ORANGE COUNTY, CA - One of my favorite New Zealand produce items will be landing on United States store shelves in mid-May. Zespri™ announced that the first two shipping vessels for its highly coveted kiwifruit are expected to arrive at the Port of Philadelphia and the Port of Los Angeles at the end of April. Zespri account managers are continuing to develop customized programs with retailers, complete with refreshed merchandising displays and exciting new promotional programs.

“We are heading into the new season as the No. 1 selling kiwi brand for the fourth consecutive year,” explains Darren LaMothe, General Manager, North America. “Our success is based on several factors, but one of our main points of differentiation is that our kiwifruit is grown for taste. Consumers love the taste of our refreshingly sweet SunGold™ Kiwifruit, which has helped solidify our top brand positioning. Consumers also love the tangy-sweet taste profile of our Green Kiwifruit. We’ve had great weather and growing conditions and are expecting an exceptional-tasting crop this year.”

To capitalize on the strong consumer demand for Zespri kiwifruit, retailers are encouraged to build large, prominent displays. According to a press release, Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit continues to drive sales with 49 percent of total category dollar gains. When both varieties of SunGold and Green kiwis are merchandised together, sales increased 32 percent compared to another green kiwi brand. Additionally, when SunGold and Green kiwi organic varieties are also included in a display, there is an automatic halo effect of favorable consumer perception.

New for the 2024 season, Zespri updated its iconic yellow merchandising display to include new creative that ties into its successful Taste the Obsession consumer campaign. The extensive digital campaign will include social, email, online video, display advertising, Ibotta, sampling, and event activations.

“We are excited to continue our campaign because consumers are resonating with the messaging and are interested to learn about the passion and care that goes into delivering the world’s best kiwifruit. It’s a delicious and nutritious fruit that aligns with consumers’ growing health and wellness needs. To enhance our Taste the Obsession campaign, we will be introducing our Zespri KiwiBrothers™ to America. The dynamic duo of SunGold and Green brand characters will start their journey through social media, connected TV, audio streaming, and events,” explains Jeanne Wilson, Head of Marketing, North America.

Retailers can track the shipments here to start preparing for another successful Zespri kiwifruit season. I know I will be loading up my basket when the time comes!