Zespri is gearing up for a strong marketing push in North America this year. With the first consignments recently landed on the West and East Coast, the New Zealand marketer said a favourable growing season, with hot weather and adequate rainfall delivering a good quality crop.
The marketer said its new variety, SunGold, would be available in greater volumes in the North American market this year. It expects to harvest a total of around 9m trays of the new variety this season. The golden-fleshed fruit is described as having a sweet taste with a hint of tanginess, with a delicate texture inside and a smooth skin.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to reach more consumers this year in the US and Canada markets. This is a fantastic piece of fruit,” said Michele Hoard, Zespri’s marketing manager for North America. “In conjunction, we are initiating ongoing work to educate customers and consumers that this is another premium variety from Zespri they can depend on.”
Commenting on the recent approval the first self-substantiated health claim for a fresh fruit product given by the Australian and New Zealand food standards authority (FSANZ) – that Zespri green kiwifruit can contribute to normal bowel function, the company said it represented a “giant leap forward” in helping to substantiate digestive comfort claims, as well as scientifically proving functional efficiency.
“Research shows that the more consumers know about the health benefits of kiwifruit, the more they will consume,” the company said in a press release. “Thus the claims prove a great first step in Zespri’s longer-term strategy of procuring a insightful, science-supported claim in other markets worldwide.”
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