If you are choosing between Mānuka honey and regular honey, the easiest place to start is the label.
Regular honey is usually sold by floral type, origin or flavour.
Mānuka honey gives you another useful point of comparison: its MGO rating.
That number helps show what separates one Mānuka honey from another and gives shoppers something measurable to look for beyond general descriptions such as “premium” or “strong”.
The Main Difference for a Buyer
Regular honey can come from many different flowers and regions.
Mānuka honey comes from nectar associated with the Mānuka plant and is especially linked with New Zealand.
One of its most useful distinguishing features is that Mānuka honey can carry an MGO number.
For example:
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MGO 100+ sets a threshold of 100 mg/kg
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MGO 400+ sets a threshold of 400 mg/kg
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MGO 600+ sets a threshold around 600 mg/kg
So two jars can both be Mānuka honey while offering very different MGO levels.
For shoppers seeking more than just sweetness, Mānuka honey offers a distinct advantage and a measurable characteristic that allows for product comparison.
What Does MGO 600+ Tell You?
MGO is short for methylglyoxal.
For shoppers, the useful point is simple: the rating shows the level of methylglyoxal associated with the honey.
That makes MGO 600+ particularly relevant to someone deliberately looking for a high-MGO Mānuka honey.
You are not simply buying a jar described as stronger or more premium. You are choosing a product with a stated numerical benchmark.
Kinloch’s current product is MGO 600+ New Zealand Mānuka Honey, 250g.
For a fuller explanation of the rating and how Mānuka honey is identified, visit Understanding Mānuka Honey.
Why Do People Pay Attention to MGO?
MGO is one of the key compounds researchers examine when studying the distinctive antibacterial activity of Mānuka honey.
That scientific interest is one reason the MGO rating has become such a recognisable feature of Mānuka products.
For customers, it also makes comparison easier.
Instead of relying solely on branding or general descriptions, you can look at the MGO level and understand one of the measurable characteristics of the honey you are buying.
That makes MGO especially useful when comparing higher-grade Mānuka products.
Why Kinloch MGO 600+ Stands Out
The MGO 600+ rating is where the comparison becomes more specific.
Kinloch does not simply place MGO 600+ on the jar and leave the customer with only the front label.
The current batch also has laboratory information available from testing carried out in New Zealand and the UK.
The UK result recorded 602 mg/kg of MGO.
That means customers can move directly from the product rating to the testing information behind the current batch.
You can view those details on the Batch Transparency & Lab Results page.
For someone choosing Mānuka honey, the journey is clear:
see the MGO rating → understand what it represents → check the current batch → choose with more information.
That gives Kinloch’s MGO 600+ proposition more substance than a broad claim of strength or quality alone.
Does Mānuka Honey Taste Different From Regular Honey?
Yes, it can.
Regular honey covers a giant range of floral sources, so there is no single flavour that represents every conventional honey.
Kinloch’s Mānuka honey is described as rich and distinctive, with earthy and floral notes.
That means MGO is not the only point of difference.
Mānuka also offers its own flavour and texture, making it something to enjoy as well as something to compare by its MGO rating.
If you want ideas for serving it, read How to Eat Mānuka Honey: 5 Simple Serving Ideas.
You can also see How to Store Mānuka Honey Properly for practical care between servings.
Mānuka Honey vs Regular Honey: Which Should You Choose?
For shoppers looking for more than everyday sweetness, Mānuka offers several clear points of distinction.
You can compare:
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the MGO level
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New Zealand origin
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available batch information
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flavour
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jar size
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price
And if MGO is particularly important to you, MGO 600+ provides a clear benchmark for choosing a high-MGO Mānuka honey.
That is the position Kinloch occupies with its current 250g jar.
Quick Answers
What is the biggest difference between Mānuka honey and regular honey?
One of the most useful differences for shoppers is the MGO rating. Mānuka honey can be compared using a stated MGO level, giving customers a measurable characteristic that ordinary honey generally does not provide.
What does MGO 600+ mean?
It refers to a high-MGO Mānuka honey positioned around the 600 mg/kg MGO level. Kinloch’s current UK laboratory result recorded 602 mg/kg.
Why does MGO matter?
MGO is closely connected with the distinctive antibacterial activity studied in Mānuka honey and gives customers a numerical way to compare different Mānuka products.
Is Mānuka honey better than regular honey?
For shoppers looking beyond basic sweetness, Mānuka offers additional points of distinction, including an MGO rating, New Zealand origin, distinctive flavour and, in Kinloch’s case, access to current-batch testing information.
Explore Kinloch MGO 600+
If MGO is one of the reasons you are choosing Mānuka honey, Kinloch gives you both a high-MGO product and access to the current batch information behind it.
Explore Kinloch MGO 600+ New Zealand Mānuka Honey, 250g
Or view the Batch Transparency & Lab Results.