ORANGE COUNTY, CA - The fuzzy allure of the kiwifruit has only heightened as more and more consumers discover Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwifruit in their local stores. What is it about this little sweet fruit that has consumers wanting more? Susan Noritake, Head of Sales, North America, tells me the juicy deets.

“We are seeing our SunGold Kiwifruit continue to be on-trend and driving category growth. Currently, kiwis are ranked as the fastest-growing fruit in the fruit bowl, and SunGold is the main driver—accounting for 63 percent of total category growth,” Susan informs me. “We’re in full swing of harvest in New Zealand. Our season starts in May, running through November and extending into winter with our Zespri Italian supply.”

Imports of kiwifruit are expected to come in May, with SunGold arriving first and green kiwifruit to follow a couple of weeks after. The wait will be worth it, I, for one, can attest, as the sweet and refreshing taste of SunGold Kiwifruit is unparalleled.

Susan went on to highlight favorable growing conditions this year, allowing for good yields and a flavorful crop. As the category has proven to be a great basket-builder, SunGold Kiwifruit is also a produce department driver, notes Susan. The familiar branding, mixed with the company’s bright colors, pops on produce shelves.

In addition to expanding the reach of this golden fruit with displays and programs, Zespri recently unveiled a new campaign, driving awareness and visibility.

“To encourage consumers to break out of the mundane and shake up their fruit bowl, we launched our new Go Sweet. Be Bold. campaign that highlights the extraordinary invigorating taste of SunGold Kiwifruit,” Susan tells me excitedly. “We’re focusing on driving bold displays in-store because we know building large, eye-catching displays helps sell more kiwifruit. Last year, Retailer X participated in a heavy display promotion (compared to none the prior year), which in turn generated a 220 percent sales lift year over year.”

Zespri’s robust consumer campaign includes digital media, social media, influencer marketing, and a mass sampling effort at major events to drive brand awareness and purchases both online and in-store. The grower continues to invest in raising awareness via high reach digital channels including sites such as TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube, to push consumers to retail.

For a more visual in-person pull, the brand will have bright, eye-catching, freestanding display bins available for retailers to use in their stores.

Like most growers and produce suppliers, Zespri has experienced challenges around labor, transportation, and the supply chain. However, the grower is pulling through thanks to its incredible team.

“Our team works day and night to help mitigate risk and get ahead of challenges. We’re working on charter vessels versus container ships to help bring more efficiency at ports where possible,” Susan continues. “I think the best we can do when challenges come up is to stay in constant communication with our partners and retailers and keep them apprised of any challenges or obstacles and work together to drive solutions.”

As our industry continues to head into the thick of spring, stay tuned for updates from ANUK.

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