Zespri hopes to sell 3.9% more volumes in Europe

The first boats of Zespri kiwifruit of the SunGold variety are on their way to the ports of Zeebrugge, Tarragona and Vado, arriving in mid-April. The first green kiwifruit are expected in early May. Growing conditions in New Zealand were generally favorable for most growers, with good sunshine and regular rainfall, creating ideal conditions for fruit size and taste quality.

2 record years

After a record 2024 season in New Zealand, the European region is looking forward to another promising year in 2025, with growth of 3.9% across all varieties, and a clear objective: to sell more fruit right from the start of the season. On the French market, Zespri hopes to continue increasing sales, buoyed by the performance of conventional SunGold. Business plans have been prepared upstream, in co-construction with all distribution partners (distributors and chains), and the countdown is now on to ensure optimal execution in the field.

The Kiwi Brothers are back

With the growing importance attached by consumers to health and well-being, the Kiwi Brothers are once again ambassadors for the European "Choose Healthy, Choose Real - Zespri Zing" campaign, now in its second year. This initiative aims to inspire consumers to rethink their daily eating habits and adopt a more natural, sustainable diet. In addition to traditional channels such as TV, radio and digital advertising, the Zespri team is exploring new formats, such as gamification, to bring the "Zespri Zing" campaign to life. It is also setting up immersive brand experiences in several markets. Particular emphasis is placed on point-of-sale activations throughout the season, as the majority of kiwifruit purchasing decisions in Europe are made in-store. This point is central to the "Perfect Store" project, deployed in several European countries, to enhance shelf visibility and guarantee easy access to Zespri products and their different varieties.

France pioneers in merchandising

France has been a pioneer in Zespri merchandising since 2021. The Group continues to roll out this structuring and differentiating POS project with retail partners. Zespri is also continuing its progress towards the adoption of fully compostable fruit labels at home. Developed with partner Sinclair, at the end of 2024 this label obtained a globally-recognized certification of domestic compostability, issued by three of the leading certification bodies, after several years of research and testing.

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