Zespri has a promising start to the 2025 season

Overview of kiwifruit in the U.S. market, complemented by charts from Agronometrics. Original published on May 6, 2025.

Kiwifruit exporter Zespri has begun its 2025 season in Europe, the United States, and Asia, with over 30 million trays already shipped to market.

In mid-April, the first shipments of SunGold kiwifruit arrived at European ports in Zeebrugge, Belgium; Tarragona, Spain; and Vado, Italy. Simultaneously, charters bound for the United States landed in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.

In Asia, Zespri noted that “our first sales of SunGold kiwifruit are on track, supported by good quality and a strong brand presence.” Green kiwifruit is also starting to reach the market, with sales underway in Hong Kong and Malaysia.

In Europe, Zespri has increased volumes by approximately 4% for the 2025 season. Nikki Johnson, acting general manager for Europe, said the team has solid plans and strong partnerships in place across all markets to sell Zespri’s 2025 crop. The focus remains on maximizing value for growers, customers, and consumers.

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Source: USDA Market News via Agronometrics.
(Agronometrics users can view this chart with live updates here)

Zespri stated: “In recent months, we have continued to see good demand for European-grown fruit, which puts us in a strong position to transition to our New Zealand-grown fruit in the coming weeks.”

To support sales, the “Choose Healthy, Choose Real—Zespri Zing” campaign, starring the KiwiBrothers, will be launched in Europe for the second year. The campaign is designed to inspire consumers to rethink their daily eating habits and encourage them to make eating “real” food a sustainable habit.

KiwiBrothers will also be in the United States, focusing on retailers to drive sales. These will appear on new packaging and in-store displays.

“Consumers find the KiwiBrothers characters on packaging to be unique, creative, and fun, and they help the brand stand out on shelves, which drives purchase,” said North America general manager Darren LaMothe.

*Article with information from KiwiFlier May 2025 – Zespri.

The News in Charts is a collection of stories from the industry complemented by charts from Agronometrics to help better tell their story.

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