA) – Dihydroxyacetone is a compound that is slowly converted to MGO. The higher the DHA content, the longer the MGO content will last, which means it has a longer shelf life.
  • Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) – The Hydroxymethylfurfural compound assures honey has not been overheated during the extraction or storage process or stored for too long, as this reduces its shelf life and potency.

 

MGO Rating system:

  • Methylglyoxal (MGO) – MGO, simply put is a single compound marker found in Manuka Honey that indicates the potency of the Mānuka honey. The higher the MGO rating the more potent the Mānuka honey is.

For more information on UMF™ and MGO, please visit: https://www.umf.org.nz/ 

UMF™ to MGO conversion

UMF™ MGO
UMF™ 5+ 83 MGO
UMF™ 10+ 263 MGO
UMF™ 15+ 514 MGO
UMF™ 20+ 829 MGO
UMF™ 25+ 1197 MGO
UMF™ 30+ 1620 MGO

 

New Zealand Honey Co has a comprehensive conversion table, please visit: https://newzealandhoneyco.com/pages/mgo-vs-umf-calculator-manuka-honey

New Zealand government has strict standards and testing procedures to verify the traceability, purity, and quality of New Zealand’s Mānuka honey. That way you know what you’re purchasing is genuinely produced and packaged in New Zealand. Currently there is more Mānuka in the world than what has been produced, meaning that honey is being adulterated and sold as “Manuka Honey”. 

We highly recommend that all consumers do some research on the company selling Manuka Honey, such as:

  • Checking the New Zealand Companies Office website to see if the company selling Mānuka Honey is a New Zealand owned company. Please visit:

https://companies-register.companiesoffice.govt.nz/

  • Check to see if there is any other honey added in to it. This is usually listed as “Multifloral” or “Blended” on the label or listed in the ingredient list.
  • Check to see what the UMF™ and MGO ratings are. If they are listed under UMF™ 5+, 83 MGO or not listed at all, then it is not Mānuka Honey.
  • Check to see if the Mānuka Honey is produced and packaged in New Zealand. Us kiwis are proud of being able to produce and package such a rare, pure, natural ingredient such as Manuka Honey right at our back door. As such most New Zealand Companies will state that their Manuka Honey product is produced and package in New Zealand.

We strongly recommend only purchasing Mānuka Honey from New Zealand companies that package the honey in New Zealand, to ensure you are purchasing the real thing.

Yes, ApiLife Limited can supply Manuka Honey in bulk. In fact, we can help you to source a range of New Zealand honey in bulk quantities. Visit our bulk honey page and fill out the form and we’ll be in touch.

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