International kiwifruit marketer Zespri has signed a new five-year deal with the Port of Zeebrugge that sees the Belgian shipping hub retain its status as the primary point of entry into the European market for the company's New Zealand exports.
During a landmark meeting in Auckland and in the presence of Prince Filip of Belgium, who is leading a delegation of the country's business leaders to New Zealand, Zespri secured the new agreement with terminal operator Sea-Invest.
Under the agreement, which has been in place since 1984, Sea-Invest provides Zespri with the means necessary to store, check and pack kiwifruit on arrival from New Zealand in Zeebrugge.
Each year, around 120,000 tonnes of Zespri-branded kiwifruit is brought into Europe through the port, from where it is distributed to 25 markets across the continent.
Europe remains Zespri's largest market and one of New Zealand's oldest kiwifruit markets, having received its first consignment back in 1952.
Zespri itself was formed in 1997 to replace the Kiwifruit Marketing Board, which already had a long-standing arrangement with the Port of Zeebrugge.
'Over that time, Zespri has built a reputation for delivering the world's premium-quality kiwifruit for European customers to enjoy,' commented Lain Jager, chief executive of Zespri.
'A key part of delivering this is having the Zeebrugge facility to maintain our quality control and meet customer requirements.'
Zespri's general manager for Europe, Bert Barmans, said Zespri's relationship with Sea-Invest was excellent and felt the agreement secured long-term business certainty for both Zespri and Zeebrugge.
'They have worked very closely with us to develop a world-class facility and service to meet our needs since we began our relationship,' he explained.
'I look forward to working with them for another five years to continue to develop the level of quality and service we deliver to our customers.'
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