While the question “Where Are Kiwis Grown?” might lead you to imagine specific locations, with Zespri Kiwifruit, the answer is more about a commitment to quality that transcends geographical boundaries. The true story isn’t just about where Zespri kiwis grow, but how they are grown, thanks to the unique and rigorous Zespri System. This system is the cornerstone of the Zespri brand, ensuring that every kiwifruit delivers exceptional taste and nutrition, regardless of its origin.
The Zespri System: Prioritizing Quality Over Location
For Zespri, the journey of a kiwifruit, from orchard to your table, is governed by the Zespri System. This meticulously crafted system is a testament to years of research, practical application, and an unwavering dedication to continuous improvement. It’s a holistic approach that integrates production and distribution, allowing Zespri to consistently deliver the world’s most delicious kiwifruit. The remarkable flavor and nutritional benefits of Zespri Kiwifruit are a direct result of this unique growing process, which oversees every step, ensuring excellence from the orchard to the moment it reaches retailers.
These stringent quality standards and procedures guarantee that all Zespri kiwifruit are cultivated using the most advanced orchard management techniques. This unwavering focus on best practices is what enables Zespri to provide consumers with fruit of unparalleled quality, no matter where in the world it’s grown. So, while the question of “where are kiwis grown” is valid, Zespri emphasizes that their system ensures top-tier quality, irrespective of location.
Taste is Paramount: A Global Standard
It’s a little-known fact that taste can be scientifically measured, and Zespri has pioneered this approach in kiwifruit cultivation. Decades of experience in growing kiwifruit, coupled with extensive consumer taste studies, have allowed Zespri to develop a precise measurement for taste. This innovative metric allows them to guarantee that every kiwifruit meets their exacting taste standards before it’s even harvested.
To uphold these standards, Zespri employs independent, third-party auditors. These experts meticulously assess the fruit, ensuring it reaches the optimal maturity level before growers are permitted to begin harvesting. Zespri growers are not only incentivized but also deeply committed to ensuring that every aspect of their orchard management contributes to producing kiwifruit with superior taste for consumers. This rigorous process is how Zespri consistently delivers delicious, high-quality kiwifruit that exceeds both their own stringent criteria and the expectations of consumers worldwide.
Alt text: Expert third-party auditors check Zespri Kiwifruit maturity levels in a lush orchard before harvest.
A Global Family of Growers
Zespri Kiwifruit benefits from a global network of over 2,500 dedicated growers. These growers are located in diverse regions known for their ideal kiwifruit-growing conditions, including New Zealand, Italy, France, Greece, South Korea, and Japan. This expansive network, combined with the Zespri System’s unwavering focus on quality, ensures that kiwifruit arrives at stores at the peak of flavor and freshness, ready to be enjoyed by consumers.
At the heart of this global operation are the growers themselves. Zespri views its growers as family, recognizing their central role in the brand’s success. These growers embody a “care at the core” philosophy, which is evident in every bite of Zespri Green and SunGold™ Kiwifruit. Kiwifruit thrives in very specific environments, and Zespri orchards are carefully chosen to provide these ideal conditions. The entire cultivation process is intensive, often requiring up to five years of meticulous care before plants are mature enough to yield a harvestable crop. Through the diligent application of the Zespri System, these growers collectively harvest approximately 3.7 billion kiwifruit annually, across nearly 30,000 acres of orchards.
Alt text: Zespri System ensures high-quality kiwifruit through careful sorting and packing processes after harvest.
Our Growers, Our Family, Our Promise
A key element of the Zespri System is consistent and open communication with all kiwifruit growers. This includes deep collaborations, shared research initiatives, and a strong sense of community. Zespri takes immense pride in the contributions of each grower, recognizing them as integral members of the Zespri family. In turn, these growers are fully committed to upholding the principles and practices of the Zespri System.
You are invited to meet the Zespri growers and witness their passion and dedication firsthand. The name Zespri itself embodies health, vitality, energy, and a zest for life – qualities that are reflected in the fruit they bring to you. This is largely thanks to the Zespri System and the extraordinary family of growers who are dedicated to producing the best kiwifruit possible. When you want to be sure you’re choosing kiwifruit of the highest quality, simply look for the Zespri logo – your assurance of exceptional taste and quality, regardless of “where are kiwis grown.”
