New targets announced at the kiwifruit industry’s Momentum 2026 Conference in Mount Maunganui this week
Zespri has launched updated sustainability targets as part of its 2035 strategy, supporting the kiwifruit marketer’s ambition to become the world’s healthiest fruit brand.
The targets were announced at the kiwifruit industry’s Momentum 2026 Conference in Mount Maunganui, attended by more than 600 growers, shareholders, industry and post-harvest leaders, global supply-chain partners and customers.
Zespri executive officer – sustainability, Carolyn Mortland, said Zespri’s 2035 strategy depends on a healthy environment, with Zespri choosing to prioritise climate and packaging work as part of its strategic focus on building brand-led demand, transforming global supply and creating the portfolio of the future.
“In developing our 2035 strategy, we’ve looked at how our approach to sustainability will help build the world’s healthiest fruit brand, including meeting our customers’ and consumers’ evolving expectations,” Mortland said.
“We’ve got a strong platform to work from given the progress we’ve made towards the targets we set in 2020. While we didn’t reach all those targets, we delivered a climate strategy and adaptation plan, completed carbon-neutral orchard trials, biofuel trials and a green shipping corridor feasibility study, implemented fully-certified home compostable fruit labels and lifted our use of recycled material so that more than 90 per cent of our Zespri branded transport packaging across all global markets is made from recyclable material.”
Mortland said the updated targets focus Zespri’s activity in the areas that will help unlock a low-emissions climate-resilient future and signal its long-term ambition to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
“Achieving net zero requires sustained action across our industry and supply chain and we intend on doing this in stages over time, working collaboratively with our partners,” Mortland said.
“This includes advocating for the infrastructure and system changes needed to enable low emissions solutions, and supporting the development and scaling of practical, economically viable options across our value chain.”
As part of the launch Zespri has also released its Climate Change Transition Plan, outlining three short-term climate targets.
The first target is a 42 per cent reduction in Zespri’s scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030, from a 2024 base year. This covers direct emissions from Zespri, including vehicles and buildings. The second is a 30 per cent reduction in shipping emissions per tray equivalent from New Zealand by 2030, from a 2022 base year. Shipping is Zespri’s largest single emissions source and with fruit volumes increasing, this target covers finding reductions through efficiency, collaboration and fuel transition. And finally, an Orchard Climate Innovation Mission which supports reductions through orchard innovation – testing and demonstrating practical orchard-level emissions reductions and carbon removals techniques to support growers over time.
Climate change is increasingly impacting orchards and supply chains, with more frequent and severe weather events occurring in New Zealand and globally.
“These are having a real impact on growers, infrastructure and logistics, and we’re seeing these events shape the rules of trade through new regulation and reporting requirements,” Mortland said.
“That’s matched by rising customer expectations for suppliers to set rigorous climate targets, and consumers who want to buy from brands which support the environment. It’s critical we’re meeting that challenge.
“Our Climate Change Transition Plan highlights our focus on delivering climate‑resilient cultivars, better climate insights, and knowledge-sharing to help future‑proof supply and support more resilient orchards.”
Packaging also remains a major priority for Zespri, with two environmental packaging targets also announced. By 2030, Zespri has set a target for 90 per cent of its packaging to be recyclable in practice, reusable or compostable. This target replaces Zespri’s earlier 100 per cent by 2025 target, recognising real world recycling infrastructure constraints while still driving progress. By 2030, it is also targeting having 30 per cent recycled content in plastic packaging. This is a continuation of Zespri’s existing target and aims to support circularity and help drive demand for packaging collection and recycling. This will be calculated globally as the total weight of recycled plastic used as a percentage of total plastic weight used.
Mortland confirmed there was a focus on reducing the environmental impact of Zespri’s packaging which is critical to maintaining the quality of kiwifruit.
“We’ve made important progress, including the rollout of our world-first 100 per cent home compostable fruit label, ensuring over 95 per cent of Zespri branded packaging in Korea is now recyclable and there is more than 50 per cent of recycled content within our US Zespri branded plastic consumer packs,” Mortland said.
“These packaging targets reflect the practical realities we’ve seen in recent years, future regulation, and will support us in meeting customer and consumer expectations.
“We are taking action on sustainability now so we can continue to deliver high-quality great-tasting Zespri Kiwifruit to our markets around the world, and maximise value for our growers and shareholders,” Mortland concluded.
