Manuka honey brand Comvita has opened a multi-sensory store at Auckland Airport in collaboration with Lagardere Travel Retail and Aelia Duty Free. 

The store features a custom 1.2mm fine pixel pitch LED screen that wraps around a column, containing animated footage of bees, Manuka trees and honey. 

A highlight of the store is a hive ceiling feature, a large-scale installation created using 10,000 beeswax-dipped fabric sheets sourced from Comvita’s hives. 

Visitors can experience the perfume of the Manuka tree at the store, where speakers play bees and natural sounds. They can also stop for a four-minute immersive UMF 5+ and UMF 20+ honey-tasting experience with 3D spatial audio. 

“From the scent of Manuka to the ambient sounds of nature, we’ve infused the store with elements that make it truly unique,” said David Banfield, CEO of Comvita. 

“We are sure discerning consumers will agree it’s a transformative step forward, and we are delighted to share a piece of our magical world with visitors.” 

In July, Comvita spent $10.36 million to purchase Singaporean specialty honey retailer HoneyWorld and its consumer brands. Comvita’s market share in Singapore is estimated to increase by 50 per cent due to the acquisition.