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About ZESPRI
HISTORY
HISTORY
Cultivation
History
Eating & storage
The Kiwi family
Kiwi is good for you
The history of the kiwi
Say kiwi, and you say New Zealand. The origin of the kiwi fruit however is more than 10,000 kilometres away: China. The fact that you can enjoy a tasty, healthy kiwi today is thanks to a remarkable New Zealand teacher, talented market gardeners and entrepreneurial growers.
Read their pioneering stories
The story of Zespri
The name Zespri only came onto the scene in 1997. But our roots go much further back than that. It all began with a couple of crates, and today Zespri Kiwis are a household word all over the world. How did we do it?
Find out about the history of Zespri
Why is a kiwi called a kiwi?
The fruit which we today call a kiwi has successively been referred to as Yang Tao, Chinese gooseberry and melonette. And then inspiration came in the form of that typical New Zealand flightless bird, and the kiwifruit was born.
Interested in finding out how the kiwi became a kiwi?
When did the Zespri Gold come along?
You’re crazy about the Zespri Gold? We’re delighted to hear it! But did you know that the golden-yellow kiwi has not been in our shops for that long? The Zespri Gold story began in 1977, but it was not until many years later that this sweet kiwi variety found its way to Europe.
Want to find out more about the origins of Zespri Gold?
