New Zealand Prime Minister John Key was on hand to officially open Zespri’s new sales and marketing hub in Singapore on Friday (7 August).
Zespri chairman Peter McBride said it was an honour to have Key in attendance, highlighting the importance of the kiwifruit industry to the New Zealand economy.
“Volumes of Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit set to grow strongly in the next few years and Zespri is investing in its market capability to deliver this growth for New Zealand growers,” McBride explained. “Our head office is in Tauranga in the region where 80 percent of New Zealand’s kiwifruit is grown and this Singapore hub is the market-side base for our global sales and marketing leadership team.”
Zespri has been selling its premium range of kiwifruit into Singapore for over 20 years and has had market staff based in the Asian nation for the past eight seasons.
Along with providing Zespri with a permanent base in Singapore, the new office will help the single desk marketer grow its foothold in South East Asia, where it forecast sales of around NZ$78m this season.
“Being market driven is fundamental to our success as a global brand and this office in Singapore supports our global connectedness and the market-centric approach of our industry,” McBride added. “The Singapore office is not just Zespri’s global sales and marketing office, it’s part of our focus on the Southeast Asia region as well.”
The hub will also offer corporate support services to nearby Asian markets including Japan and China –Zespri’s largest two country markets.
