Innovation is central to everything Zespri does.

• In our cultivation process and orchard management
• In storage, distribution, marketing and sales
• In our approach to quality and sustainability 
• In our plant breeding programme 

Zespri is constantly looking for new types of kiwi, so that you can enjoy kiwifruit in even more varied ways.

For over 25 years now we have been working to this end together with Plant & Food Research, the New Zealand institute for market gardening research. In close consultation with growers, researchers and customers, we have set up the largest, most advanced plant-breeding programme in the world, involving no fewer than 70,000 kiwi varieties. Using a complicated (and 100% natural!) process of cultivation, selection and cross-fertilisation , we look for promising seedlings which are then further cultivated by means of cuttings. If these meet the expectations, they are grown in small numbers and tested on the market.

A natural plant-breeding process of this kind only yields results after six to ten years! During this period the kiwi varieties are constantly assessed and tested, by both growers and consumers.

Only in this way are we sure that the new variety meets all the requirements to enable it to be marketed – and those are many and varied:

• exceptional taste
• nice shape and size
• tasty-looking flesh
• high nutritional value
• good keeping properties 

What is more, the bushes must also produce enough fruit to make the new crop economically cost-effective for the kiwi farmers.

The Zespri Gold is the best proof that our plant-breeding programme works. The golden-yellow kiwi is enjoyed all over the world and has carved out an established place for itself in the fruit range.

Zespri Gold Kiwifruit accounts for 25% of our annual turnover. That’s a splendid achievement for a fruit that has only been on the market for 10 years!

The success of the Zespri Gold inspired us to further extend the range. Up until recently the yellow kiwi was only available for a limited period (20 weeks a year). We wanted to extend this availability with new varieties, and have managed to do just that. After 10 years of research and development, including consumer tests in New Zealand, Japan and Germany, Zespri has selected two new yellow kiwis for commercial tests: the Zespri Gold 3 and Zespri Gold 9. The shape and taste are almost identical, but thanks to the newcomers you might soon be able to enjoy golden kiwis virtually all year round!

A third newcomer, which will be coming onto the market in a couple of years’ time, is a new green kiwi with a slightly sweeter taste.And are there any other plans afoot? There most certainly are! At the moment tests are being carried out for a brand new type of kiwi with red flesh. However, we are still in a trial phase. Only if the result of the plant-breeding programme meets all the requirements laid down by Zespri and the market will we consider marketing the red kiwi. Watch this space!

Of course the plant-breeding programme is not the only proof of our urge to innovate. Zespri is also highly innovative in its processes, in its pursuit of quality, and as regards sustainability. You can read about all this in “the Zespri quality system” and “Our sustainable approach, for a better future”.