PRESS RELEASE

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – Zespri is launching the season with new packaging and a national consumer campaign reaching more consumers than ever with their “Let Your Taste Wander” campaign with several in-store elements to help drive traffic at retail. Additionally, Zespri’s retail trade campaign, “Get with the Program” encourages retailers to meet with Zespri’s market development managers to create customized retail programs designed for their unique shopper.

“Zespri is investing in growing consumer demand,” explains Sarah Deaton, Zespri’s shopper marketing manager. “Our SunGold brand awareness has increased over 41 percent nationally and over 117 percent in top U.S. cities year over year. We finished last season with a strong 47 percent growth in our proprietary SunGold variety, with plans to continue to invest for growth in the coming season.”

Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit is a healthy snack consumers can eat on the go by simply cutting, scooping with a spoon and enjoying its tropical sweet taste. Zespri’s new packaging conveys the nutritional information as well as care instructions. Zespri’s consumer campaign helps drive this message in addition to encouraging consumers to “let your taste wander.” Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit consumer campaign is aimed to help shoppers explore outside of their typical fruit selections and break from their predictable grocery shopping routines. As part of the promotion, Zespri encourages consumers to wander and experience new things in their daily lives earning badges to win fun prizes and bigger experiences including airline miles and family adventure vacations to name a few. The promotion will be featured in Hulu TV, People magazine, Martha Stewart Living and a variety of health publications.

Zespri Season

Consumers will be looking for this exciting new kiwifruit so retailer success is dependent on increased visibility in store. On average, retailers who fully execute Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit programs receive increases in their incremental sales. In fact, a recent third-party study* has shown a 96 percent dollar increase when doubling the size of the kiwifruit display to 6 ft. x 2 ft. Multiple display locations also help increase sales. Additionally, the third party study* indicated that merchandising kiwifruit next to berries and grapes increased kiwifruit sales by 80 percent!

Zespri’s market development managers are available to meet with retailers to customize programs and provide in-store signage along with a digital integrated campaign to geo-target shoppers to reach them at different touch points throughout their day. These digital tools help bring top-of-mind awareness to SunGold and other varieties of Zespri Kiwifruit. SunGold, Green and Organic varieties will be available at retail in bulk, one-pound and two-pound clam packs.

Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit will be available May through February. The New Zealand season ends in November and Zespri Kiwifruit from Italy will extend the season through February. SunGold Kiwifruit from Italy is grown to the same strict standards producing the best-tasting kiwifruit that is consistently sweet and delicious.

Zespri is launching the season with new packaging and a national targeted consumer campaign with several in-store elements to help drive traffic at retail. Additionally, Zespri’s retail trade campaign, “Get with the Program” encourages retailers to meet with Zespri’s market development managers to create customized retail programs.

About Zespri

Zespri International exports premium kiwifruit to 59 countries and is recognized as one of the world's most successful horticulture marketing companies. Based in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand, Zespri is 100 percent owned by current or past NZ kiwifruit growers, and employs around 500 people in New Zealand, Asia, Europe and the Americas. The Zespri brand is the global leader in premium quality kiwifruit.  On behalf of 2,500 growers in New Zealand and 1,200 growers based elsewhere, Zespri manages kiwifruit innovation and supply management, distribution management and marketing of Zespri Green, Zespri SunGold and Zespri Organic. For more information on Zespri North America, please visit www.zesprikiwi.com.