The country's honey industry is on a mission to prove to the world it has more to offer than just mānuka.
While the popularity of mānuka has skyrocketed in recent years, prices for other types of honey have fallen.
But Apiculture New Zealand hopes to change that, embarking on a publicity drive to educate offshore consumers about the country's diverse range of native honey varieties.
"New Zealand produces a variety of honey from native plants unique to the country," Karin Kos, chief executive of Apiculture NZ, said on Monday.
"As a result, we have honey flavours unlike anywhere else, and while the mighty mānuka has given us a honey profile envied around the world, it is time to let other honeys, like rātā, kāmahi and pōhutukawa, shine."
Kos said Apiculture NZ will be teaming up with New Zealand Story - an organisation established to promote New Zealand overseas - to help spread the word about our honey.
"Over the past few years, New Zealand beekeepers producing non-mānuka honeys have seen a dramatic fall in their honey prices," Kos said.
"Our challenge as an industry is to raise the profile of all New Zealand honeys, and over time, establish a price premium. The New Zealand honey story is the start of that work."
The New Zealand honey industry has seen significant growth over the past 15 years. Hive numbers have grown from around 300,000 in 2005 to close to one million in 2019. The number of beekeepers has also increased, from 3000 in 2010 to more than 9000 in 2019.
Currently mānuka honey accounts for over 80 percent of all honey exports.
