New Zealand Kiwifruit
The New Zealand kiwifruit sector is one of New Zealand's success stories
Kiwifruit is New Zealand’s largest horticulture export, generating more than $5 billion in sales in the financial year ended March 2025. In the last 10 years, industry growth has been substantial, driven by both volume and price increases, delivering significant value to kiwifruit growers and the communities it operates in. It is New Zealand’s fourth largest agricultural export behind dairy, meat and forestry products.
The kiwifruit industry has proven to be resilient to economic and global downturns and represents a compelling opportunity for investors seeking exposure to the New Zealand primary sector.
The industry’s structure has enabled growth driven by volume and value:
Volume
Total volumes continue to increase year on year. 212m trays (760,000 tonne) were exported in the 2025 season.
Value
Zespri holds the Plant Variety Rights for the hugely popular SunGold™ and RubyRed™ kiwifruit varieties. In addition, Zespri continues to successfully increase pricing and consistently achieves a pricing premium of 50% - 75% in the markets above that of its international competitors. This additional value is returned to New Zealand growers, to the benefit of the wider New Zealand economy.
Job creation
Land productivity
Export value
Sustainability
Modern orchards are highly productive, delivering strong output per hectare and making efficient use of New Zealand’s finite land resources. This productivity underpins both economic and environmental sustainability over the long term.
Horticulture is inherently labour-intensive, with premium orchard development supporting significant employment across growing, harvesting, packing, and export. Continued expansion contributes meaningfully to regional job creation and economic activity.
Premium horticultural produce generates strong orchard-level returns and contributes materially to New Zealand’s export earnings. As global demand for high-quality produce continues to grow, the sector remains a key driver of export value.
New Zealand-grown horticultural products are recognised for their efficient production systems and comparatively low emissions profile. Ongoing investment in the sector supports the transition toward a more sustainable and resilient agricultural landscape.
The kiwifruit industry provides significant benefits to New Zealand:
Kiwifruit is New Zealand’s largest horticulture export, generating more than $5 billion in sales in the financial year ended March 2025. In the last 10 years, industry growth has been substantial, driven by both volume and price increases, delivering significant value to kiwifruit growers and the communities it operates in. It is New Zealand’s fourth largest agricultural export behind dairy, meat and forestry products.
The kiwifruit industry has proven to be resilient to economic and global downturns and represents a compelling opportunity for investors seeking exposure to the New Zealand primary sector.
Value
Zespri holds the Plant Variety Rights for the hugely popular SunGold™ and RubyRed™ kiwifruit varieties. In addition, Zespri continues to successfully increase pricing and consistently achieves a pricing premium of 50% - 75% in the markets above that of its international competitors. This additional value is returned to New Zealand growers, to the benefit of the wider New Zealand economy.
Volume
Total volumes continue to increase year on year. 212m trays (760,000 tonne) were exported in the 2025 season.
The industry’s structure has enabled growth driven by volume and value:
The kiwifruit industry provides significant benefits to New Zealand:
Job creation
Horticulture is inherently labour-intensive, with premium orchard development supporting significant employment across growing, harvesting, packing, and export. Continued expansion contributes meaningfully to regional job creation and economic activity.
Land productivity
Modern orchards are highly productive, delivering strong output per hectare and making efficient use of New Zealand’s finite land resources. This productivity underpins both economic and environmental sustainability over the long term.
Sustainability
New Zealand-grown horticultural products are recognised for their efficient production systems and comparatively low emissions profile. Ongoing investment in the sector supports the transition toward a more sustainable and resilient agricultural landscape.
Export value
Premium horticultural produce generates strong orchard-level returns and contributes materially to New Zealand’s export earnings. As global demand for high-quality produce continues to grow, the sector remains a key driver of export value.
New Zealand's competitive advantages
New Zealand has some of the best growing conditions in the world for kiwifruit. Clean air, good soils, warm summers, mild winters, and fewer pests and diseases are all factors that typically enable New Zealand to yield greater crops than the rest of the world, and in turn take advantage of the substantial value opportunity that our supply window creates. On average, New Zealand kiwifruit orchards yield more than 2.5x greater tonnage of fruit per hectare than the rest of the world. This is a reflection of superior growing conditions, and also the increasingly professionalised approach of New Zealand growers as the economics continue to justify further investment focused on improving land utilisation.
New Zealand geography: New Zealand is the largest kiwifruit producer in the Southern Hemisphere, giving it a natural strategic advantage. Its harvest window (May to November) aligns with the Northern Hemisphere off-season, enabling focused access to markets where demand consistently exceeds New Zealand’s available supply.
Zespri, the global category leader: Zespri is the world’s largest exporter and marketer of kiwifruit, and the sole global exporter of New Zealand-grown supply. It operates across more than 50 markets and manages around 30% of global volume. Today, Zespri is the most recognised fruit brand in its top 15 markets, and the most recognised New Zealand brand in China. Underpinned by a strong reputation for quality, the brand consistently commands a premium of 50–75% over international competitors.
Plant variety rights: Zespri holds the Plant Variety Rights (PVR) for both SunGold™ and RubyRed™ kiwifruit, giving it exclusive global rights to grow and commercialise these premium varieties until their expiry. This control over supply enables Zespri to carefully balance global production with demand, supporting consistently strong pricing across both protected varieties.
New Zealand has some of the best growing conditions in the world for kiwifruit. Clean air, good soils, warm summers, mild winters, and fewer pests and diseases are all factors that typically enable New Zealand to yield greater crops than the rest of the world, and in turn take advantage of the substantial value opportunity that our supply window creates. On average, New Zealand kiwifruit orchards yield more than 2.5x greater tonnage of fruit per hectare than the rest of the world. This is a reflection of superior growing conditions, and also the increasingly professionalised approach of New Zealand growers as the economics continue to justify further investment focused on improving land utilisation.
New Zealand geography: New Zealand is the largest kiwifruit producer in the Southern Hemisphere, giving it a natural strategic advantage. Its harvest window (May to November) aligns with the Northern Hemisphere off-season, enabling focused access to markets where demand consistently exceeds New Zealand’s available supply.
Zespri, the global category leader: Zespri is the world’s largest exporter and marketer of kiwifruit, and the sole global exporter of New Zealand-grown supply. It operates across more than 50 markets and manages around 30% of global volume. Today, Zespri is the most recognised fruit brand in its top 15 markets, and the most recognised New Zealand brand in China. Underpinned by a strong reputation for quality, the brand consistently commands a premium of 50–75% over international competitors.
Plant variety rights: Zespri holds the Plant Variety Rights (PVR) for both SunGold™ and RubyRed™ kiwifruit, giving it exclusive global rights to grow and commercialise these premium varieties until their expiry. This control over supply enables Zespri to carefully balance global production with demand, supporting consistently strong pricing across both protected varieties.
A health powerhouse
Kiwifruit is one of the most nutrient-dense fruits, offering exceptionally high levels of key vitamins and minerals. It contains around three times the vitamin C of an orange, more potassium than a banana, and is a natural source of vitamin E. Just one serving per day can support immune function, digestion, and sustained energy levels, thanks to its high vitamin C content, dietary fibre, and low glycemic index.
A health powerhouse
Kiwifruit is one of the most nutrient-dense fruits, offering exceptionally high levels of key vitamins and minerals. It contains around three times the vitamin C of an orange, more potassium than a banana, and is a natural source of vitamin E. Just one serving per day can support immune function, digestion, and sustained energy levels, thanks to its high vitamin C content, dietary fibre, and low glycemic index.
A health powerhouse
Kiwifruit is one of the most nutrient-dense fruits, offering exceptionally high levels of key vitamins and minerals. It contains around three times the vitamin C of an orange, more potassium than a banana, and is a natural source of vitamin E. Just one serving per day can support immune function, digestion, and sustained energy levels, thanks to its high vitamin C content, dietary fibre, and low glycemic index.