Success attributed to quality focus and logistics collaboration as Zespri moves forward with plans to expand Northern Hemisphere production across multiple countries
Italian producers of Zespri’s SunGold kiwifruit have received their highest-ever returns over the past season, according to a report on the Horeca News website.
Nick Kerton, the marketer’s Northern Hemisphere executive director, told the publication that growers in Italy who supplied the Zespri Global Supply business with the proprietary yellow-fleshed variety secured a final return of €3.23 per kilo, the most ever recorded.
“We have demonstrated that working together on quality and logistics can make a difference,” Kirton said. “Our commitment to innovation and collaboration will continue to be key to our growth.”
Around 1,200 growers have a license to produce Zespri kiwifruit in Italy, located in Lazio, Emilia-Romagna, Calabria, Veneto, Basilicata, and Lombardy.
Earlier this year, Zespri announced a plan to expand its Northern Hemisphere SunGold production with the addition of new licensed hectares in Italy, France, Japan and Korea, a move designed to help guarantee 12-month supply of the fruit.
