Australia Comes out on Top of New Zealand in Manuka Honey Trademark Dispute

A man shows honey with a plastic stick in Cuneo, Northwestern Italy, on Sept. 11, 2019. Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images

New Zealand has lost a trans-Tasman battle after a bid to trademark the term “manuka honey” was rejected by the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office (NZIPO).

The Manuka Honey Appellation Society (MHAS), with NZ$6 million (US$3.8 million) in support from the central government, has tried for almost a decade to trademark the term “manuka honey” to refer to those that are produced in New Zealand solely.