New Zealand-based fruit marketer Turners & Growers has confirmed that its Northern Hemisphere Enza kiwifruit programmes are now underway, with early sales commencing in Asia and the debut of a new branded product in Europe.
The expansion of the brand's reach during 2011 is expected to continue following growth in 2010, with new programmes confirmed for south-east Asia, Australia, the US and Europe.
This season's first shipment of ENZARed-branded kiwifruit has already arrived in Taiwan and the company says it is looking to expand into new markets in 2011 off the back of success during 2010.
And, in another first for the company, T&G has revealed it is about to start its first ever Enza MEGAkiwi programme into Europe this year, using the brand to market a new, large variety of green kiwifruit grown in Greece.
According to a spokesperson, T&G has 10,000 tonnes of MegaKiwi production in Greece and around 10,000 tonnes of ENZARed production in China.
The group has built up production of ENZARed in Europe to 300ha, the spokesperson revealed, with further plantings due to take place during the upcoming Northern Hemisphere winter.
T&G managing director Jeff Wesley said Enza's first programme into the premium Japanese market during 2010 had gone 'extremely well' with bigger volumes confirmed for next season.
'The quality of fruit has generally been excellent and customers already know and love the Enza brand because of its New Zealand heritage,' he said.
Mr Wesley added that the quality of the company's fruit and the strength of its brand among consumers had given buyers confidence to expand the programmes in a number of countries next year.
T&G is currently establishing production hubs in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres for its range of kiwifruit varieties, with a view to offering its international customers year-round supply.
'Internationally our challenge to New Zealand's ban on kiwifruit exports and Enza’s range of new kiwifruit varieties has created a lot of buzz and excitement around the Enza kiwifruit brand,' added Mr Wesley, referring to the recent High Court decision to throw out T&G's bid to deregulate the country's kiwifruit export trade.
'We're seen as an innovator and a challenger and that's creating valuable shelf space for our new varieties in store.'
This season, Enza’s Southern Hemisphere growing hubs in New Zealand and Chile produced ENZAGold for the Australian market and ENZAGreen for Japan, Korea, China, India, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Apart from Australia, China and Korea, all of these were new markets for Enza kiwifruit.
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