7 minute read
CATEGORY INSIGHTS: SUPER SPREADS
SUPER SPREADS
What’s driving sales in our supermarkets?
Peanut butter is experiencing growth driven by its health credentials and versatility, appealing to a younger demographic focused on better-for-you options, says the Woolworths NZ team.
They explain: “While traditionally a breakfast staple, its role is expanding into healthy baking and as a recipe ingredient. One of the key challenges is balancing the need to appeal to core, traditional consumers with attracting modern, versatile consumers. This is evident in the rise of health-focused peanut butters, emphasizing protein and nutrition, alongside indulgent options like chocolate peanut butter. Market leaders include Pics and Fix & Fogg, with a trend towards larger pack sizes and innovative flavour combinations. Despite economic challenges, the spreads category, including peanut butter, has seen growth, highlighting consumer interest in both health and indulgence.
“Honey is experiencing a resurgence, driven by innovation and a focus on functional benefits. Growth is particularly strong in Mānuka and Mānuka blended honeys, reflecting consumer interest in their perceived health properties. We’re also seeing the rise of infused honeys, such as “hot honey,” and fortified honeys with added ingredients for wellbeing, immunity, and vitality. The increase in tourist numbers to New Zealand is also contributing to the growth in Manuka honey sales,” explains the Woolworths NZ team.
Manuka Doctor: The market leader in New Zealand’s Manuka honey industry
“Manuka Doctor has established itself as the leading brand in the New Zealand Manuka honey market, demonstrating strong sales performance, unit growth, and total category contribution. Recent data confirms its position as the top-selling Manuka honey brand in domestic supermarkets,” says Marketing Manager Aeneas Hall.
“In the past year, Manuka Doctor recorded a total sales growth rate of 27.6% across all banners. The brand also led in unit sales of Manuka honey, with a total of 1.123 million units sold, an 18.72% increase from the previous year. This growth underscores its role in driving overall category expansion. The wider honey category experienced 15% growth across all banners, with the Manuka honey sub-category significantly outpacing the regular honey segment, growing at 26% compared to just 4.3% for regular honey. This trend highlights the growing consumer preference for Manuka honey over other honey types. Notably, for the second consecutive year, Manuka honey category sales ($27 million) have exceeded the regular honey category sales ($23 million), reinforcing its dominant position within the market*,” explains Hall.
The continued expansion of the Manuka honey category demonstrates increasing consumer awareness of its unique health benefits
MGO-graded Manuka honey continues to dominate domestic supermarket shelves, reinforcing consumer trust in a scientifically measurable system. Manuka Doctor’s strong performance in this segment reflects the growing preference for clear and transparent grading. MGO levels provide consumers with a clear and quantifiable indication of the honey’s potency, which has become a key factor in purchasing decisions. Other brands, which previously relied on pollen-based classifications, have now moved towards MGO grading in response to market demand for more accurate and standardised labelling. This shift further cements MGO as the preferred and most widely recognised grading system in the industry.
The continued expansion of the Manuka honey category demonstrates increasing consumer awareness of its unique health benefits, which range from immune support to digestive wellness. With Manuka Doctor’s wide distribution across major supermarkets and ongoing investment in product innovation, the brand is well-positioned to sustain its growth trajectory. By prioritising affordability and passing on savings to retailers and consumers rather than increasing margins, Manuka Doctor ensures that high-quality Manuka honey remains accessible to a broad range of customers.
As the Manuka honey industry continues to evolve, Manuka Doctor remains at the forefront, setting industry standards and meeting consumer expectations. With a proven track record of success and category leadership, the brand’s influence in New Zealand’s honey market is set to grow further in the coming years.
New honey and campaign from market leader Arataki Honey
Voted by New Zealanders as Readers Digest Most Trusted honey brand four years in a row, Arataki Honey is very proud of their family beekeeping heritage and is committed to delivering delicious honey of the highest quality for everybody to enjoy. Renall explains: “Key to the brand performance is the cumulation of strong selling individual honey products under the one trusted brand. There is a honey offering for everybody – from the mild and sweet Clover Blend honey to the rich and nourishing certified Manuka honey. Leading the charge in the category is number one selling Arataki Honey Squeeze Me™ 500g with 18% growth year on year.”
The past 12 months Arataki Honey has also seen significant growth of higher value Mono-floral Manuka honey offerings. Arataki Honey Mono-floral
Manuka UMF 10+ 250g is the top-selling honey in this segment of the category. As visitor numbers to New Zealand grow, Kiwis look more for natural health products and the reputation of New Zealand Mono-flora Manuka honey grows, the sales in this segment of the honey category also grow.
Also key to the brand’s success is the continued investment in brand communications and product development. This year sees the launch of a new Hot Chili Honey and executions of the engaging "It's in our nature" brand campaign. The refreshed campaign can be seen on billboards, digital programmatic, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Hot Chilli Honey infuses premium New Zealand honey with firey flecks of fresh New Zealand grown Chillies to create a delicious, sweet heat.
*Source: Supermarket Scan Data to 16/02/25 For orders contact order@aratakihoneyhb.co.nz
Mossop’s Honey
Mossop’s Honey is a trusted, family-owned and operated business based in Tauranga that has been producing some of the finest honeys in the world since 1947. There’s nothing better than dipping into a pot of Mossop’s Honey for a spoonful of 100% delicious, healthy, natural goodness.
Kiwis love 100% raw natural products and at Mossop’s Honey, they believe that is the best type of honey to buy – raw and natural, so they process the honey as little as possible to maintain its natural flavour, colour, aroma and goodness.
Mossop’s Honey have a fantastic range of products, including their NZ hero product – the red label Mossop’s Manuka Honey MGO130+, which is a genuine Manuka honey that meets MPI
requirements for MONOfloral Manuka with an MGO rating of 130+ and is available in many New World and Pak’nSave stores.
Mossop’s Rewarewa Honey is sourced from the nectar of NZ’s native Rewarewa tree growing in the hills and valleys of the North Island.
Mossop’s also offer Field Honey, which is a delicious blend of honeys sourced from a variety of pasture flowers growing on New Zealand farmlands around the Bay of Plenty.
Mossop’s also have a great range of UMF™ Manuka Honeys, globally recognised as one of nature’s super foods and laboratory tested to ensure it meets the UMF™ levels on the labels and the MPI standard for MONOfloral Manuka Honey.
Mossop’s Manuka UMF™12+ Honey & Propolis Lozenges are very helpful in managing sore throats during the winter months. For more information visit www.mossops.co.nz or call us on 0800946677.
The FMCG Business team endeavours to produce a monthly snapshot of category news and highlights, based on information from participating clients, plus a table of the freshest data available at time of print. If you wish to contribute news for upcoming category reports, please contact trubanowski@fmcgbusiness.co.nz
