Zespri Expands RubyRed™ Kiwifruit to 16 Markets as Volumes Surge
More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets this season.
Zespri has just released its March guidance on the range of prices that growers may get for the coming season and the top of the range price per tray for all classes is above Zespri's February forecast. For example, the top price for SunGold is $12.75, Green $10.75 and RubyRed $17.50. Organic prices are also up on February's forecast.
Zespri chief executive Jason Te Brake says their initial guidance reflects positive demand for their fruit and the removal of US tariffs.
He says the guidance is based on assumptions about the cost of bunker fuel and freight taken from the latest information available, as well as the estimated impact from the conflict in the Middle East, allowing for the potential of wider supply chain disruption.
"Despite heightened geopolitical uncertainty from the ongoing tension in the Middle East, our shipping programme is tracking well, with fruit moving steadily into market, with fruit to Europe shipped via the Panama Canal.
"We have a strong pipeline of vessels arriving in New Zealand over the coming weeks and continue to work with our longstanding shipping partners on monitoring the expected impact of freight costs.”
Te Brake says the 2026/27 season has started well with the industry making good progress with harvest, supporting a fast start with another large crop of around 220 million trays to sell.
“The RubyRed harvest is close to finished, with almost all of this season’s five million trays now packed, and volumes are up from around three million trays on last year.”
Sales of this fruit have extended to include Australia, Vietnam and Canada for the first time, he says.
Te Brake says the March guidance is a preliminary forecast, with forecasts updated through the year when there is a firmer view of fruit and market performance, as well as on the scale and duration of the conflict in the Middle East.
Zespri's Big Red Night
Overseas Trade Minister Todd McClay and Zespri chair Andrew Flowerday were among more than 200 people who gathered at Parliament in last week to celebrate in style the success of the kiwifruit industry.
It was Zespri’s annual ‘thank you’ to all those who have contributed to its huge success in the past year and guests included the Prime Minister, politicians from all parties, diplomats, government officials and industry leaders. The event showcased the early Ruby Red variety which has just been harvested, and guest were given special packs to take home.
Flowerday told the audience that so far it’s been a very smooth harvest, but there are obvious concerns about the fuel crisis. This he stressed highlighted the importance of market diversification and he voiced his strong support for Parliament to ratify the NZ-India FTA.
“Unlocking the value in the Indian market is hugely important to Zespri,” he says.
McClay also emphasised the value of the NZ-India FTA and added that the kiwifruit industry delivered jobs and put money in the pockets of Kiwis from the Far North to the top of the South Island.
“Much of the kiwifruit that is produced comes from the heart of my electorate and I am incredibly proud of the growers who produce this high-quality food and the team behind them that are letting the world enjoy it,” he says.
