Wednesday, December 13, 2017

New Zealand Trademarks Manuka Honey


NZ trademarks mānuka honey and officials create new definition

Many New Zealand beekeepers are celebrating the sweet taste of a landmark decision by United Kingdom authorities to accept the term mānuka honey for trade marking.

The decision reached overnight by the United Kingdom Trade Mark Registry recognising mānuka honey as a certification mark means the New Zealand beekeeping industry can seek further protection of the term.

At the same time Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor announced the Ministry for Primary Industries had produced a definition for mānuka honey.

He said the decision would not please all producers, but would safeguard the industry from cowboy operators and protect New Zealand's trade reputation.

"The scale of the problem was never truly identified but what we know is there was more manuka honey sold than was being produced, so obviously some cowboy operators were mixing honey. That's not good for our reputation or for customers," O'Connor said...

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