Manuka honey. Photo: 123RF
Taranaki-based Egmont Honey is finding global success with its brand of manuka honey despite being late to the expanding market.
Egmont Honey, established in 2008 by Toby Annabell and his son and chief executive James Annabell, had 4000 hives producing product for sale in more than 40 countries, with stockists in North America, Europe, Asia and Australasia, including retail giants Costco, Walmart, and Aldi, and a private label business with China's Huatai.
James Annabell recently took away the EY master entrepreneur award in recognition of Egmont's global success.
"We've always done things a little bit different. Everybody told me I was a little bit late to the market, but that was a red rag to a bull," he said.
"So, we've conquered many, many markets. We've cut out brokers, we've cut out distributors, we've gone direct to retailers. And it's worked for us.
"We're extremely profitable when a lot of our competition are not."
Annabell said Egmont Honey's story is a New Zealand story.
"I really love telling the New Zealand story, talking about our region, and taking what is a uniquely New Zealand product to the world."
He said the company had plenty of growth potential.
"We're going to keep going. I think we're probably number two or three in the market right now. Our goal, of course, is to be number one. And you know, our mantra is manuka for all."
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