If you've been lucky enough to come across a 50+ 2250 MGO Manuka honey, you'll know it isn't an easy honey to come by. This is no ordinary honey.
It's the rarest of the rare, the very top tier of Manuka grading. Here at Bushranger Honey we've harvested some sensational Manukas, including our 50+ 2250 MGO from Far North Queensland, and we've learnt a thing or two along the way.
So why is 50+ 2250 MGO Manuka honey so rare? Let's break down the science, the scarcity and the value behind this liquid gold.
What does 2250 MGO mean?
MGO is the rating used to show the strength and quality of Manuka honey. Manuka honey comes from the nectar of Leptospermum plants, which naturally contains the compounds that form methylglyoxal (MGO), the compound that makes Manuka unique.
The MGO number tells you exactly how much methylglyoxal is in the honey, which makes it one of the clearest and most transparent ways to compare Manuka.
A 2250 MGO rating means 2250 mg of methylglyoxal per kilogram of honey. For comparison:
- Regular honey: next to no MGO
- Everyday Manuka: 100 to 300 MGO
- High grade Manuka: 750 to 1400 MGO
- Premium reserve: 2250 MGO
The higher the MGO rating, the more concentrated the honey, and the rarer and harder it is to produce. 2250 MGO is an ultra-premium honey for people who want the very best of both purity and strength.
Why 2250 MGO Australian Manuka is so rare
Australian Manuka honey is made when bees forage on native Leptospermum species growing along Australia's coastlines and through the bush. These plants:
- Bloom for just a couple of weeks at most.
- Are highly weather dependent.
- Grow in rugged, often remote areas.
- Produce nectar that varies greatly from region to region. Not every species, and not every season, produces nectar high enough to reach 2250 MGO. It takes an exceptional natural environment.
Ultra-high MGO forms naturally, but extremely rarely
MGO forms from a compound called DHA in the nectar. For Australian Manuka honey to reach 2250 MGO:
- The DHA in the nectar has to be exceptionally high.
- The honey needs time to mature.
- Temperature and storage have to allow the natural conversion to happen.
- The batch has to test at or above 2250. Not 2000, not 2100. Only a tiny fraction of any harvest ever gets there, and that rarity is what drives its value.
Why 2250 MGO Australian Manuka is so expensive
Manuka at this grade is incredibly scarce. It only happens under perfect conditions, in the hands of expert beekeepers with a deep understanding of and connection to the land.
Remote production costs
Many Australian Leptospermum stands grow in isolated bushland. To harvest them, beekeepers have to:
- Transport hives to remote country.
- Catch short flowering windows.
- Work around unpredictable weather.
- Spend years, even decades, finding the sites where the bees will produce high grade honey.
All of which makes it far more costly to produce than everyday honey.
Limited supply, growing demand
Awareness of Australian Manuka honey is growing fast around the world. But only a very small percentage ever reaches 2250 MGO, the harvest is seasonal, and high grades simply can't be mass-produced.
Get your hands on a jar
Our Limited Edition 50+ 2250 MGO Australian Manuka comes in a premium gift box, and once it's gone, it's gone. Shop the Limited Edition, or compare every grade in our MGO ratings guide.
