New Zealand's top kiwi marketer makes big push to double sales in RP

MANILA, Philippines - New Zealand’s biggest marketer of kiwi fruit, Zespri International (Asia) Ltd., is making a big push to double its sales in the Philippines.

In an interview with The STAR, Zespri market manager for Southeast Asia Daniel Mathieson said the company plans to double sales of the exotic kiwi fruit with the help of Elite Fruit Marketing, Inc. and Beauchamp.

Last year, Mathieson said Zespri sold about 3.3 million pieces of kiwi fruit in the Philippines.

“We’re hoping to double that this year,” he added.

Mathieson said there is still a need to introduce the fruit to more Filipino consumers.

Zespri is allocating 20 percent of its marketing budget for Southeast Asia to the Philippines. Mathieson said bulk of this will be spent for the promotion of the kiwi fruit at the retail- supermarket level which accounts for 80 percent of total kiwi sales with 10 percent going to restaurants and hotels and 10 percent to wholesalers.

Zespri will also introduce the less known, but sweeter, gold kiwi compared to the already known, but slightly tart tasting, green kiwi.

Zespri is the world’s largest marketer of kiwi fruit, exporting around two billion pieces of kiwi fruit to 65 countries.

ZESPRI’s export revenue averages around $800 million a year.

The company was previously known as the New Zealand Kiwifruit Marketing Board.

It was incorporated in April 2000 and is owned by 2,754 kiwi fruit growers.