A Guide to Mānuka Honey Grades:
What UMF, MGO and K Factor Actually Mean
The numbers on the jar aren't marketing fluff — here's what they're actually measuring, and how to read a label with confidence.
If you've shopped for mānuka honey in New Zealand, you've seen the jars stacked with different numbers — UMF 5+, UMF 10+, UMF 20+, MGO 100+, MGO 850+ — and a price tag that climbs steeply with each one. It's easy to assume it's just clever marketing. It isn't. Those numbers are lab-tested grading systems, and understanding them is the difference between paying for what you think you're getting and actually knowing what's in the jar.
Here's what UMF, MGO and K Factor actually measure, how they relate to each other, and how to read a label properly.
Why Mānuka Honey Is Graded Differently
Mānuka honey, made by bees foraging on the mānuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) native to New Zealand, contains a naturally occurring compound called methylglyoxal (MGO). MGO is what sets mānuka apart from regular honey, and its concentration varies significantly from batch to batch depending on the flowering season, region, and hive conditions. Grading systems exist to measure and standardise that variation, so a buyer can compare one jar to another with some confidence.
UMF is a trademarked quality standard run by the UMF Honey Association, and it's the most widely recognised grading system in New Zealand. Rather than measuring just one compound, UMF testing looks at a combination of three natural markers found in mānuka honey: methylglyoxal (MGO), dihydroxyacetone (DHA), and leptosperin, which together act as a fingerprint confirming both the honey's purity and its mānuka origin.
UMF grades are shown as a number followed by a plus sign — UMF 5+, UMF 10+, UMF 15+, UMF 20+ and so on. The higher the number, the higher the concentration of these markers. Only honey that's been independently tested and licensed can legally carry the UMF trademark on its label.
MGO grading, popularised by the brand Manuka Health, measures the actual concentration of methylglyoxal in the honey in milligrams per kilogram — so MGO 263+ means the honey contains at least 263mg of methylglyoxal per kilogram. Unlike UMF, it's a single-compound measurement rather than a three-marker fingerprint.
MGO numbers are typically much larger than their UMF equivalents, since they're reporting the raw concentration rather than a graded scale. This is a common point of confusion: MGO 100+ is roughly comparable to UMF 5+, not a higher grade than UMF 10+.
K Factor is an older grading system, most associated with the brand Watson & Son, that focuses on confirming the honey is genuinely sourced from mānuka pollen and has not been heat-treated in a way that damages its natural enzymes. K Factor 12, 16 and 22 are common labels, with higher numbers indicating a higher percentage of mānuka pollen present.
It's less widely used today than UMF or MGO, but you may still come across it, particularly on raw or minimally processed honey.
Roughly How the Scales Compare
Because UMF and MGO measure things slightly differently, the numbers don't translate one-to-one, but there's a widely referenced approximate equivalence between them:
| UMF Grade | Approx. MGO Equivalent | General Positioning |
|---|---|---|
| UMF 5+ | MGO 83+ | Entry level, everyday use |
| UMF 10+ | MGO 263+ | Mid-range, popular everyday grade |
| UMF 15+ | MGO 514+ | Higher grade |
| UMF 20+ | MGO 829+ | Premium, higher price point |
These figures are approximate and can vary slightly between brands and testing batches, but they're a useful reference point when you're comparing a UMF-labelled jar to an MGO-labelled one side by side.
How to Read a Label With Confidence
A genuine, properly graded jar of mānuka honey will clearly display its grading number (UMF, MGO or K Factor), and UMF-licensed products will also show a licence number that can be checked against the UMF Honey Association's register. New Zealand-made mānuka honey for export is also required to pass Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) testing criteria confirming it's genuinely sourced from mānuka.
Beyond the grade number, it's worth checking the country of origin, whether the honey is raw or has been heat-treated, and whether the packaging includes a batch or licence number you can trace back.
- A higher UMF or MGO number generally means a higher concentration of the graded markers, and typically a higher price.
- UMF 10+ / MGO 263+ is a popular, moderately priced everyday grade for most households.
- Look for a genuine UMF licence number or clear batch traceability on the label.
- Store mānuka honey at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, to help preserve its natural properties.
Looking for genuine, graded mānuka honey?
We stock New Zealand mānuka honey with clear, verifiable UMF and MGO grading.
Shop at Wellness Dispatch →Questions? Reach us at info@wellnessdispatch.co.nz
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