Gloriavale businesses stung by loss of Mānuka honey licence over use of child labour and worker exploitation

Friday, 9 September 2022

Gloriavale leaders are under growing pressure as more of their businesses suffer the consequences of bad publicity about working conditions.

Two Gloriavale Christian Community businesses have been banned from using a Mānuka honey trademark over treatment of their workers.

The Unique Mānuka Factor Honey (UMF) Association has revoked a licence jointly held by Forest Gold and Lamohka honey brands, saying their actions had put its “good will and reputation” at risk.

This latest blow comes after Gloriavale’s Moo Chews kids snacks and Pure Vitality health supplements were stripped of their government-endorsed FernMark licences which require holders to be of good character and comply with New Zealand laws.

The UMF licence decision was based on an Employment Court finding that Gloriavale businesses used child labour and treated workers as volunteers when they were employees entitled to be paid minimum wage.

* Gloriavale businesses stripped of FernMark licences for Moo Chews snacks and Pure Vitality health products

Gloriavale business Forest Gold Honey has lost its UMF honey licence and has until the end of the month to remove promotional references to the trademark from its website.

* 'It's just your body, no big deal': Gloriavale leaders allegedly told women to not fear what men did to them

The court ruling led three meat companies to stop supplying offal to Gloriavale’s meal plant, and the Westland Dairy Company was awaiting the outcome of High Court action to determine whether it could suspend a contract to take milk from three community dairy farms.

“You can’t deny a court ruling,” UMF Honey Association chief executive John Rawcliffe said.

This photograph of Forest Gold apiarists appears in a brochure on the company website. Clem Ready, front row left, says he is unhappy about his image being used to promote the brand because it is some years since he worked for business he helped set up.

“Our credibility in the market, in particular how we treat labour, and how we do things is critical.”

Three young male Gloriavale leavers who took the Employment Court case gave evidence of working long unpaid hours in the Forest Gold honey processing factory, once going 50 hours without sleep to fill a large order, and of a young teen losing the tips of three fingers making bee boxes.

Rawcliffe said ongoing revelations about conditions at the remote West Coast community were also a factor in the decision.

The Employment Court in Christchurch is hearing claims from six former Gloriavale women members that they should have been paid for years of domestic work, and their evidence has included descriptions of harsh treatment and sexual harassment.

Clem Ready, who has appeared as a witness supporting women at the hearing, helped establish the Forest Gold Honey business “until they fired me and treated me like dirt.”

There are several different systems for grading Mānuka honey, and although they are not compulsory, many producers such as Comvita, use them for promotional purposes.

He said it was coming up four years since he was part of the community, and he was surprised to learn that he, along with several other leavers, featured in two promotional photos of Forest Gold staff on the company website.

“It’s just crass making out I’m still part of it.”

The UMF Honey association charges an initial joining fee of $20,000, then an annual licensing fee in return for use of the UMF quality mark.

The UMF rating of Mānuka honey is often used as a selling point with 250 gram jars of 20 UMF honey advertised at $123.90 on the Forest Gold website, which repeatedly refers to its status as a UMF licence holder.

“The UMF quality mark is the most respected standard in the industry, and we are honoured to be part of this association.”

The licence revocation covers Gloriavale and all its entities, including Lamohka Honey, which was established by West Coast couple Alan and Kate Monk.

They sold the business to Forest Gold in 2019 because they wanted to “go global” but could not afford the $20,000 UMF membership fee.

The deal allowed them to share the Forest Gold UMF licence, remain as directors, and continue marketing and distributing Mānuka honey packed for the label at Gloriavale’s Haupiri factory, with an agreement to buy back the company when it became profitable.

Last year Alan Monk said he was grateful for Gloriavale’s assistance.

“Everyone that I dealt with at Gloriavale was helpful and happy in their work. There is no way that Lamohka could have sold one jar of honey without the team from Forest Gold's help.”

Monk did not respond to questions about future plans for the honey business, and neither did Gloriavale leaders.

Rawcliffe said both brands must remove all references to UMF from their websites by the end of the month, but as there was no food safety issue, they could continue selling UMF-labelled products already in the market.

If the Monks set up independently of Gloriavale, they could reapply for a UMF licence, but would still have to pay the $20,000 joining fee.

Apiculture NZ chief executive Karin Kos said there were about four different grading systems for Mānuka honey, and while many companies use them to rate their honey, it was not compulsory.