On March 26, with the arrival of the world's first reefer charter ship "Kowhai" of Zespri Kiwifruit in New Zealand, the Zespri 2024 season "sweetly" opened this spring. Zespri's new cartoon health ambassadors, the "KiwiBrothers", have also landed with the arrival of kiwifruit to meet Chinese consumers and share healthier eating ideas.

In order to ensure that kiwifruit can reach the market in the best condition and quickly, the arrival of 608,000 standard retail trays (about 2,200 tonnes) including 520,000 trays of Zespri SunGoldTM and 84,000 trays of Zespri RubyRedTM completed a total voyage of more than 5,185 nautical miles (about 9,600 kilometers) in less than 12 days. Zespri's reefer vessels are equipped with advanced temperature control and controlled atmosphere technology, and professional technicians adjust the temperature and gas conditions on hand to ensure that each Zespri kiwifruit enters the consumer's table with the best quality.

Known as the "little gold mine of nutrition", Zespri SunGoldTM, has been loved by consumers for many years, is not only rich in vitamin C, but also has a high nutrient density, and at the same time, it is characterized by juicy flesh, sweet taste and low glycemic index.

The China market is expected to account for nearly 50% of global consumption for the first time this season of Zespri's latest RubyRedTM fruit with plant variety rights. This kiwifruit, known as "natural anthocyanin small red fruit", has a unique berry fragrance, attractive ruby like flesh, rich in natural anthocyanins and other nutrients, with strong antioxidant properties, to meet the needs of consumers for delicious and healthy consumption.

The 2024 season is marked by a significant stabilisation of the kiwifruit industry and the natural environment, which has ensured a significant increase in production and is expected to be one of the highest seasons in Zespri's history, and the supply to the Chinese mainland will increase by 42% compared to the previous season. In the 2024 season, Zespri's exports to the Chinese market (including Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) will increase to 193,000 tonnes accounting for 27% of Zespri's global market supply, and will firmly rank first in the single country market. This year, Zespri will also make appropriate price adjustments for kiwifruit for the Chinese market, aiming to bring Zespri's products to more Chinese cities and more consumers to taste Zespri's high-quality products.

At present, the global economy has slowed down significantly, and China's economy is in a gradual recovery stage. For Zespri New Zealand, this is both a challenge and an opportunity. As one of Zespri's most important global strategic markets, China's economy is growing significantly faster than the world's major developed economies and the imported fruit sector  continues to show strong development. China's consumption potential continues to be unleashed, and consumption expectations are positive. Zespri International Group is looking forward to the Chinese market in 2024 and will work closely with all partners to ensure high-quality supply in the Chinese market.

By: Zespri