Australian honey news and information
Bega gives up on bHoney, Purple Hive Project
Bega Cheese Limited Bhoney Purple Hive Project
Bega Cheese Limited has abandoned the Australian retail honey market. Its bHoney product was withdrawn from retail sale in Australian supermarkets in the second half of 2025.
And its support for the 'Purple Hive Project' appears to have died along with it.
Comvita horror show to end as NZ Manuka honey glut brings down more producers
Comvita Guoco King Honey manuka honey glut nz honey industry NZ Manuka Health Settlers Honey Wedderspoons
A staggering $NZ105million after tax loss for the latest financial year will see NZ’s leading manuka honey brand, Comvita, sold to a new owner.
News of the deal emerged late in August just a week before Comvita’s official annual results were announced to the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZSX).
Byron Bay Honey now just another Capilano brand
Australia’s dominant honey brand Capilano, now has even less competition after its merchant bank owners bought Byron Bay Honey.
No details of the sale have been released, but Susanne Rose (formerly known as Susanne Tietze) has updated her Linked In profile to show that her role as “Byron Bay Honey founder and CEO” at the company ended in June 2025.
For Capilano, the takeover gives it yet another supermarket brand, as Byron Bay honey is stocked by both the dominant Australian supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths.
Honey production and total Australian bee hive numbers fall as varroa mite spreads
Australian Beehive numbers Beehive statistics Honey production statistics
Honey production and beehive numbers in Australia have both taken a fall over the past year according to the Australian Honey Bee Industry Council.
Danny Le Fevre, AHBIC CEO, said that poor conditions across much of Australia had led to less honey being produced this year and that a recent survey had revealed the national managed bee hive total had also fallen.
Comvita Manuka Honey a takeover target after poor 2024 first half profit result
Leading New Zealand manuka honey producer, Comvita, has become a potential takeover target following a slide into loss-making in the first half of financial year 2023-2024.
In its statement on its latest results to the NZ Stock Exchange, the company reported a net loss of $NZ3.2million.
The result came on the back of a dip in sales with total revenue for the half, down some 12%.
Lower sales in both China and the US were said to be mainly responsible.
Takeover speculation has been growing in the wake of the results, and especially since the company’s recent notification to the NZSX that it had received a ‘Non-binding indicative offer.”