Zespri International Limited is the world's largest marketer of
kiwifruit
Kiwifruit (often shortened to kiwi in North American, British and continental European English) or Chinese gooseberry is the edible berry of several species of woody vines in the genus '' Actinidia''. The most common cultivar group of kiwi ...
, selling in over 50 countries. Zespri was first established in 1988 under the name of the "New Zealand Marketing Board" before it formed as a co-operative of kiwifruit growers in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
in 2000 and renamed itself "Zespri International Ltd." Its international headquarters are in
Mount Maunganui
Mount Maunganui (, ) is a major residential, commercial and industrial suburb of the Tauranga metropolitan area, located on a peninsula to the north-east of Tauranga's city centre. It was an independent town from Tauranga until the completio ...
, New Zealand. However, it has licensed growers in Italy, France, Japan, South Korea, Greece and Australia, with trials in place in several other countries. Kiwifruit from New Zealand is available from May to October. To satisfy year-round consumer demand, Zespri markets kiwifruit from Italy from November to January.
Zespri portfolio of kiwifruit varieties includes SunGold, Green, and Organic.
Cuttings of Zespri Sungold Kiwifruit have been smuggled to China, the Kiwifruit's country of origin, where they are now competing with the legitimately-branded fruit in the China market.
Zespri's popularity has seen a recent increase in Australia, due largely in part to a marketing campaign containing two dancing and singing kiwifruit.
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References
External links
ZespriZespri FR
New Zealand companies established in 1997
Food and drink companies of New Zealand
Food and drink companies established in 1997
Kiwifruit
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