Exploring success of red and gold kiwi varieties: BIG Interview with Nicola Negri, Kiwi Passion

In a recent conversation with Fructidor, Nicola Negri, CEO of Kiwi Passion, shared insights into the company’s latest production achievements, market developments, and future plans. Kiwi Passion, founded with the goal of promoting innovative kiwi varieties such as Red Passion and Gold Passion, continues to expand across Europe and beyond. With an emphasis on quality, consumer satisfaction, and global market reach, the consortium's innovative fruits are positioning themselves as a healthy and attractive option.

Fructidor: So, you mentioned that this year you have reached 2 million kilos of production for Red Passion and 1.2 million kilos for Gold Passion.

Nicola Negri: Yes, these numbers are still estimates, as harvesting is ongoing. We expect it to continue until approximately the end of week 42 in 2024 to collect the fruit in our packing houses. That’s when we will start our sales in Italy and across major European countries.

Fructidor: It sounds like significant progress. When did the consortium formally start?

Nicola Negri: This is actually our third operational year. We launched the project three years ago, focusing on these two new kiwi varieties. There’s growing interest, especially in Red Passion. From our side, we are developing new production sites such as Portugal, where we recently opened a packing house. We are also expanding in Northern Italy through a competitive effort.

Fructidor: How is the consortium structured to support these efforts?

Nicola Negri: The consortium centralizes all processes to ensure product quality and develop sales plans effectively across Europe and even overseas.

Fructidor: Speaking of overseas markets, what are your plans for Latin America?

Nicola Negri: We recently started planting in Argentina, beginning with 15 hectares. We are optimistic that by 2025, we will bring the first counter-season Red Passion kiwis to market from South America. There’s a lot of growth potential there, and we are excited about what’s to come.

Fructidor: Do you have a long-term goal in terms of production area?

Nicola Negri: Yes, our target is to cultivate 1,000 hectares. We set this target back in 2019 when we first envisioned the consortium. While progress has been slower than initially anticipated, we decided to prioritize developing the right varieties and improving agricultural practices before pushing for rapid expansion.

Fructidor: Any additional innovations or developments on the horizon?

Nicola Negri: We are currently in discussions with an Italian packing house to further develop Gold Passion production in Southern Italy, where the growing conditions are optimal. Similarly, we are planting more hectares in Greece with the support of local authorities.

Fructidor: How are you approaching branding and marketing?

Nicola Negri: Right now, we’re focusing on trademarking through specialized magazines, both online and offline. Social media is also one of our key channels for building brand awareness. We haven’t fully developed a formal marketing strategy yet, but we’re working on it.

Fructidor: Are there any unique aspects of your products that you’d like to highlight?

Nicola Negri: Absolutely! Both Red Passion and Gold Passion have incredible organic qualities. We aim to raise more awareness about the health benefits of these fruits — they are rich in vitamin C, which is great for immunity and well-being. Just one kiwi can provide the recommended daily dose of vitamin C.

Fructidor: That’s impressive! It sounds like these kiwis are great for everyone, especially children.

Nicola Negri: Yes! In fact, I have a personal story about that. I decided to join this project after discussing it for over a year with the consortium team. What finally convinced me was my daughter. She doesn’t eat fruit at all, but when I brought home a five-kilo box of our kiwis, she finished them all in just three days! She was 16 at the time, and seeing her enjoy them so much made me realize how appealing these fruits are to kids. They’re sweet, healthy, and easy to love.

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