What mānuka honey teaches us about export success
New Zealand exporters are being asked to provide more information about their products than ever before: customers, retailers and regulators increasingly want to see detailed proof of where a product came from, what is in it, and how it was produced to determine whether the claims made about it can be trusted.
A recent study by the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) has used mānuka honey as a case study to show how quickly these expectations are changing, and whether export requirements can be supported through global standards, including GS1 identifiers and 2D Barcodes. The research team included GS1 New Zealand CEO Peter Stevens and Government Sector Manager Rebecca Berendt.
The Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) is an international, non-governmental organisation that promotes economic cooperation and policy coordination across the Asia-Pacific region, and acts as a non-governmental observer to APEC. NZ PECC is chaired by Dr Alan Bollard, and primarily supported by the NZ Ministry for Foreign Affairs & Trade.
Mānuka honey exports depend on trusted data
Mānuka honey is a useful example of the importance of trusted information sharing for New Zealand exporters because so much of its premium value depends on trusting product claims. Buyers want evidence that honey is genuine New Zealand mānuka honey, that its Unique Mānuka Factor (UMF™) or methylglyoxal (MGO) rating is accurate, that it meets food safety and residue requirements, and, depending on the market, that claims around organic production, halal certification, provenance, sustainability or ethical sourcing can also be backed up.
The PECC study found that these claims do not sit in isolation. Exporters are often managing several layers of evidence at once, from regulatory requirements and laboratory testing through to certifications, provenance information and market-specific claims.
The research found agreement that this is becoming more complex over time. Retailers, online marketplaces, regulators and consumers are all asking for more detailed information to back up product claims and premium positioning, and in some cases that information is being requested at shipment, consignment or batch level.
The export challenge: Connecting fragmented information
For exporters, the issue is not necessarily a lack of information - it is that the information is often spread across different supply chain partners and systems.
Laboratory reports, certificates, declarations, audit records and export documents may all be held in different places and shared through spreadsheets, PDFs and email. This can mean the same information is entered, checked and supplied more than once – and often the information must be manually entered, risking human error.
As these requirements grow, so does the administrative burden and compliance risk, particularly for smaller businesses.
The research points to a more joined-up approach. The study showed that using common digital standards and unique identifiers can make it easier for businesses, regulators, retailers and consumers to access and verify the information they need, without requiring everyone to use the same system.
A QR Code powered by GS1, for example, can link a physical product to trusted information online. That could include batch information, test results, certifications or provenance details. The information can then be shared with regulators, buyers and consumers more easily, improving accuracy and reducing administrative effort. When shared using a QR Code powered by GS1, certain information can be updated without changing the packaging, and different users can be directed to the information that is relevant to them.
Mānuka honey part of a wider trend
Although the study focused on mānuka honey, the same issues are likely to affect many other New Zealand exporters, particularly those selling on the strength of provenance, quality, sustainability or other premium claims.
Wine, seafood, meat, dairy, horticulture, wool, nutraceuticals and forestry products are all likely to face similar pressure to provide more detailed and verifiable product information.
For exporters, the practical message is to start with the basics. Using globally unique product identification in your systems, maintaining good-quality product data and having a clear understanding of where supporting evidence is held can make it easier to respond as customer and regulatory requirements change.
The mānuka honey study highlights a broader shift in international trade. Increasingly, it is not enough to make a claim about a product. Exporters also need to be able to show the evidence behind it, and to collect and share that evidence in a way that is easy to access and verify.
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