For centuries cannabis and honey have been remedies used by assorted civilisations, and a Taranaki-based company is combining the two as a unique nutraceutical product.
“Indigenous cultures have been putting medicine in honey for generations, honey is a very good delivery system,” Naki New Zealand global marketing manager Derek Burchell-Burger said.
With Manuka honey’s popularity rising particularly over the covid pandemic, the company saw an opportunity for adding the therapeutic cannabidiol (CBD) to leverage off Manuka’s health and healing claims.
CBD has long been recognised for its ability to help alleviate a wide range of conditions, including anxiety, pain, insomnia and inflammation.
The global market for CBD-infused edibles is estimated to grow by 25% a year for the coming seven years, and is already estimated to be worth $8 billion in Europe.
Here in NZ, the recent law changes introduced in April mean medicinal cannabis products can be sold legally, enabling cultivation and manufacture for prescribed medical uses.
The company is currently in discussion with NZ online cannabinoid pharmacy Cannabis Clinic on distribution here.
Some products have already been developed overseas combining honey with CBD, with mixed results.
“No one, from what I could tell, had done such a product exceptionally well, or had used genuine Manuka honey,” he said.
Burchell-Burger says the price point of the product was often too high.
“If we were to package this as a tub in the same size as our other manuka honey products, the price could be upwards of $40; too high to achieve any volumes and will deter spontaneous purchase,” he said.
Developing a special single-serve “snap-pack” engenders that spontaneous purchase, for the price of a flat white.
“It is familiar for its use in sauces, but we believe it will work effectively for a convenient on the go wellness product as well,” he said.
Sourcing and processing of Naki’s CBD-blended product has been out of South Africa, with NZ’s regulatory environment for medicinal growing still lagging behind.
“We felt we needed to move sooner to get to market, so we shipped our honey there to blend with a broad-spectrum CBD sourced from African organically grown marijuana,” he said.
The company chose a broad-spectrum CBD that is more readily absorbed into the body; a synergy it shares with honey’s easily absorbed fructose and glucose content. The CBD has extremely low levels of the high-inducing THC component found in marijuana.
It took a global search of facilities, product and technology to arrive at South Africa, and the step into a therapeutic treatment market was a big one for the family-owned firm.
He is confident that as the regulatory framework evolves here the product will ultimately be entirely Taranaki sourced and produced.
Developing a new product offshore during a global pandemic has not been straightforward, with no samples able to be imported nor travel to the manufacturer possible.
“We have used specialists in that market to refine the taste,” he said.
With proven clinical evidence on CBD’s therapeutic traits still needed, the company is also looking to invest in clinical trials next year.
“But there is enough literature around to know the product will have a positive effect,” he said. =
Burchell-Burger says usage was estimated to be split three ways for the product – a third for nausea induced by chemo-therapy treatment, a third for relief from arthritis pain, and a third for experimental use, like a calming agent
“And a third are in my mum’s demographic; they are curious and want to try it out for other health reasons it (CBD) can help with insomnia, and have a calming effect.”
He says the global pandemic has induced a major spike in Manuka sales, with newer markets like Germany, Holland and Sweden now highly educated about the medicinal qualities of manuka honey, and also tuned into the use of CBD therapeutics.
Meantime, he is confident consumers in NZ will soon be able to benefit from the product’s presence.
“Regardless of the outcome of the referendum, there is a huge export opportunity for the development of other CBD edibles blended with flavours and foods local to the country,” he said.
