French producer Sikig secured the deal at the end of last year just as the French season got under way. It was signed by Zespri's Rod Cameron and Sikig's Julien Pedelucq.
'The signing of this contract is a significant first step to Zespri securing supply of Zespri Gold initially but also Zespri Green in France,' said Cameron.
Zespri has already allocated all the available 2,050ha licences for the southern hemisphere, but believes it is critical that it develops a complementary northern hemisphere supply to sustain consumer demand for its product.
'We have carefully and selectively licensed a number of offshore growers and packhouses to grow and pack Gold,' said Cameron. These include California, which has 300ha licensed, Italy, which has 300ha and Japan with 10ha. The deal reached with Sikig represents three years of complex legal negotiation.
